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A well-received follow-up to the hit comedy Dad's Army (BBC, 1968-77) upon its arrival in 1974, It Ain't Half Hot Mum (BBC, 1974-1981) now appears very much a product of its era - one which was largely untroubled by political correctness.
That this second excursion for the David Croft/Jimmy Perry comedy team has not enjoyed the enduring popularity of its predecessor is principally due to its perceived national stereotyping and occasionally patronising humour. This has not prevented the series developing a cult comedy status, as demonstrated by its inclusion on various nostalgia TV retrospectives.
The humour centres on the exploits of a Royal Artillery concert party, and their hapless attempts to boost the morale of troops stationed in colonial India during the Second World War. Their very presence in such a regimental environment is comic in itself, though based on Perry's own experiences while in military service.
The performers represent vaudeville caricatures, from the outrageously camp drag artist Bombardier 'Gloria' Beaumont (Melvyn Hayes) to the eccentric Oxbridge fop Gunner Graham (John Clegg). Their dialogue is frequently laced with innuendo, and there is more then a hint of homoerotic tension behind the team's lively camaraderie.
The fastidious military presence of Sergeant Major Williams (Windsor Davies) provides a comic counterpoint to the Concert Party's endeavours, as he tries in vain to instil a modicum of discipline into the camp. But rather then gaining the respect of his subjects, the Sergeant Major usually ends up looking faintly absurd; his ineffectual grip on authority is summed up by the weary bluster of his catchphrase: "Shut Up!"
The Indians in the camp, bearer Rangi Ram (Michael Bates) and Char Wallah (Dino Shafeek), are portrayed as grovelling sycophants who adopt the rhetoric and habits of the English in order to curry favour with their colonial "superiors". They reject their compatriots as "natives" and sneer at their ignorant ways. To a modern audience this characterisation looks unnecessarily crude, even bigoted. Even so, a guilty humour can still be extracted from the locals' desperate desire to impress those so singularly undeserving of their respect.
Though dated and occasionally in questionable taste, It Ain't Half Hot Mum retains a certain quirky charm, harking back to an era of British comedy which is remembered fondly by those of a certain age.
Darren Lee
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1. Rehearsal (3:35)
