Black Adder Goes Forth (1984)

 

 

“Black Adder Goes Forth” is the fourth and last of Rowan Atkinson’s Black Adder series for the BBC.  The previous series were set in the Middle Ages,  the Elizabethan Age, and the late 17^th Century,  but this one was moved to the Western Front in 1917.  Captain Black Adder is constantly scheming to avoid the next “big push”.  He is joined in his bunker by the clueless twit Lt. George St. Barleigh (Hugh Laurie) and his dimwitted batman Baldrick (Tony Robinson).  35 miles away, in a mansion, are Gen. Melchett (Stephen Fry) and Black Adder’s worst enemy Capt. Darling (Tim McInnerny).  The series was a smash hit and won the Best Comedy Series award from the British Academy of Television.  It’s biting satire on the war was firmly in the school of “lions led by donkeys”.  Gen. Haig and his strategies came in for very harsh commentary.  And command in general (represented by Melchett) are treated as uncaring buffoons.  The series has been criticized by numerous historians for pushing an inaccurate mythology on the British public, but certainly that view was already locked in by 1984.  There were six episodes.

 

1.  Captain Cook -  Black Adder tries to get the job of war artist to get out of combat, but finds out that the job is to go into no man’s land to draw German positions.  GRADE  =  A 

2.  Corporal Punishment -  BA shoots a carrier pigeon for a meal, but then finds out it is Melchert’s pet.  He is court martialed and sentenced to execution by firing squad.  GRADE  =  B

3.  Major Star -  BA hopes that putting on a good variety show will send him on tour to England.  George dresses as a woman and Melchert falls in love with him.  GRADE  =  B-

4.  Private Plane -  A British pilot named Lord Flashheart (Rik Mayall in one of the greatest guest performances ever) crashes into the trench.  He is brash and overtly sexual.  In other words, he’s a fighter pilot.  BA decides to join the “20 minuters” of the Royal Flying Corps.  He and Baldrick are shot down and meet the Red Baron.  GRADE =  A

5.  General Hospital -  BA is ordered to find a spy who is in the hospital.  He hooks up with a nurse played by Miranda Richardson.  GRADE  =  C

6.  Goodbyeee -  BA tries feigning insanity to avoid going over the top.  In one of the most famous scenes in British television history, he is not successful.  GRADE  =  A

Here are my favorite lines:

“Field Marshall Haig is about to make yet another gargantuan effort to move his drinks cabinet 6 inches closer to Berlin.” 

On Haig’s plan:  “climbing out of our trenches and walking very slowly toward the enemy.”

“You’re as guilty as a puppy sitting next to a pile of poo.”

General:  “Don’t worry my boy, if you should falter remember that Capt. Darling and I are behind you.”  Black Adder:  “Yes, about 35 miles behind.”

BA on Charlie Chaplin:  “His films are about as funny as getting an arrow through the neck and then discovering there’s a gas bill attached to it.”

“A war hasn’t been fought this badly since Olaf the Hairy ordered 80,000 battle helmets with the horns on the inside.”

On a bombardment:  “Why do they bother?  Jerry is safe under ground in concrete bunkers.  We’ve shot off over a million cannon shells and what’s the result – one dachshund with a slight limp.” 

“For 2 ½ years the Western Front has been as likely to move as a Frenchman living next door to a brothel.” 

Flashheart:  “It’s not that I’m not sick of this war -  the blood, the gore, the endless poetry.” 

on the grand plan:  “Would that be the plan that deals with total slaughter until everyone’s dead except for Haig, Lady Haig, and their pet tortoise Alan?”

“The real reason was it was just too much effort to not have a war.”

“Fine body of men you have.”  BA:  “Soon to become fine bodies of men.”