Film Review
Private's Progress, the first
of the Boulting Brothers' irreverent film satires, proved to be an instant hit and
helped to boost the profile of many of its rising stars. It may even have
inspired the popular Granada television series
The Army
Game and the first of the Carry On films,
Carry On Sergeant (1958).
The film is perhaps most memorable for Terry-Thomas's irresistibly
funny turn as the upper-crust officer who, when provoked, spits, in his
inimitable way, "You're a shower, an absolute shower!", which would
become the actor's oft-repeated catchphrase.
The cast list reads like a
Who's Who
of 1950s British cinema, including acting legends such as Richard
Attenborough, Dennis Price and Ian Carmichael, in addition to the
aforementioned comedy hero Terry-Thomas. William Hartnell appears briefly in
the role for which he would have been best remembered if he hadn't been
cast in the BBC television series
Doctor Who,
the hectoring sergeant major. John Le Mesurier is hilarious as an
army psychiatrist; a decade later he would be immortalised as Sergeant
Wilson in the long-running BBC sitcom
Dad's Army.
Miles Malleson, George Coulouris and Peter Jones (to name just three)
also put in some memorable contributions that help to make this an
enjoyable romp. Christopher Lee makes a fleeting appearance
as a Nazi officer; a few years later, he would be known throughout
the world as the unrivalled prince of horror, through
his
Dracula films for Hammer.
Several of the cast would reprise their
roles in the sequel to this film,
I'm All Right Jack (1959),
which is indisputably the best of the Boultings' satires of
post-WWII England.
© James Travers 2009
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.
Film Synopsis
In 1941, Stanley Windrush has his university studies interrupted when
he is conscripted into the British army. Because of his
aristocratic background, Windrush is considered officer material, but
when he fails to get past an officer selection board, he ends up being
posted to a holding unit, under the command of the hard-to-please Major
Hitchcock. Windrush is trained as a Japanese interpreter but ends
up being assigned to a secret operation conceived by his uncle, Bertram
Tracepurcel. The plan is to seize a consignment of priceless
works of art from a Nazi-controlled chateau on the continent and bring
these back to England. In fact, Tracepurcel intends to purloin
the antiques and sell them off for his own gain...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.