It Ain't Half Hot Mum

This was the follow up to the immortal 'Dad's Army'and while sharing a wartime setting and comedy based on character had a somewhat harder and cruder edge and was less reliant on whimsy. Perhaps as a result of this, despite the fact that it lasted several series it never gained a real place in the nation's affections to the same extent as Dad's Army. It also straddled a changing period in Britain's attitude to racial stereotyping. The 1970's had begun with the crude 'Love Thy Neighbour' but ended with the first sitcoms featuring more than token black casts (e.g 'The Fosters') and 'It Ain't Half...' was increasingly criticized for its attitude even though as another correspondent says, the Asian characters usually outwit their British 'masters'. Michael Bates as Ranji Ram is probably the last comical asian character to be played by a white actor in makeup a la Peter Sellers. (Bates had lived in India as a boy). Interestingly 'The Simpsons' contains an Indian family whose 'jolly good, sahib' voices and behaviour would be pretty much unacceptable on a British TV programmae today and is very similar to the portrayal of the asian characters in 'It ain't half hot...'. The pint size singer Don Estelle formed an unlikely duo with Sergeant Major Windsor Daies for a few UK hits. Sadly Don is now reduced to busking round Lancashire towns in his 'It Ain't Half...' costume these days.

How awful that the BBC refuse to show this again...what a load of nonsense...it was and still is an affectionate look at how things were in the war...I went on holiday to Turkey last year and saw exactly the same thing in the markets...foreign people imitating British for comedy purposes... poor Michael Bates was lambasted as racist for his role but that is exactly the kind of character around at the time...and there still is. This is almost "Spike Milliganesque" in its approach to multi culture comedy...there was never any intent to mock or offend...pure vaudeville. Perry and Croft understood perfectly the comedy in wartime as these were all obviously based on real life characters..anybody who is offended by this should be genuinely ashamed.....this series had 15 million viewers in its heyday...all apparent racists. Must add that all the crew were all in on the fun...Windsor Davies was brilliant., much like Hylda Baker and always using the wrong words ...one thing though....almost every British comedy at the time was made into a movie...why was this left out. Marvelous comedy from the finest writing duo since Galton and Simpson.

I absolutely adore this I discovered about years ago when I was 21 and still love it. Windsor Davies is an absolute delight. The send up of British officers is great and Don Estelle was a criminally underrated singer. Michael Bates also deserves a mention despite the criticism of his character it's worth pointing out he was born in India and is a wonderful character in his own right. This is a classic and for those who aren't easily offended you'll have a wonderful time.

This had people rolling around laughing in the 1970s and for good reason. It was very funny and totally politically incorrect which made it even better. No one was offended by it back then - even the targets of its jokes but in today's climate thin skinned professionally offended whackjobs absolutely would be. Hilarious.

I am in my late 70s and have just finished watching, for the third time, the boxed set of 'It ain't half hot mum'.

I found it amusing and of the period and reflected how the majority of Britons regarded the rest of the world. I never met one who was different, in skin colour, until I joined the RAF at 17 when I travelled up to Bridgnorth with an Indian/Pakistani recruit. Just as the BBC doesn't show shows that reflect the times they were made I think that is pandering to the 'lilly liveried' who are trying to take our heritage away.

When I have worked my way through the DVDs that I have, I don't have a TV, I shall again take the series and enjoy it. I admit that it may be all the wrong reasons but I will enjoyed it well into my 80s.