Dad’s Army (1971) – Nostalgia Central

The intrepid Home Guard of the small south coast seaside village of Walmington-on-Sea made it to the big screen in 1971 after entertaining millions of TV viewers since 1968.

All the well-loved characters from the TV series were there, including the plump, balding, over-conscientious bank manager Captain Mainwaring (Arthur Lowe), second-in-command Sergeant Wilson (John Le Mesurier), Lance Corporal Jones, the High Street butcher (Clive Dunn), cantankerous old Scottish undertaker Private Frazer (John Laurie), veteran Private Godfery (Arnold Ridley), master spiv Private Walker (James Beck), and soppy young Private Pike (Ian Lavender).

Whilst the TV series filmed its exterior scenes on location around the village of Thetford in Norfolk, the film instead filmed its location scenes in the Buckinghamshire countryside, presumably because it was much closer to the production offices at Shepperton Studios.

Produced for under £200,000, the film paid for itself within a few months thanks to the continuing popularity of the television series, though neither the cast nor the writers were happy with the film.

Captain Mainwaring
Arthur Lowe
Sgt. Wilson
John Le Mesurier
L/Cpl. Jones
Clive Dunn
Pte. Frazer
John Laurie
Pte. Walker
James Beck
Pte. Godfrey
Arnold Ridley
Pte. Pike
Ian Lavender
Mrs Pike
Liz Fraser
Maj. Gen. Fullard
Bernard Archard
R.S.M.
Derek Newark
Hodges
Bill Pertwee
Reverend Timothy Farthing
Frank Williams
Verger Maurice Yeatman
Edward Sinclair
Police Sergeant
Anthony Sagar
Mrs Hall
Pat Coombs
General Wilkins
Roger Maxwell
Nazi General
Paul Dawkins
Nazi Orderly
Sam Kydd
Staff Captain
Michael Knowles
Bert King
Fred Griffiths
Mayor
John Baskcomb
Miss King
Harriet Rhys
AA Man
Dervis Ward
Inspector Hardcastle
Robert Raglan

Director
Norman Cohen