Private's Progress

7/23/19561h 37m

Theatrical Release (US)

~ The film that is respectfully dedicated to all those who got away with it ! ~

Overview:

Stanley Windrush has to interrupt his university education when he is called up towards the end of the war. He quickly proves himself not to be officer material, but befriends wily Private Percival Cox who knows exactly how all the scams work in the confused world of the British Army. And Stanley's brigadier War Office uncle seems to be up to something more than a bit shady too - and they are both soon working for him, behind the enemy lines.

Director:

John Boulting

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$0.00

Revenue:

$0.00

Key words:

lie
black and white
impersonation

Cast

Ian Carmichael

~ as ~

Pte. Stanley Windrush

Richard Attenborough

~ as ~

Pvt. Percival Henry Cox

Terry-Thomas

~ as ~

Major Hitchcock

John Le Mesurier

~ as ~

Psychiatrist

William Hartnell

~ as ~

Sgt. Sutton

Dennis Price

~ as ~

Brig. Bertram Tracepurcel

Ian Bannen

~ as ~

Private Horrocks

Peter Jones

~ as ~

Arthur Egan

Christopher Lee

~ as ~

Major Schultz

Miles Malleson

~ as ~

Mr. Windrush Sr.

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

John Chard
Written 7 year(s) ago
7
What a shower you really are.

Upper class toff Stanley Windrush gets called to join the Army half way thru his university eduction, keen he may be, but he really is a fish out of water.

Brought to us from the greatly talented Boulting brothers, is this most adored of British comedies. It's fish out of water plot has been {and will forever be} done to death, but driving this one on is the sly digs at the British class system so evident in the Armed forces from yore. Windrush can't cut it as the officer his standing suggests he should be, so he is promptly sent down amongst the working class, and it's here that the film appeals mainly on the comedy front. Windrush is in with a group of dodgers and bluffers, the army has taken them in, but they are going to take what they can from the army in the process, legal or not! Yet it's here that Windrush learns the most about affinity, friendships and trust, where the classes being broken down provides scope for real good comedy, to which the meeting of the different classes works so well as the makers keenly prod the inside of the cheek with a sharp tongue.

Ian Carmichael is not the most gifted actor to have strode out for Britain, but in the right comedy role he could excel, such is the case here as he delivers the goods as the hapless Windrush. Across the cast list we have got Richard Attenborough, Dennis Price, William Hartnell, Ian Bannen and the sublime Terry-Thomas, all names that are familiar with British movie fans from the black and white period. Private's Progress is a very British picture, the humour isn't of the sledge-hammer kind, it's very subtle and very knowing. But it's a film that I'm sure will go down well with anyone who is willing to invest some good, right frame of mind, time with it.

Not quite the shower Terry-Thomas would have us believe actually. 7/10