Something Nasty in the Vault

Last updated

"Something Nasty in the Vault"
Dad's Army episode
Episode no.Series 3
Episode 5
Directed by David Croft
Story by Jimmy Perry and David Croft
Original air date9 October 1969 (1969-10-09)
Running time30 minutes
Episode chronology
 Previous
"The Bullet is Not for Firing"
Next 
"Room at the Bottom"
List of episodes

"Something Nasty in the Vault" is the fifth episode of the third series of the British comedy series Dad's Army . It was originally transmitted on Thursday 9 October 1969.

Contents

Synopsis

Captain Mainwaring and Sergeant Wilson find themselves trapped in the bank vault with an unexploded bomb.

Plot

Walker arrives to pay some money into the bank, and a rather posh looking gentleman is standing behind him. As Pike prepares to cash his money, he discovers one of Walker's £5 notes is a forgery. Mainwaring is shocked to learn that the money came from him, and decides to hush it up. As Walker leaves, the posh gentleman introduces himself as Mr West, a Bank Inspector. Mainwaring's face falls.

He takes him into the office, where West tells him that his monthly report to Head Office has become irregular. Mainwaring blames it on his Home Guard duties. West is shocked to see a Lewis gun perched on the windowsill, and berates Mainwaring for putting the bank in danger. Mainwaring points out that the Lewis gun covers the High Street from Stead and Simpson's to Timothy Whites (referring to chain stores of the period). Suddenly, the air raid siren sounds and their meeting is cut short.

West is less than pleased when they return two hours later, complaining that it could have been one of their planes they heard. Suddenly, he notices a hole in the roof, and flies into a fit of rage, believing that while they were in the Anderson shelter, someone broke into the bank. As he picks up loose notes, both Mainwaring and Wilson vanish. West searches for them, and is shocked to see a massive hole in the floor, where Mainwaring and Wilson are stranded, clutching an unexploded bomb on their laps. West rushes off to get help, bumping into Jones, who quickly takes charge and puts the bank under martial law. He rushes off to get the rest of the platoon and ring the Bomb Disposal Unit, while Pike and ARP Warden Hodges dither about in the office.

Eventually, Jones returns with the platoon, but Mainwaring orders him to get them all out, as he feels there is no point in the platoon risking their lives as well. Initially, Walker agrees with the idea, only to be upbraided for it by an outraged Jones. Jones then asks the rest of the platoon if they want to leave as well, which all the men refuse to do (Godfrey reminds the platoon that Mainwaring would not leave any of them if they were in the same situation; while Pike adds that he could not leave his "Uncle Arthur", as his mother would not like it if he did). Walker then tells Jones that he is not going to leave either. Shortly afterwards, Hodges returns and has a brief argument with Jones as to who is in charge of the situation; this is quickly resolved when Captain Rogers of the Bomb Disposal Unit arrives and takes charge. Unfortunately, both the keys to the strongroom are still in Mainwaring and Wilson's possession, so Frazer uses a fishing rod to yank up one of the keys. Rogers enters the strongroom, and identifies the bomb's fuse as a 'trembler'. He exasperates Mainwaring and Wilson by saying he has to go back to GHQ to pick up some special equipment. After Rogers leaves, Jones and Godfrey bring Mainwaring and Wilson each a cup of coffee, with Godfrey helping them to drink it.

Jones realises that Mainwaring and Wilson cannot hang on much longer, so he proposes an elaborate plan to remove the bomb from them. He and the others build a makeshift pulley in the office and tie the bomb to a piece of rope to pull it up, but in the process, it takes Jones with it.

Later, they all have a drink in the pub, and West congratulates the platoon for saving the bank. Mrs Pike rushes in and offers her compliments to Mainwaring and Wilson. West offers to pay for the drinks, but the note he uses is a dud, so Walker pays it with some money he nabbed from the bank.

Cast

Notes

  1. This episode was originally titled "Don't Let Go".
  2. According to a cut scene (reinstated in the radio adaptation), this episode is set exactly one year after "The Man and the Hour", placing it on 14 May 1941.
  3. Jones slips up at one point when he refers to Captain Rogers as Major Rogers, although he is clearly wearing the three pips of a captain.
  4. Captain Rogers identifies the bomb as an SC50.
  5. Mr West, who appears here played by Robert Dorning, would later appear in the Series 4 episode A. Wilson (Manager)? played by Blake Butler.
  6. As the staff return from the air raid Mr West tries to hang his hat on the hat stand but it falls down the back.

