Don't Fence Me In
Encyclopedia
Don't Fence Me In is the fifth episode of the fourth series of the British
comedy series Dad's Army
that was originally transmitted on Friday 23 October 1970.
are detailed to replace regular troops guarding the local prisoner-of-war camp, Walker spies a source for cheap labour.
camp, and he's quite right. As they march towards the camp, Mainwaring reminds them to set a good example by looking nice and smart.
However, when they arrive, they find no one there. They interrogate a POW, but they have no luck until he opens the front gate. He and Wilson arrive at the main hut, and confront the Italian general lounging in a wooden chair. He tells them that the regular troops have already left, and he has placed himself in charge!
Jones' section come into the hut, and the General immediately recognises Walker and hugs him and kisses him in the traditional Continental greeting. Mainwaring is perturbed by this, but Walker denies all knowledge of ever meeting him before. It is clear that Mainwaring isn't convinced. He orders Jones to group the POWs together for some drill. However, his knowledge of Italian isn't perfect, and the POWs end up crashing into the fence!
That evening, Walker is skulking about outside the POW hut, where he meets the Italian General. He tells Walker that it is too risky to keep doing whatever they're doing. Walker insists that they'll get the POWs out in the escape tunnel and they'll have the radios working by dawn. They arrange to meet later, and sneak away, not knowing that Godfrey, who had been caught short, has overheard their conversation and alerts Mainwaring.
The platoon gather outside the hut with the tunnel, and rush in. But it's too late, they have already escaped through the tunnel. Pike deduces that it's underneath the stove, and he's right. Mainwaring takes Pike and Jones through the tunnel, while Wilson, Godfrey and Frazer will try to stop Walker from loading the men in the van.
They confront Walker outside the van, and Walker admits that he is using them as cheap labour to get some radios repaired for some clients. Mainwaring still hasn't arrived by this time, so Wilson and Walker travel down the tunnel to help Mainwaring out. But it is Jones who saves the day, by prodding Mainwaring with his bayonet!
Suddenly, they see Captain Bailey arrive, and Mainwaring remembers that he rang GHQ about the regular troops' departure. After listening to Walker's explanation, Mainwaring orders Walker and Wilson to take the POWs back through the tunnel, and tries to stall Captain Bailey from entering the hut, but it is no use, he enters the hut before Wilson and Walker arrive with the POWs. Jones is determined to bluff their way out, so following an idea from Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, they send the same prisoners round again and again, but their plan is ruined when the missing POWs emerge from underneath the stove!
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
comedy series Dad's Army
Dad's Army
Dad's Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 series and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show...
that was originally transmitted on Friday 23 October 1970.
Synopsis
When the platoonPlatoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
are detailed to replace regular troops guarding the local prisoner-of-war camp, Walker spies a source for cheap labour.
Plot
Mainwaring is on the phone to GHQ, and it is clear he isn't happy. He doesn't think his men will appreciate being taken off active duty for the next two weekends to relieve the troops at an Italian POWPrisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
camp, and he's quite right. As they march towards the camp, Mainwaring reminds them to set a good example by looking nice and smart.
However, when they arrive, they find no one there. They interrogate a POW, but they have no luck until he opens the front gate. He and Wilson arrive at the main hut, and confront the Italian general lounging in a wooden chair. He tells them that the regular troops have already left, and he has placed himself in charge!
Jones' section come into the hut, and the General immediately recognises Walker and hugs him and kisses him in the traditional Continental greeting. Mainwaring is perturbed by this, but Walker denies all knowledge of ever meeting him before. It is clear that Mainwaring isn't convinced. He orders Jones to group the POWs together for some drill. However, his knowledge of Italian isn't perfect, and the POWs end up crashing into the fence!
That evening, Walker is skulking about outside the POW hut, where he meets the Italian General. He tells Walker that it is too risky to keep doing whatever they're doing. Walker insists that they'll get the POWs out in the escape tunnel and they'll have the radios working by dawn. They arrange to meet later, and sneak away, not knowing that Godfrey, who had been caught short, has overheard their conversation and alerts Mainwaring.
