My Brother and I
| "My Brother and I" | |
|---|---|
| Dad's Army episode | |
| Episode no. | Episode 073 |
| Directed by | David Croft |
| Story by | Jimmy Perry and David Croft |
| Produced by | David Croft |
| Original air date | Friday 26/12/75 6.05pm (recorded Friday 23/5/75 and Saturday 24/5/75) |
| Running time | 40 minutes |
My Brother and I is the second Christmas episode of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on Friday 26 December 1975. The episode is notable for the dual role played by Arthur Lowe, in his regular role of Captain Mainwaring and Mainwaring's estranged brother Barry.
Just as Captain Mainwaring gives the go-ahead for a sherry party, his drunken brother Barry turns up to spoil the occasion.
As Mainwaring and the platoon return from an exhilarating route march, he discovers Wilson reading Pike's Hotspur magazine. There is a letter written in Pike's handwriting hidden amongst the pages. Mainwaring reads it and is instantly disgusted. He convenes an impromptu parade, where he confronts Pike about the letter, and asks Wilson to read it. It says that the Home Guard will only spot any parachutists if they land in a public house, and that their section made sure there were no parachutists in eleven pubs in two hours!
Mainwaring makes the platoon promise that he won't hear any more stories about his men drinking. He goes on to say that he has offered to be the host for a sherry party for local civil dignitaries and army officers. Jones' section (sans Frazer, because he's "meeting" a client in Eastbourne) volunteer themselves as stewards. When they leave, Mainwaring praises his men, declaring them indispensable. Wilson asks if Mainwaring was harsh about the public house business, but Mainwaring doesn't think he was, and blames it on the way he was brought up: every member of his family knew when to stop.
Meanwhile, on board a train carriage, a drunken figure with more than a passing resemblance to Mainwaring downs a bottle of Scotch. The train stops at Eastbourne, and Frazer joins the man in the carriage, and quickly learns that the drunken man is Mainwaring's black sheep brother Barry, and that he is on his way to Walmington to collect a half-hunter watch that, he claims, Mainwaring stole from him after their father's demise. Frazer is more than happy to tell Mainwaring that his brother is in town.
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