This show isn’t racist, but then it isn’t funny either. It actually pales in comparison with Dad’s Army. The plot is generally unconvincing and the dialogue isn’t particularly memorable. It basically shows how India gave an opportunity for the worthless segments of the British society to be employed and feel superior.
shareWell, that's quite funny.
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Erm.. They were conscripts. They only got an opportunity to be shoved half-way round the world against their will...
Stop mithering the act, Eddie! Richie's got enough to contend with, what with being cr@p!
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You take it wrong. I am not a 'pacifist', merely pointing out that the 'worthless segments of British society' referred to by 'sunyam' were in fact not in India out of choice.
Pacifism is all very fine in theory, but in reality as soon as some evil person starts waving a gun about it all falls down.
Stop mithering the act, Eddie! Richie's got enough to contend with, what with being cr@p!
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How does it all work then? The East India Company comes of its own free will, but the soldiers are reticent, unwilling, conscripts, is that it?
shareFirst the Company troops had long gone. I think the Crown took over the Indian armies after the Mutiny.
Second, they're British troops, in the Royal Artillery.
I agree with Carlzere and gartlym. Most of the conscripts didn't like being in the army, especially those in In Ain't Half Hot Mum. I don't think the concert party felt very superior either, because all they ever do is dress up in women's clothes and be shouted at by the sergeant major. I guess the sergeant major is the only one who enjoys being in the army and having power over British soldiers and Indian natives. On the other hand, IAHHM is set in 1945, when the British were losing grip on India already. The show ridicules the colonial reign of Britain in India, which makes it funny (I think). It is my favourite sitcom, and is the origin of why I am so interested in British Colonial India in the first place.
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"Hello my dear, I'm a playwright, you know. Go on, give us a snog!" ~ Bottom
building to the comedy also is the fact that the ultra macho sergent major feels affronted that his company of men are theatrical "poofs" and not an elite force of fine soldiers he would have chosen to lead. this is quite simply one of the best sitcoms of its time.
shareI have to disagree with riekiebol. The show was more making fun of the of the Indian independence movement. As many Indians constanly snub the British in this program only to be reminded that Britain brought numerous medical, scientific, logistical, educational advantages and of course cricket to India. Although I am agreed with you that this is a great sitcom.
shareIt also makes fun of the loyalists, whatever they might have been called. It makes fun of evryone.
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I think, sunyam0, you miss the point terribly.
This show was successful because it shows how the underdog is perfectly capable in outwitting his 'master'.
The show ridicules the people in command. They are seen as toffee-nosed incompetents who serve no real benefit to anyone. The conscripted soldiers are frequently colluding with the Indians since they're all in the same boat - under the command of a bullying Sgt. Major.
To harp on about it showing "how India gave an opportunity for the worthless segments of British society to be employed and feel superior" is a bit of a vague and somewhat blinkered remark.
The show is a bit of harmless comedy. While it's true that it follows the same formula of ANY series written by David Croft and Jimmy Perry, it was an undoubted hit. So while the plot was NEVER convincing and the dialogue not much more than forgettable, it made a lot of people laugh.
If you don't get that, I feel kind of sorry for you.
If you're still bitter and twisted about the British occupation of India (I'm happy for you to call it that if you will) then I suggest you stop moaning about it and do something a little more constructive instead.
It all ended years ago. Move on!
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also, the episode where they play a fottball match with the locals.....
the only way the troops win is to cheat, basically by telling the indians that the ball is made of cow leather!! lol
sunyam0, you have no sense of humour and i turn my nose up at you, not often that happens, but when you categorically state that it aint half hot mum is unfunny, you lose all integrity in my honest opinion :P
any quote by michael bates: "we english...."
immaturity and your life is alot like wine, the older it gets, the more it costs you
Three of my cousins are half-Indian; my aunt is English and my uncle is Indian. They (and my aunt and uncle) got me into this in the first place...and we all love it. It portrays Indian people in a good light and they are often the winners, getting one over on the English.
Remember the episode where they collaborated to con the English out of loads of money for some "rubies" which were actually pieces of red glass?
The brains and entrepeneurial skill of the Indian gents vs. the greed of the Brits...!
You must see that much, surely?!?!
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totally, the indians in the programme often manage to beat the sgt major, giving some fantastic reaction shots on the behalf of the sgt major...
its great to know there are people of indian descent who enjoy this programme, coz it puts pay to people like sunyam or whoever the hell he was, who saw this as racist, no, it was more political!!
immaturity and your life is alot like wine, the older it gets, the more it costs you
I opened my critique with this sentence: "This show isn’t racist, but then it isn’t funny either."
I now would like to add this: "It Ain't Half Boring, Mummy."
