Our take
A gentle travelling episode with a lovely tribute to the late Buster Merryfield's character at its heart. The Normandy scenes are sweet and the beard gag is a good one. The stowaway plot is slight and leans on a misunderstanding that is easy to see coming. Critics were lukewarm at the time, but it is pleasant, easy company on a Christmas evening.
What happens
Times are hard again, but Del and Rodney agree to travel to a village in Normandy to represent the late Uncle Albert at a naval memorial ceremony in honour of his wartime shipmates. On arrival they learn that Albert was chased out of the country by the Resistance for his womanising, and they cannot help noticing how many of the villagers have a sailor's beard. To Rodney's annoyance, the trip doubles as a cut-price booze run: Del, Boycie, Trigger and Denzil have arranged to fill Denzil's empty van with duty-free drink. Back in England they find that a stranger seems to have stowed away in the van. They name him Gary and put him up, but he soon slips away. Nobody makes the connection between their guest, Boycie's important business deal with a millionaire and the millionaire's missing son, and the misunderstanding ends with the gang under arrest.
Can the kids watch it?
Suits most children from about 10: mild language, innuendo about a randy old sailor and an arrest.
Cast and crew
Starring
- David Jason as Del
- Nicholas Lyndhurst as Rodney
- Roger Lloyd-Pack as Trigger
- John Challis as Boycie
- Sue Holderness as Marlene
- Tessa Peake-Jones as Raquel
- Gwyneth Strong as Cassandra