Radio episode

In addition to John Snagge's regular role as announcer and newsreader, John Barron featured as Mr West, Frank Thornton as Captain Rogers, and Elizabeth Morgan as Janet King.

Rather than Walker's dud £5 note, Mr West is simply made to wait outside Mainwaring's office. The scene with the platoon refusing to leave was omitted, together with the characters of Privates Godfrey and Walker, and the episode ends with Wilson telling Mainwaring and Jones they should get the hell out of there, the visual gag of Jones getting caught up with the bomb and the pub scene being omitted. [1]

Further reading

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Captain Mainwaring</span> Fictional character from the sitcom Dads Army

Captain George Mainwaring is a fictional Home Guard captain, first portrayed by Arthur Lowe in the BBC television sitcom Dad's Army. In the 2016 movie he is played by Toby Jones and in the 2019 remake of three missing episodes he is played by Kevin McNally. Mainwaring is the bank manager and Home Guard platoon commander, in the fictional seaside town of Walmington-on-Sea during the Second World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sergeant Wilson</span> Fictional character from Dads Army sitcom

The Hon. Sergeant Arthur Wilson is a fictional Home Guard platoon sergeant and bank chief clerk, first portrayed by John Le Mesurier in the BBC television sitcom Dad's Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Private Pike</span> Fictional character in from the sitcom Dads Army

Private Frank Pike is a fictional Home Guard private and junior bank clerk, first portrayed by actor Ian Lavender in the BBC television sitcom Dad's Army. He was appointed as the platoon's information officer by Captain Mainwaring in "The Man and the Hour". He is frequently referred to by Captain Mainwaring as "stupid boy".

"Battle of the Giants!" is the first special Christmas episode of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 27 December 1971. The episode was recorded 19 October 1971.

"The Lion Has 'Phones" is the third episode of the third series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 21 September 1969.

"The Day the Balloon Went Up" is the eighth episode of the third series of the British comedy series Dad's Army that was originally transmitted on Thursday 30 October 1969.

"The Big Parade" is the first episode of the fourth series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on Friday 25 September 1970.

"Don't Forget the Diver" is the second episode of the fourth series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 2 October 1970.

"The Test" is the tenth episode of the fourth series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on Friday 27 November 1970.

"A. Wilson (Manager)?" is the eleventh episode of the fourth series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 4 December 1970.

"Asleep in the Deep" is the first episode of the fifth series of the British television sitcom Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 6 October 1972. The title may have come from the song, Asleep in the Deep that is referenced by Private Walker in the episode.

"We Know Our Onions" is the fourth episode of the sixth series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 21 November 1973.

"If the Cap Fits..." is the sixth episode of the fifth series of the British television sitcom Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 10 November 1972.

"Getting the Bird" is the fourth episode of the fifth series of the British television situation comedy Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 27 October 1972.

"The King was in His Counting House" is the seventh episode of the fifth series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 17 November 1972.

"When Did You Last See Your Money?" is the ninth episode of the fifth series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 1 December 1972.

"Time on My Hands" is the thirteenth and final episode of the fifth series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on 29 December 1972.

"The Godiva Affair" is the fourth episode of the seventh series of the British comedy series Dad's Army. It was originally transmitted on Friday 6 December 1974.

"Is There Honey Still for Tea?" is the third episode of the eighth series of the British sitcom Dad's Army, which was originally transmitted on Friday 19 September 1975. The title is taken from the concluding lines of Rupert Brooke's 1912 poem, The Old Vicarage, Grantchester:

<i>Dads Army</i> British TV sitcom (1968–1977)

Dad's Army is a British television sitcom about the United Kingdom's Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, and originally broadcast on BBC1 from 31 July 1968 to 13 November 1977. It ran for nine series and 80 episodes in total; a feature film released in 1971, a stage show and a radio version based on the television scripts were also produced. The series regularly gained audiences of 18 million viewers and is still shown internationally.

References

  1. BBC Radio 4 Extra – Dad's Army, Series 1, Something Nasty in the Vault – note that cast list on this page is incorrect, cast notes gathered from listening to audio