PRIVATE'S PROGRESS is a very funny army-themed comedy from the Boulting Brothers; I had no idea the industrial comedy I'M ALL RIGHT JACK had a prequel but this turns out to be it. It's just as funny as the later film, too. Ian Carmichael gives a perfect performance as the raw recruit drawn into a world of thieves and scoundrels versus stiff and strict army officers, all of whom interact in a world of conflict and chaos. The film's whip-sharp script brings natural warmth and humour from the characters, and a rich cast of character actors do justice to their roles too. You get a pitch-perfect Terry-Thomas ("You're an absolute shower!") alongside the likes of Dennis Price, William Hartnell, Miles Malleson, Ian Bannen, Richard Attenborough and Kenneth Griffith. I think the first half is a little tighter than the more plot-focused second, but this is still superior stuff throughout.
Review of Private's Progress