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No, the fit-for-nothing "shall we say, people" were sent to Australia.
Any resentment by the proletariat of the loss of Empire would be limited to the immigration situation. The prospect of not being sent to some tropical hellhole to die of an exotic disease, if it occurred at all to their minds, must have engendered relief rather than chagrin.
What's with the "big nose" crack? Aren't prominent probosci common in the Subcontinent?
Yes......"big nose"? If anything, that's quite a low scrape of the barrel. Not to mention the unavoidable fact that Jade Goody cannot really be compared to the events of WWII. Racism has existed since time began and that aspect of life will - sadly - never change. That is human nature with some, though racist prejudice is inexcusable.
I think Jewel In The Crown is wonderful; making some very salient points people's bigotry about mixed-race relationships (romantic and friendship) and racism. The audience is sympathetic with the Indian hero characters; NOT rooting against them. The story is fascinating and the story is beautifully interwoven about the final days of the Raj together with people who were there.
The Duke of Wellington led the nation to some brilliant military victories. That is why he is remembered as one of the greatest Britain ever had. He was also made Prime Minister. I agree that some of his views were appalling. He was very dismissive of other people at times and that is never defendable. Saying that however, the leadership and bravery he displayed is not often found in other individuals; at least not to the same degree.
What gives you the right to say Brits are the "lumpen proleteriat"? That's just as bigoted as the perceived racist attitudes that you yourself describe. I realise how you mean it; to make the Brits feel happier during Labour governments, strikes and three-day-weeks. It is more that it is constructed to be a type of entertainment. It's fun and enjoyable. Comedy is all about personal taste. I loathe Friends, The Office and Catherine Tate. But I also respect and understand what others like about them so I don't go on about how unfunny I find them. It is all about subjective perception. If you don't like IAHHM, that's fine. But other people DO like it.
PLUS: this programme is based on factual events. It is exaggerated, more than anything else; the characters are very much O.T.T. People like that really existed (and still do). The good and the negative. BSM Williams is a pompous, blustering pain in the arse. But to balance him out, the English Gunners and Bombadiers (notably Solly, Lofty, Graham and Gloria) have many good qualities and have a sort of friendship with the Indian ones. They also are rude about the English, in their own way. That is how the Second World War was; people are united against the common enemy and British troops were in India to help fight the Japanese. It is quite interesting to note that there is not a word in this thread about the Chinese and Japanese sterotypes employed. That, in it's own way, is also an aspect to the show.
Blokes like Williams fix their opinions on ignorance. The lads in the Concert Party interact with Rangi, Muhammed and Rumzan all the time, and they have much affection for them. They don't belittle them or dress them down. They treat them as their own and appreciate them for the jobs they do.
(One of my favourite running jokes is how the Char Wallah Muhammed makes more money by drying tea leaves out to use them again, makes crappy tea for the British and keeps the best for his friends. Who wouldn't?)
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"What's with the "big nose" crack?
I believe it came from a Black Adder episode. Can't remember which one.
Aren't prominent probosci common in the Subcontinent?"
I wouldn't know.
retrogal83: Very well put. Only this:
BSM Williams is a pompous, blustering pain in the arse.You're right. But, even though he is a complete bastard most of the time, he is a good guy deep down. This becomes clear, for example, when Lofty is almost left behind in India at the end of the last series. There are moments when you can see he actually cares about the Concert Party and that he is human after all. But most of the time he is a pain in the arse, bless him. He is such a good example of how Croft and Perry show how awful the British could (and can!) be, but indeed, there are characters to counteract this, such as Lofty, Gloria and Graham.
Yep I'll agree with that; he has a softer side...like when he gives up his girl for the army and thanks Graham for saving his career.
A pain; but a likeable one :-)
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I dont think there's anything wrong with the Sgt. Maj. character.
It's just that he's constantly there shouting which isn't funny after a while.
Another thing I've noticed with Croft and Perry is that they seem to have something against Oxbridge. What exactly was Gunner Padoruski doing there at Deolali? Often, the theory Padoruski advances (be it regarding snake or whatever)is balderdash . Why create an educated man who tnen speaks, well, not much sense but in posh accent? You see quite the same trend in Dad's Army as well. There, Sgt. Arthur Wilson is public school educated, while Cpt. George Mainwaring is pretty ordinary.
Mr La-di-dah Gunner Graham turned down the chance for a Commission. He was conscripted but had no desire to be an officer.
Wilson was a Regular officer, and saw action in the last lot. But Mainwaring was the bank manager.
I think they saw the comic possibilities in the inversion of the social order. It's not uncommon. Consider if you will the Jeeves - Wooster relationship.