Reviews

Enormously enjoyable series until the last three episodes when the scriptwriters lost the plot (sorry about the pun). As a joint production with the Norwegian government I'm not surprised the Nordies pulled the plug after the last series. The central characters are wonderful but eventually lose the audience's sympathy when the plot lines degenerate into gratuitous filthy language, unfunny violence and rough sex with a dollop of buggery. Not quite the image the clean living Nordies want to project for their tourist industry. A great pity though as its hugely enjoyable until then. As Edmund Blackadder said: 'It started well, tailed off a little in the middle and the less said about the ending the better. Apart from that, Excellent!'

I can't add anything more to previous reviews of this superb film. The cast and acting and direction are wonderful. In my opinion Anthony Quayle is the star as the arrogant Captain Van De Poel, drawing no doubt on his real life wartime experiences with SOE and the Partisans in Albania. My Father served in the 8th army and loved this film. The minefield scene where Van De Poel is 'taken down a peg or two' (as the RSM says) is unforgettable. And of course the last scene in the Bar when the others show how they have all bonded by saving him from being shot as a spy. What a decent bunch they all are.

The characters in this TV series reduce me to hysterics whenever I watch them. The Officers Mess dining room scene in 'Roger of the Raj' is indescribably funny (if you're British) and the ghastly traditions of 'Tomkinson Schooldays' brings back so many unfond memories. As for Eric Oldthawite - I had to work with him for three years. He drove me to the edge of suicide he was so boring. You have to be a British dimwitted upper class twit to find them funny. Oh, the irony....

Its easy to overlook and even scoff at the contribution made by Noel Coward to Britains war effort, but it was immense, In 1941 when the film entered production Britains fortunes were at all all time low. Coward devised, produced, directed and starred in this gritty masterpiece even though Britain had been bankrupted by three years of war and defeat after defeat in France, the Mediterranean and Far East. He knew Britain was dependent on LendLease from the USA and how important it was to reassure the Country and show the American public that it would pull through if everyone 'did their bit', however humble. It succeeds magnificently. Some of the dialogue may seem stilted and one dimensional today but it was what people needed and wanted to hear. The dinner party speech given by his wife and the farewell speech given by Captain Kinross to his surviving shipmates brings tears to your eyes. They epitomise the decency and leadership which a Country desperately needs at such times.

A superb comedy and flawless performances by a distinguished cast. Wonderfully directed and edited and captures the essence of understatement and bizarre behaviour of the upper classes. On a par with the surrender scene in 'A Bridge too Far'. At the risk of offending my American friends I have to say that only the English can deliver such humour. We watched it together and one of them summed it up nicely: 'So that's how you built an Empire - the locals accepted you just to see how barking mad you all are'. Makes me proud to be British!