Thanks for the memory

The Crazy Gang do the best they can without an audience - using a mixture of slapstick and wordplay which audiences of the day would have recognised. Unsurprisingly, the film has dated badly, but at the time it was released must have been very popular - particularly in the scenes which mock the Germans and Hitler (and some of these are very clever - note how Goering and Himmler are also mocked). Much of the gag material would have been familiar from the stage shows - one of which I did actually see when very young - and so would carry the film audience along, especially the catch phrases; also, the song by Chesney and Allen, which today looks totally out of place, would have been expected, in context or not.

Some of the material is stronger than some might expect - the 'son of a beech' joke is totally unexpected unless you are familiar with the much stronger material of Douglas Byng and Nicholas Frankau which was around at the time; and the music is constructed with great care, although most allusions are unlikely to be picked up today apart from those familiar with the originals (which include classical, as well as popular references). To me, it's a splendid example of a picture of its age which was successful in entertaining and raising spirits, as well as a souvenir of a great comedy troupe. If only Eddie Gray had been available, it would have been perfect, but Moore Marriott is about as good as you could get as a substitute. By no means to everybody's taste - but a gem for the social historian and fan of historic comedy.