The Virgin Soldiers *** (1969, Lynn Redgrave, Hywel Bennett, Nigel Davenport, Nigel Patrick, Rachel Kempson) – Classic Movie Review 7707

Hywel Bennett stars in The Virgin Soldiers (1969) as Private Brigg sent to Singapore where he falls for army daughter Phillipa Raskin (Lynn Redgrave).

Leslie Thomas’s 1966 comic novel, based on his British Army experiences as a conscript in Singapore, is entertaining source material for director John Dexter’s enjoyable 1969 British war comedy-drama movie The Virgin Soldiers. The screenplay is by three exceptional writers, John Hopkins, Ian La Frenais and John McGrath, and in safe hands.

In the story, the young virgin British soldiers billeted in Singapore in 1950 during the Malayan Emergency dream about winning the love of Phillipa Raskin (Lynn Redgrave), the daughter of the Regimental Sergeant Major, RSM Raskin (Nigel Patrick) and Mrs Raskin (Rachel Kempson).

The film treads familiar territory perhaps, but it comes up fresh thanks to lively work both before and behind the camera. There is a great cast of the actors of the era, and there are notably key performances from Hywel Bennett as Private Brigg, Lynn Redgrave as Phillipa Raskin and her real-life mother Rachel Kempson as her mum, Mrs Raskin, as well as the two Nigels, Nigel Patrick and Nigel Davenport as as R.S.M. Raskin and Sgt Driscoll.

A young and uncredited pre-stardom David Bowie has a cameo as a soldier escorted out from behind a bar and Royal Ballet member Wayne Sleep plays virgin soldier Villiers.

Also notable in the cast are Michael Gwynn, Tsai Chin, Jack Shepherd, James Cosmo, Christopher Timothy, Don Hawkins, Geoffrey Hughes, Roy Holder, Riggs O’Hara, Gregory Phillips, Peter Kelly, Mark Nicholl, Alan Shatsman, Jonty Miller, Jolyon Jackley, Robert Bridges, Graham Crowden, Dudley Jones, Matthew Guinness, Niranjan Singh, F Yew, Brenda Bruce, Barbara Keogh and Warren Clarke.

The Virgin Soldiers is directed by John Dexter, runs 96 minutes, is made by Foreman Productions, Columbia Pictures Corporation, Open Road Films and Highroad Productions, is released by Columbia, is written by John Hopkins, Ian La Frenais and John McGrath, based on Leslie Thomas’s novel, is shot by Ken Higgins, is produced by Carl Foreman, Leslie Gilliat and Ned Sherrin, is scored by Peter Greenwell and Ray Davies, and is designed by Frank White.

It is the second film of Scots actor James Cosmo (as Waller), after Battle of Britain.

The film’s relative popularity spawned a 1977 sequel, Stand Up, Virgin Soldiers, with Robin Askwith as Private Brigg and the sole cast survivor Nigel Davenport repeating his role as Sgt Driscoll, though with many of the same characters recast. The Virgin Soldiers was however only the 17th-most-popular film at the UK box office in 1969.

The cast are Lynn Redgrave as Phillipa Raskin, Hywel Bennett as Pte Brigg, Nigel Davenport as Sgt Driscoll, Nigel Patrick as R.S.M. Raskin, Rachel Kempson as Mrs. Raskin, Jack Shepherd as Sgt Wellbeloved, Michael Gwynn as Col Bromley-Pickering, Tsai Chin as Juicy Lucy, Christopher Timothy as Cpl Brook, Don Hawkins as Tasker, Geoffrey Hughes as Lantry, Roy Holder as Fenwick, Riggs O’Hara as Sinclair, Gregory Phillips as Foster, Peter Kelly as Sandy Jacobs, Mark Nicholl as Cutler, Alan Shatsman as Longley, Jonty Miller as Forsyth, Jolyon Jackley as Cpl Gravy Browning, Robert Bridges as Sgt Fred Organ, James Cosmo as Waller, Graham Crowden as Medical Officer, Dudley Jones as Doctor, Matthew Guinness as Major Cusper, Naranjan Singh as Sikh, F Yew as ‘Hallelujah’, Brenda Bruce as Nursing Sister (uncredited), Warren Clarke as Soldier (uncredited), Barbara Keogh as WRAC (uncredited), James Marcus as Soldier (uncredited), Jeremy Roughton as Soldier (uncredited), David Bowie as Soldier (uncredited) and Wayne Sleep as soldier Villiers (uncredited).

RIP David Bowie (1947–2016).

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7707

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