Dad's Army (1971 film)

Dad's Army
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Norman Cohen
Screenplay by	Jimmy Perry David Croft
Story by	Jimmy Perry
Based on	Dad's Army by Jimmy Perry and David Croft
Produced by	John R. Sloan
Starring	Arthur Lowe John Le Mesurier Clive Dunn John Laurie James Beck Arnold Ridley Ian Lavender Bernard Archard
Cinematography	Terry Maher
Edited by	Willy Kemplen
Music by	Wilfred Burns
Production company	Norcon Film Productions
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	12 March 1971 (1971-03-12)
Running time	95 minutes[1]
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Dad's Army is a 1971 British

After a night sleeping without tents the platoon, bar Wilson, oversleep and miss breakfast despite being detailed to hold a pontoon bridge during the day's exercise. The bridge has been sabotaged by the Royal Marines and the results are comically chaotic, with Jones atop on a drifting white horse. Captain Mainwaring is summoned by the major-general and told that due to the platoon's poor showing he will recommend Mainwaring be replaced.

While the platoon are walking back to Walmington, a

The Home Guard platoon infiltrate the building though the church crypt. Dressed in choir surplices, they enter the church hall singing All Things Bright and Beautiful, with their own extemporised second verse. Mainwaring takes a revolver concealed under a collection plate and confronts the Luftwaffe leader, who aims his Luger pistol at him. Both officers agree they will shoot at the count of three, with Mainwaring warning the Germans that if he dies, 7 men will take his place. The platoon then draws their rifles from beneath their white robes. The German intruders reluctantly surrender, with Fullard left stunned at the sight of the victorious Home Guard. Mainwaring and his men become the pride of the town. Wilson reveals that the German officer's gun was empty. Smiling, Mainwaring replies, "So was mine".

In the final scenes, Mainwaring and the Home Guard look towards France from the cliffs. The weather has changed for the worse and it is unlikely that Hitler will ever invade, although that does not stop the group lying down and listening when they start to suspect they have detected a Nazi attempt to tunnel into Britain.

Cast

Production

Filming took place between 10 August and 25 September 1970, at Shepperton Studios and various locations, notably Chalfont St Giles in Buckinghamshire and Seaford in East Sussex, as well as the church of St Mary Magdalene, Shepperton, which is adjacent to the studios.^[3]

Differences from the television series

The film made a number of significant changes, imposed by Columbia Pictures, such as recasting Liz Fraser as Mavis Pike instead of Janet Davies and filming outdoor scenes in Chalfont St Giles rather than Thetford. Also, the bank was now Martins (a genuine bank of the time) rather than Swallow, and, with the increase in budget, the set interiors and the vehicles used were completely different, and the streets of Walmington had extras walking on them. The audience saw the Germans preparing across the Channel, rather than them simply being an unseen threat, and the events of the platoon's formation were revised in various ways for the big screen treatment.

Many of the changes, in particular the recasting of Mrs Pike, met with criticism. Fraser was chosen because director Cohen wanted a less homely, more "sexy" actress for the role.^[4] Perry has said "It was a mistake...not to cast Janet in the role because the viewing public has come to recognise her as Mrs. Pike. But that was a decision made by Columbia.".^[5]

Release

Dad's Army was passed with a

Critical reviews were mixed, but it was the fifth most financially successful film at the United Kingdom box office of the year.^[6][7]

Sequel

Discussions were held about a possible sequel, to be called Dad's Army and the Secret U-Boat Base, but the project never came to fruition.^[8] A second film was released in 2016 with an almost entirely new cast, also titled Dad's Army.

References