Although it could've been better, and the book may be (I haven't read it and should) it was worth watching simply for the great 'Milligoon's' foray into his war-service years.
It starts with Milligan's (Jim Dale) call-up, not taking anything seriously, ending up with a brutish baptism of fire at the hands of NCO Bill Maynard, but explores also the camaraderie in amongst the pals he is with.
Mishap after mishap happens, as does ad-lib after ad-lib from Spike. There are human moments too, when one of his number is blown up whilst guarding a 'Jerry' 'plane and another weeps, consoled by the great joker himself, when he finds his whole family have been wiped out in an air raid. Funnily enough, Milligan himself plays his father at this wartime, ironically though, as I heard Milligan once say he thought his dad had a fascist attitude in an interview once on TV.
The film precedes only up until the boys' departure for the front line - it doesn't show anything in action. I imagine that to be relevant in his follow-up book; 'Mussolini, My Part in His downfall'. (Have I got that right?)
Watchable, but not much more than that, but it should be remembered, although adapted for film from the book, he had greater moments with the Goons and his own 'Q' series in the 'seventies and the other one 'There's a lot of it about'. Now they were definitely funny!
It starts with Milligan's (Jim Dale) call-up, not taking anything seriously, ending up with a brutish baptism of fire at the hands of NCO Bill Maynard, but explores also the camaraderie in amongst the pals he is with.
Mishap after mishap happens, as does ad-lib after ad-lib from Spike. There are human moments too, when one of his number is blown up whilst guarding a 'Jerry' 'plane and another weeps, consoled by the great joker himself, when he finds his whole family have been wiped out in an air raid. Funnily enough, Milligan himself plays his father at this wartime, ironically though, as I heard Milligan once say he thought his dad had a fascist attitude in an interview once on TV.
The film precedes only up until the boys' departure for the front line - it doesn't show anything in action. I imagine that to be relevant in his follow-up book; 'Mussolini, My Part in His downfall'. (Have I got that right?)
Watchable, but not much more than that, but it should be remembered, although adapted for film from the book, he had greater moments with the Goons and his own 'Q' series in the 'seventies and the other one 'There's a lot of it about'. Now they were definitely funny!