PRIVATE'S PROGRESS
UK, 1956, 97 minutes, Black and white.
Ian Carmichael, Terry- Thomas, Richard Attenborough, Dennis Price, Peter Jones, William Hartnell, Thorley Walters, Ian Bannen, Jimmy Adams, Victor Maddern, Kenneth Griffith, Miles Malleson. John Le Mesurier.
Directed by John Boulting.
Private's Progress has become a classic. It is one of the Boulting Brothers' very fine comedies and satires of the '50s e.g. I'm All Right Jack. It has an excellent British star cast - especially in the retrospect of their subsequent careers. The film introduced Ian Carmichael who embodies the kind of innocent Private who goes through an ironic progress in the Army. It is one of Terry Thomas' earliest films. The plot is the basic one, the young recruit being trained severely (not expecting the kind of rigours that follow). He becomes involved in a loafers' group and eventually in a mock of the World War Two missions with his scoundrelly uncle Dennis Price in forged paintings. (Price and Carmichael were to work together as Jeeves and Bertie Wooster on television.) While the plot has been repeated many times (again in the '80s comically with Private Benjamin and seriously with An Officer and a Gentleman) the basic ingredients are still excellent grounds for farce, comedy and satire.
1. The reputation of the film as a classic? Humorous,, satiric observation? The basic plot? The Boulting Brothers and their reputation for satire? The excellent British cast?
2. The traditions of '50s British comedy? British ability at farce, the light and ironic touch? Quick sketches of characters, situations? Verbal humour?
3. The black and white photography, atmosphere of the '40s and the war, England and London, army camps, the parody of the World War Two mission films? John Addison's score?
4. The targets of satire: the British., the competence and incompetence, officers, the Old Boys connections. bludgers, crooks, the gullible, the Cockney spivs, the conmen, the variety of lurks for getting out of things in the Army, the Welsh, the pretentious etc.? How on target was the satire?
5. The title and the echo of the Pilgrim's Progress? Stanley Windrush (and the humour used for his name)? Home, parents and expectations, his background of work and competence, entry into the war, going to camp, his expectations and their humorous thwarting? Training for what? Ambitions to be an officer? Failing? The reactions of the officers in charge, the Sergeant's training, the psychologist (with John Le Mesurier's humorous tics)? His softness, getting up, medical problems, physical exercise? His failing of the course? Windrush as an innocent Private? British 'silly ass' type?
6. The age old theme of the making of the man through the military? The fresh angle on the old story? In the British situation? World War Two?
7. The contrast with Cox and co? Richard Attenborough's Cockney spiv? The humour of the various lurks. his speech about cheating on the railways, slow painting, the Private who escaped or wanted to join the Navy, the Welshman? A group of hopeless types? The lectures, going to the pictures etc?
8. The contrast with the officers? Terry- Thomas and his particular brand of ironic humour? The satire on the officers, his roaring the men out yet knowing what they were up to, his going off to the pictures? His being shown up by secretaries etc.? The General and his buying the painting from Tracepurcell? Dennis Price's suave style as Tracepurcell? Money, gambling? The establishing of Operation Hatrack? The paintings, the set ups? Using Cox and co? Their making fools of the Establishment? Getting away with the mission? The funeral? Their comeuppance and arrest? The satire on the Old Boys' links?
9. The humorous sequences, especially with Cox and co.? The contrast with the mission and the encounter with the Germans?
10. The mission itself, Stanley's participation and preparation, Tracepurcell relying on him? The irony of Stanley's being detained, arrested, taking the forged painting?
11. The range of officers, privates, psychologists, chaplain etc? A gallery of British Army types?
12. The satire on British Intelligence? The cynical attitude towards the mercenary activity of Tracepurcell and co? Stanley the innocent, caught up with the arrest of Cox, having the money? And the final caption 'To those who got away with it'! A satisfying British satire?
