- Film Review
- Reviewed By David Parkinson
-
3 out of 5
This is the first of a phenomenon. Like many of the early outings, it centres on an occupation at the heart of British life and is, therefore, closer to Ealing whimsy than the raucous fun of the later Carry Ons. William Hartnell (who became a household name as the first Doctor Who) stars as the sergeant determined to make soldiers out of his final batch of national service conscripts. Alongside Bob Monkhouse, a handful of regulars are on duty, with the splendid Kenneth Connor as a weedy hypochondriac, Kenneth Williams as (inevitably) a smarmy know-it-all, Hattie Jacques as a no-nonsense medico and Charles Hawtrey as the wonderfully named Private Golightly.
Plot Summary
Comedy starring William Hartnell and Bob Monkhouse. Sergeant Grimshawe's ambition to create a formidable platoon of National Servicemen before his retirement is dealt a blow when he finds himself in charge of a group of incompetents.
Cast and crew
Cast
- Sergeant Grimshawe
- William Hartnell
- Charlie Sage
- Bob Monkhouse
- Mary
- Shirley Eaton
- Captain Potts
- Eric Barker
- Nora
- Dora Bryan
- Corporal Copping
- Bill Owen
- Peter Golightly
- Charles Hawtrey
- Horace Strong
- Kenneth Connor
- James Bailey
- Kenneth Williams
- Captain Clark
- Hattie Jacques
Crew
- Director
- Gerald Thomas
- Share this episode
-