Privates on Parade (film)

For the play, see Privates on Parade.

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 South East Asia (SADUSEA)" 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	HandMade Films Orion Classics
Distributed by	Orion Pictures
Release date	18 March 1983 (1983-03-18)
Running time	113 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]