Lieutenant Commander Robert Badger is an excellent naval officer with one major problem. He speaks the truth at the most inopportune times, leading him to be transferred from ship, to shore, and then to instruct at the Royal Naval College. When his remarks are repeated by one of his students to his father, an anti-military Member of Parliament he has one last chance to prove himself...

We Joined the Navy is a '60s British comedy movie with a cast of blink-and-you'll-miss-them cameo appearances. These include John Le Mesurier, David Warner, Warren Mitchell, Dirk Bogarde (in a nod and a wink appearance as his Dr Simon Sparrow character from the Doctor series of films - which he costarred in with Kenneth More) Sid James, Michael Bentine, Esma Cannon, Andrew Sachs and Rodney Bewes.

It was director Wendy Toye's last full length movie. It's a light comedy and sees Jeremy Lloyd (most famous for co writing Are You Being Served?) in one of the main roles. While the comedy hasn't aged particularly well, it's still an interesting movie from a more innocent time.

Extras include The Extraordinary Career of Wendy Toye Pt 2, featuring interviews with BFI Curator Jo Botting and film critic Pamela Hutchinson (27 min, 16 sec which is the second part of this feature - part 1 being included on The Teckman Mystery. It fills in a lot more information on the life and work of director Wendy Toye. It also explains the in-joke cameo by Dirk Bogarde); Visions: Wendy Toye & Sally Potter: Two Directors (54 min, 10 sec episode of Visions which sees directors Wendy Toye and Sally Potter, two female directors from different eras meet, explore each others work and discuss the issues of women directors during their time; Behind the Scenes Stills Gallery (1 min, 06 sec); The King’s Breakfast (28 min, 26 sec short film which is a beautifully choreographed film from 1963. If you pay attention you'll spot Warren Mitchell, Una Stubbs and Jeremy Lloyd).

An interesting look back on a bygone era. This is a movie that classic film lovers will enjoy.

7

Darren Rea