The Navy Lark

All of the mines have long been cleared from the waters around the Channel Islands, so the Admiralty orders the crew of the sweeper Troutbridge paid off and the frigate decommissioned. That interferes with the idyllic existence of the crew, so they employ various maneuvers the frustrate orders...including inciting an independence movement.

It's based on the immensely popular BBC Radio Service comedy of the same name, and stars such dependable comedy players as Cecil Parker, Ronald Shiner, Leslie Phillips, and Hattie Jacques. Surprisingly, for a show that depended so much on catchphrases, double entendre and shtick, the only performer reprising his role from radio is Leslie Phillips; given that Jon Pertwee, Ronnie Barker, and Dennis Price were in the Radio cast, this seems odd, but the show ran for fifteen seasons over eighteen years.

The movie itself is a pleasant piece of nonsense, making fun of Navy politics and bureaucracy, offering many a chuckle along its length. It's no classic, but it's good fun.

As another reviewer noted, the American TV sitcom, "McHale's Navy" of 1962-66 comes to mind from the very start of this film. No doubt the makers of McHale got their ideas from this British farce. There are some major plot differences, of course. McHale took place during World War II, and the combat reputation of his crew was tops. It's between their combat forays that McHale and company got into all kinds of shenanigans. "The Navy Lark" takes place five years after the war, and the efficiency of this lot in mine-sweeping is very questionable.

Lark itself is a film adaptation of a popular BBC radio sitcom of the same title that began earlier that year - on March 29, 1959. Only it deviated considerably from the radio show where the crew operated a frigate named HMS Troutbridge. Here, Commander Stanton, played by Cecil Parker, commands the mine-sweeper, HMS Compton. It operates off the fictional island of Boonzey which is located "55 ½ miles" out of Portsmouth, according to the film introduction.

That would put the island just about in the middle of the English Channel from Portsmouth to Le Havre. In the five years since the war, the Compton has found and disarmed a single mine. They refer to it as "Bessy," and it now sits on the local town's beach where it is painted to support the "Boonzey Lifeboat Fund - Give Generously."

"The Navy Lark" is an outlandish farce and slight satire of the higher echelons of the Royal Navy. Clever, witty or funny lines are not the staple here. Rather, it's situations, conditions and some antics that provide the smiles and occasional laughs. The very funniest thing in the film is the island's warning siren. It never gets to a high pitch but sounds like an old car trying to start when the engine won't turn over. Only the chugs sound more like dying coughs.

All of the cast are okay. The best and funniest are Parker as Commander Stanton and Ronald Shiner as Chief Petty Officer Banyard. Elvi Hale is good as the leading WREN, Heather; and Leslie Phillips is all humorous nonsense as Lt. Pouter. The only other familiar cast member to most movie buffs will be Gordon Jackson as Seaman Johnson.

From online sources I've read, it seems that this film was a box office flop. Perhaps the screenplay changes to visuals from sound lost much of the humor in the minds of viewers and listeners of the BBC radio program. The "McHale's Navy" imitation was a resounding TV success in the U.S. in the early 1960s.

It's hard to say how many people in the 21st century might enjoy this film. As an old Army veteran, I enjoy most comedies set in or around the military. But this one doesn't rate anywhere near the very good ones in that genre. It's a coin toss as to who might find this movie worthwhile.

Here are the best two of the few comical lines in the film.

CPO Banyard, "Well, whatever it is that's upset you, sir, I've got three witnesses to prove that I wasn't anywhere near what it was when whatever it was happened, sir."

WREN Heather, "I'll teach you to go sneaking up on people with your snorkel."

Its quite good as I remember but apart from Leslie Phillips there are no other members of the radio cast in the film, Herbert Wilcox bought the rights during the broadcast of the first radio series which was written with Jon Pertwee as the leading actor, as long as fans of the radio version are not expecting this to have any resemblance to that then it comes over as a good British comedy. I don't believe it has ever been released on VHS or DVD , the only times I have seen it is either the middle of the night or I think its been broadcast on a Saturday afternoon. Hopefully this has been some use to people who would like to see it.

After watching The Navy Lark which for years was a popular British radio show about the crew of a minesweeper on peacetime duty I now know where a lot of the comedy and the general idea for McHale's Navy came from. The situations seemed remarkably close.

Commander Cecil Parker has command of a minesweeper stationed upon a channel island of Boonsey which seems to have a mixed population of British and French. The mission is for the minesweeper to clear out all mines left from the late war, but that's been fulfilled a long time ago. But not according to Parker who sends in reports regularly about the work his crew is doing. Parker and the rest of the crew has grown to like it on the island and don't want to join the real Royal Navy any time soon.

The Captain Binghamton of The Navy Lark is Nicholas Phipps who wants to close down the Boonsey Island operation, but not if Parker and his trusty crew can stop him.

In the end through a series of misunderstandings the Navy believes that a revolution against British imperialism is taking place. What happens then is for you to see.

What I can see is why The Navy Lark was such a popular radio show in the United Kingdom. And I think American viewers will see the parallels with McHale's Navy and respond favorably.

Here is another great old British comedy from the 1950s about life in the British Navy just after WWII. I believe this film is up there with the Carry on films and "Doctor" series, indeed sharing some of the same cast such as Hattie Jacques, Cecil parker, Nicholas Phipps and Leslie Phillips. The Navy Lark should be given the respect of a release on DVD soon.

I remember watching the movie about ten years ago on TV and thoroughly enjoying it at the time. Its a great put your feet up, disengage brain and enjoy experience.

If you are a fan of Carry on you will also be a fan of the Navy Lark