Good story, Not enough for a whole film

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

If you have never seen the TV series, or you want to know how it all started, then watch this comedy film. Basically Captain George Mainwaring (Arthur Lowe) sets up the World War II home guard from many volunteer Walmington-on-Sea town residents, including Sgt. Arthur Wilson (John Le Mesurier), LCpl. Jack Jones (Clive Dunn), Pte. James Frazer (John Laurie), Pte. Joe Walker (James Beck), Pte. Charles Godfrey (Arnold Ridley) and Pte. Frank Pike (Ian Lavender). The story basically sees the clumsy, near-witless and always enjoyable troops tackling the Nazi invasion of their town, and they go through many amusing slapstick moments to try and stop them. Also starring Liz Fraser as Mavis Pike, Bernard Archard as Maj. Gen. Fullard, Derek Newark as Regimental Sergeant-Major, Bill Pertwee (Jon's brother) as A.R.P. Warden Hodges, Frank Williams as Vicar, Edward Sinclair as Mr. Yeatman the Verger, Anthony Sagar as Police sergeant and Pat Coombs as Mrs. Hall. The programme was number 4 on Britain's Best Sitcom, Captain Mainwaring was number 29 on The World's Greatest Comedy Characters, and he was number 21 on The 100 Greatest TV Characters, the Christmas Special (My Brother & I) was number 46 on The 100 Greatest Christmas Moments, and the programme was number 13 on The 100 Greatest TV Programmes. Worth watching!

Overall, the Dad's Army movie is very funny, although the humour isn't quite as catchy and sparkly as in the TV and radio series. So where does this leave us, the viewers? If you've never seen Dad's Army then the movie is a good way of bringing yourself up to speed and getting hooked on the mad world of Walmington o/S. The downside is that you might not "get it" because, as I said, the humour in the movie is a bit on the stolid side.For Dad's Army buffs the movie holds nothing new as the story is more or less a cutup of the TV series, but it's a unique chance of seeing your favourites in "high def" as compared to the shitty quality of the BBC video recordings.The movie also features what must be the lamest holdup sequence in the history of the universe. I can't make up my mind if that's a positive or a negative, though.

I have to say that some of the other reviews of this film I have read show very little understanding of it or the original TV series it stemmed from. Dad's Army was a sitcom and therefore had humour and so is bound to have put a smile on the face of the dire situation. However the series carried very many serious messages such as the episode 'Branded' about the bigotry and ignorance that was attached to conscientious objectors. The film was faithful to the series and was simply like an extended episode. So I'm afraid the reviewer who claimed that Columbia improved the humour was quite wrong and let's face it - the BBC sitcoms of this period beat anything that came out of America hands down. Also comments referring to propaganda were also way off the mark. The Homeguard were people considered unfit for frontline service who still wished to serve. They were very brave men who knew they were sentenced to death as soon as they signed up as Hitler announced that anyone who did so would be executed if and when Britain was invaded. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to set the record straight as it is always good to actually speak and comment on what has been seen rather making it up as you go along I find.

TV shows from the 1970's which were turned into films were usually terrible. Dad's Army is the big exception. The formula from the TV show worked just as well on the big screen and with the bigger budget it's lovely to see people walking around Walmington-on-Sea. The plot is similar to parts of some of the TV episodes, but that doesn't matter because they're still as funny. Other parts like when Mainwaring, Wilson and Frazer are stranded on the raft are classic. The only thing I can criticise it for is the sometimes obvious lack of input from the TV shows creators and writers, Jimmy Perry and David Croft. But beautiful performances from Arthur Lowe, John Le Mesurier, Clive Dunn etc.