The platoon gather outside the hut with the tunnel, and rush in. But it's too late, they have already escaped through the tunnel. Pike deduces that it's underneath the stove, and he's right. Mainwaring takes Pike and Jones through the tunnel, while Wilson, Godfrey and Frazer will try to stop Walker from loading the men in the van.
They confront Walker outside the van, and Walker admits that he is using them as cheap labour to get some radios repaired for some clients. Mainwaring still hasn't arrived by this time, so Wilson and Walker travel down the tunnel to help Mainwaring out. But it is Jones who saves the day, by prodding Mainwaring with his bayonet!
Suddenly, they see Captain Bailey arrive, and Mainwaring remembers that he rang GHQ about the regular troops' departure. After listening to Walker's explanation, Mainwaring orders Walker and Wilson to take the POWs back through the tunnel, and tries to stall Captain Bailey from entering the hut, but it is no use, he enters the hut before Wilson and Walker arrive with the POWs. Jones is determined to bluff their way out, so following an idea from Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, they send the same prisoners round again and again, but their plan is ruined when the missing POWs emerge from underneath the stove!
Cast
| Cast | Characters |
|---|---|
| Arthur Lowe Arthur Lowe Arthur Lowe was a BAFTA Award winning English actor. He was best known for playing Captain George Mainwaring in the popular British sitcom Dad's Army from 1968 until 1977.-Early life:... |
Captain Mainwaring |
| John Le Mesurier John Le Mesurier John Le Mesurier was a BAFTA Award-winning English actor. He is most famous for his role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the popular 1970s BBC comedy Dad's Army.-Career:... |
Sergeant Wilson |
| Clive Dunn Clive Dunn Clive Robert Benjamin Dunn OBE is a retired English actor, comedian and author, best known for his role as Lance-Corporal Jack Jones in the BBC sitcom Dad's Army.-Early life:... |
Lance Corporal Jones |
| John Laurie John Laurie John Paton Laurie was a British actor born in Dumfries, Scotland. Although he is now probably most recognised for his role as Private James Frazer in the sitcom Dad's Army , he appeared in hundreds of feature films, including films by Alfred Hitchcock, Michael Powell and Laurence Olivier... |
Private Frazer |
| James Beck James Beck Stanley James Carroll Beck was a British actor best remembered for his role as Private Joe Walker, the cockney spiv in the popular BBC sitcom Dad's Army. The cast was mainly composed of older actors, but Beck was one of the younger members.-Early life:Beck was born in Islington, North London and... |
Private Walker |
| Arnold Ridley Arnold Ridley Major William Arnold Ridley, OBE was an English playwright and actor, first notable as the author of the play The Ghost Train and later in life for portraying the elderly Private Charles Godfrey in the popular British sitcom Dad's Army .-Early life:Ridley was born in Walcot, Bath, England where... |
Private Godfrey |
| Ian Lavender Ian Lavender Arthur Ian Lavender , better known as Ian Lavender, is an English stage, film and television actor, best known for his role as Private Frank Pike in the BBC comedy series Dad's Army.-Early life and career:... |
Private Pike |
| Edward Evans Edward Evans (actor) Edward Evans was a British film and television actor.During World War II, he served with the British Army in Italy and North Africa, reaching the rank of captain.... |
General Monteverdi |
| John Ringham John Ringham John Henry Ringham was a British character actor of both television and stage who appeared in over a hundred screen appearances in a wide variety of roles.... |
Captain Bailey |
| Larry Martyn Larry Martyn Lawrence "Larry" Martyn was an English actor known for his comedy performances.Martyn was born in London and was a former member of the Parachute Regiment. He was famous as Mr. Mash in the BBC comedy series Are You Being Served?, appearing in the first three series before being replaced by Arthur... |
Italian POW |