Set in the late 1940s during the Malayan Emergency, this adaptation by HandMade Films of Peter Nichols’ critically acclaimed 1977 stage play of the same name follows the exploits of the Song and Dance Unit South East Asia (SADUSEA) – a British military entertainment troupe tasked with boosting morale for the troops in the Malayan jungle.
Most of the men in the unit are of a gay frame of mind, though their Bible-bashing commanding officer Major Giles Flack (John Cleese) is most certainly not.
Instead, he’s dim-witted and decidedly twitty, preferring to devote his commanding hours to converting the corps to purity ot mind and body.
Flack begs the boys to refrain from swearing, preaches the benefits of good old imperialism, and is obsessed with the dangers of Communism – not to mention Atheism.
His words, however, are lost on the ears of Acting Captain Terri Dennis (Denis Quilley), the flamboyant director in drag of the theatrical troupe entertaining the lads in their pretty khaki uniforms.
This queen of the pack struts around the stage in the fine feathers of Marlene Dietrich, Vera Lynn, Carmen Miranda and the like, as part of a camp comedy act that impersonates female celebrities ot the day right down to the Andrew Sisters.
Captain Dennis is not meant for the serious warfare that is an ever-present menace in the background.
His attitude to war is, let’s kiss and make up, put on our prettiest frocks, and get on with the show.
He never ceases to find appropriate female Christian names for his fellow players, so that Len becomes Leonora, the humourless Eric is inevitably Erica, and even Major Flack willingly answers to Gillian.
Behind the fun and frolics, there are communist guerrillas lurking in the jungle and a bad apple among the fruit tarts of the camp, in the person of the cowardly Sergeant Major Reg Drummond (Michael Elphick), who is selling arms to the enemy.
The only female member in the unit, Acting Lieutenant Sylvia Morgan (Nicola Pagett) is a Eurasian who is desperately insecure and very pregnant.
Sergeant Steven Flowers Patrick Pearson Sergeant Major Reg Drummond
Michael Elphick Sergeant Len (“Leonora”) Bonny
Joe Melia Captain Sholto Savory
John Standing Acting Lieutenant Sylvia Morgan
Nicola Pagett Sergeant Eric (“Erica”) Young-Love
Simon Jones Sergeant Charles Bishop
David Bamber Flight Sergeant Kevin Cartwright
Bruce Payne Acting Captain Terri Dennis
Denis Quilley Major Giles (“Gillian”) Flack
John Cleese Cheng
Vincent Wong Lee
Philip Tan Mrs Reg Drummond
Brigitte Kahn Captain Henry Cox
John Quayle Electrician
Robin Langford Climbing Sailor
Julian Sands Sikh Doorman
Ishaq Bux
Director
Michael Blakemore
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Instead, he’s dim-witted and decidedly twitty, preferring to devote his commanding hours to converting the corps to purity ot mind and body.
His attitude to war is, let’s kiss and make up, put on our prettiest frocks, and get on with the show.
