Have you ever watched a performance and thought, why has nobody talked about this sooner? Chances are, that’s exactly how you’ll feel after watching Sarah Lancashire’s hugely underappreciated drama Dad’s Army. The 2016 film is a reboot of the beloved comedy classic and, we’ll say it, Sarah’s performance is even more watchable than her turn as Catherine Cawood in Happy Valley.
The film transports us to 1944 when World War II is almost over and the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard find their operations interrupted by the arrival of journalist Rose Winters (Catherine Zeta-Jones). While critics weren’t exactly quick to shine a light on Sarah’s performance when it was released, Sarah is superb as the doting – and often painfully protective - mother of Frank Pike (Blake Harrison), who was originally portrayed by Janet Davies.
With the film now available to stream in full, here’s everything you need to know about Dad’s Army before you do, including the full plot, cast and why it’s worth watching it tonight.
What is Dad’s Army about?
The remake of the beloved sitcom, which aired on the BBC from 1968 to 1977, takes us to 1944 when World War II is reaching its climax. The Allies are primed and ready to invade France and finally defeat the German army - but in Walmington-on-Sea, morale amongst the Home Guard, led by Captain Mainwaring (Toby Jones) is low. Little do they know the mood is soon about to change.
Their latest mission is to patrol the Dover army base and during an exercise, they accidentally force glamorous journalist Rose Winters off the road. They soon learn that Rose plans to write about their exploits, and while the men are rather pleased about it, it puts the local women on high alert.
While the Home Guard is somewhat charmed by Rose’s presence, it seems she’s not quite as innocent as she first seems. When MI5 discover a radio signal sent direct to Berlin from Walmington-on-Sea, it appears there’s a spy on the loose (you can guess who)! With the outcome of the war suddenly at stake, it’s up to our unlikely heroes to stand up and be counted.
Along the way, we meet an array of memorable characters, from Bill Nighy as the daydreaming Sergeant Wilso, Tom Courtenay as Corporal Jones, Michael Gambon as Godfrey; and, of course, Sarah Lancashire as the long-suffering (and rather overprotective) mother of Frank Pike (Blake Harrison). Speaking to Best, Sarah shared what a joy it was to work on the filming, explain: “We had a wonderful time making that, it was great. It was very cold though and we were shooting up in Scarborough and Bridlington – but what a wonderful cast to be involved with.
“Catherine Zeta-Jones is absolutely delightful. I think she just really enjoyed being part of it and she was lovely to work with – a really wonderful woman.”
Who’s in the cast of Dad’s Army?
The cast of Dad’s Army includes:
- Bill Nighy (Love Actually) as Wilson
- Catherine Zeta Jones (Wednesday) as Rose
- Toby Jones (Mr Burton) as Captain Mainwaring
- Tom Courtenay (The Dresser) as Corporal Jones
- Michael Gambon (The King’s Speech) as Godfrey
- Blake Harrison (The Inbetweeners) as Pike
- Danny Mays (Atonement) as Walker
- Bill Paterson (Miss Potter) as Fraser
- Sarah Lancashire (Last Tango in Halifax) as Mrs Pike
- Alison Steadman (Gavin & Stacey) as Mrs Fox
- Mark Gatiss (Sherlock) as Colonel Theakes
- Annette Crosbie (What We Did on Our Holiday) as Cissy Godfrey
- Felicity Montagu (Alan Partridge) as Mrs Mainwaring
- Julia Foster (Alfie) as Dolly Godfrey
- Holli Dempsey (Derek) as Vera Shilton
- Oliver Tobias (Arthur of the Britons) as Admiral Canaris
- Emily Atack (The Inbetweeners) as Daphne
Is there a trailer for Dad’s Army?
Yes, you can watch the trailer for Dad’s Army below.
Is Dad’s Army any good?
Yes – and, believe it or not, you don’t need to be a fan of the original sitcom to enjoy it. The costumes are superb, the performances from the likes of Sarah Lancashire, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Toby Jones are unmissable and it’s as witty as you’d hope. If you’re in the mood for something fun and nostalgic to watch, we’d highly recommend it.
How can I watch Dad’s Army?
You can watch Dad’s Army now on Apple TV, YouTube and Prime Video.
What other Sarah Lancashire dramas can I watch now?
If you’re a fan of detective dramas, they don’t get much better than Rose and Maloney. The series stars Sarah and Phil Davis as the titular Rose Linden and Marion Maloney, investigators who work for the fictional Criminal Justice Review Agency and take on claims of miscarriages of justice. You can watch Rose and Maloney on Prime Video. For something a little lighter, we’d suggest Julia. The series is inspired by the life of trailblazing American cookbook author and TV personality Julia Child (played by Sarah), whose show, The French Chef, practically invented food television. Julia is also available to watch on Prime Video.
