ianlouisiana Review of The Virgin Soldiers

The Virgin Soldiers (1969)

An accurate and piquant look at National Service life.

[8/10 · 11 April 2015]

Mr H.Bennett is outstanding as the eponymous virgin soldier serving in the British Army during the euphemistically titled "Malayan Emergency". With a group of fine young actors many of whom found subsequent fame he is the eternal "Squaddie",faux - cynical,anxious to find his place in the hierarchy he finds himself him,equally determined to enjoy himself wherever and whenever possible. In 1951 England,few conscripts would have heard of Singapore except perhaps from their relatives who had served in the second world war. Certainly none would ever have found their way there or even point it out on the map. But there they were,old enough to die for their country but not old enough to vote,as they used to say. With messrs Davenport and Patrick as the senior NCO's,the soldiers somehow find their way through the army's labyrinthine structure, customs and mores and most of them end up older and wiser. National Service soldiers weren't wanted by the army as they lacked will and ambition other than to get some in and get out asap,most lockers had a calendar inside the door where days were carefully marked off and time left to serve,first slowly then,miraculously,rather more quickly,passed. Of course the film's title,and it's raison d'etre concerns Mr Bennett's deflowering,not,as you might expect at the hands(if that's the right word) of an Asian sex - worker,but with Miss Redgrave as his superior's daughter,determined to bad a bit of rough in order to upset her pa. But his silliness does not detract from an accurate and piquant look at a long - departed age that sociologists are only just becoming to show an interest in,an age where social differences did not necessarily mean class - hatred from either side of the barriers,where society was not,in fact,as polarised as it is today after over sixty years of liberal enlightenment later. If you don't believe me,try walking around holding hands with a fellow soldier.