9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
½ humor ½ drama ALL 1940s post-WWII wonderful, March 4, 2011
A dramatic comedy with ample Vaudeville snippets of suggestive song & dance comedy routines. A period series of post-war London and the people who had to learn to live without the war. They were changed. The costumes, sets, and locations are period realistic in detail and delight. That's worth the watch itself. The story is with comic appeal but also has the tenderness, struggles, and difficulties written into the drama to get a good look at what it was like for some of the soldiers returning on "demob" as well as the impact on family and friends.
Two soldiers who were troop entertainers during the war, have little other skills to fall back on. How will they cope? A star British cast provides 6 pleasurable, funny, and sometimes troublesome episodes, each 50 minutes.
SUBTITLES--YES.
1--Deasey (Griff Rhys Jones-`Alias Smith and Jones' `Funnybones') heads to family after WWII. His war buddy, Dobson (Martin Clunes-`Doc Martin' `Lorna Doone' `William & Mary') finds new friends but they're a bit on the shady side. Janet Deasey (Amanda Redman-`New Tricks' `Little Dorrit' `At Home with the Beraithwaites') finds her returned hubby changed. Post-war efforts catch up with them and the post-war-stage is reset.
2--Deasey tries day & night jobs till he gets the sack. Should the boys go pro o the stage? Club's blonde dancer, Hedda (Samantha Janus Womack-`Pie in the Sky' `Eastenders') looks for information on a MIA spouse. Hedda shows bare chest in more than one episode, and she can sing too. Dick weds...kinda!
3--A week Liverpool gig for "Deasey & Dobson." All does not go well. A post-war bomb. Meanwhile, back at London, Janet has her own bit of `funny business' happenings. Best friend Annabel (Tilly Blackwood) is dismayed. Special guest star, comedian Les Dawson plays Liverpool comedian Morton Stanley.
4--Deasey is unemployed again and without a stage. The act dumps Dobson, Deasey's choice, in favor of Hedda. This can't go down well! Next effort is at "Happylands."
5--Wow, a BBC audition. They finally get their break. But success will not be without costs in other areas, like relationships. Scantly clad Hedda gets involved.
6--Final curtain in this final episode. What new changes will be required of the ex-soldiers Dodson & Deasey? And others? James Faulkner (`The Queen' `Upstairs, downstairs' `Agony') guest stars as a movie actor. Janet's mom, Edith (Liz Fraser) has her own surprises after hinting in all 6 episodes.
Another star actor is in 5 episodes as Maj. Rudy Lorimer (James Faulkner-`first Among Equals' `Bridget Jones' `I, Claudius'), a shady character in "DEMOB."
The box says: contains partial nudity. At one point it is complete, but short lived.
A smashing late 40's rendition of the post-war British soldier and the pain and struggle of demobilization--`demob.' Good for fun entertainment and historic drama/romance. The wife said 4 stars, I said 5, and drooled once. Not the level of "Foyle's War" in the newer post-war series, but still nice.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
