Demobbed (1944) – John E. Blakeley.

An enjoyably boisterous, rough n' tumble, mostly chucklesome musical hall comedy that unsubtly blends drama, broad comedy skits, noisome slapstick shenanigans and not unpleasantly sentimental light opera interludes. I must openly admit, even on paper, that sounds like eminently righteous fare, and to the film-makers credit, Demobbed is a frantic, occasionally misfiring, rewardingly gag-heavy, war-era morale booster. Adroitly performing rapid-fire exchanges, the breathlessly energetic cast seem equally adept at bawdy character parts and athletic physical comedy. Demobbed proved to be an unexpectedly entertaining vintage treat, a joyous admixture of speedy Marx Bros shtick, and bruising Keaton-esque pratfalls, being both compellingly ridiculous, and utterly charming! It is quite easy to imagine 40s cinema goers finding Demobbed an absolute riot, and seen today, I earnestly believe that it remains a fun watch, providing more than cosy tea and biccies nostalgia. There is an especially memorable sequence whereby one of the cast plays a ventriloquists dummy with extraordinary verisimilitude, while amusing, it could quite easily have become something infinitely more bizarre!