Privates on Parade (film)
Privates on Parade is a 1983 film adaptation of the Peter Nichols play of the same name about a fictional – and mostly gay – military entertainment group, the "Song and Dance Unit, Southeast Asia" assembled to entertain the troops in the Malayan jungle during the Malayan Emergency.[2]
| Privates on Parade | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Michael Blakemore |
| Written by | Peter Nichols (play) |
| Starring | John Cleese David Bamber Denis Quilley Bruce Payne |
| Cinematography | Ian Wilson |
| Edited by | Jim Clark |
| Music by | Denis King |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Orion Pictures |
Release date | 18 March 1983 |
Running time | 100 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | under £2 million[1] |
Cast and characters
- John Cleese – Maj. Giles Flack
- Denis Quilley – Capt. Terri Dennis
- Nicola Pagett – Sylvia Morgan
- Patrick Pearson – Sgt. Steven Flowers
- Michael Elphick – Sgt. Maj. Reg Drummond
- David Bamber – Sgt. Charles Bishop
- Bruce Payne – Flight Sgt. Kevin Cartwright
- Tim Barlow – Commanding Officer
- Ishaq Bux – Sikh Doorman
- Steve Dixon – Drummer
- David Griffin – Infantry Officer in the Bush
- Peter Hutchinson – Trumpet Player
- Jasper Jacob – Bass Player
- Simon Jones – Sgt. Eric Young-Love
- Brigitte Kahn – Mrs. Reg Drummond
- Robin Langford – Electrician
- Joe Melia – Sgt. Len Bonny
- William Parker – Armed Escort
- Neil Pearson – Band Pianist
- John Quayle – Capt. Henry Cox
- Julian Sands – Sailor
- John Standing – Capt. Sholto Savory
- Philip Tan – Lee
- Vincent Wong – Cheng
Reception
One critic stated that Privates on Parade was 'better suited to the theatre'.[3] Derek Winnert stated that 'there are some good jokes and songs, but Privates on Parade is sometimes a bit dodgy and dated, and the lurch into serious drama at the end works no better on film than it did on stage'.[4] Vincent Canby described the film as 'fine, witty, extremely self-assured [and] something seldom seen in movies-a melodramatic farce that comes complete with songs, dances, lewd jokes, sudden death, teary sentiment and smashing performances'.[5]
References
- Robert Sellers, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life: The Inside Story of HandMade Films, Metro 2003, pp. 121–131
- Sandra Brennan (2009). "Privates on Parade". All Movie Guide. Retrieved 16 February 2009.
- "Privates on Parade". cgiii.com. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
- Winnert, Derek (18 July 2018). "Privates on Parade *** (1982, John Cleese, Denis Quilley, Michael Elphick, Nicola Pagett, Bruce Payne, Joe Melia) – Classic Movie Review 7306". derekwinnert.com. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
- Canby, Vincent (22 April 1984). "Privates on Parade". The New York Times. p. G19.