The members of SADUSEA (Song And Dance Unit South East Asia) fall in and out of love while trying to dodge Malayan Communist bullets in the late 1940s. Not only that, they have to contend ... See full summary »
The members of SADUSEA (Song And Dance Unit South East Asia) fall in and out of love while trying to dodge Malayan Communist bullets in the late 1940s. Not only that, they have to contend with a loony, bible bashing Major who creates far more danger than any of the jungle inhabitants. Only gay captain Dennis Quilley seems capable of coping with him but even he isn't aware of the cowardly Michael Elphick selling arms to the natives. Written by
Darkly comic nightmare musical vision of war (sounds hard to describe, doesn't it?)
The nightmare of war is made blazingly sharp and absurd by the notion of this film: place a (largely gay) contingent of army personnel in the middle of jungle on a covert mission (of which they know nothing). This is what befalls the hapless members of SADUSEA -- Song And Dance Unit: SouthEast Asia -- when they are dispatched from their relatively safe position onto a jungle trails tour to entertain the troops. Actually, they are on a secret resupply mission.
But that doesn't happen until halfway through the movie. First we see their day to day travails rehearsing a new show. We also see various relationships unfold, particularly the fateful one between a Eurasian "brown velvet" woman and a shifty sergeant.
Along the way there are some brilliantly daffy musical numbers (also a couple that are quite touching), and John Cleese as a blithely clueess commanding officer whose stiff upper lip may be caused by water on the brain.
And all the while, the Malay servants are spies.
This movie is marvelously funny, but as the tale unfolds the laughter curdles on your lips. It's veddy British, which might make it weirder than it's intended to be for some -- but it richly rewards and soundly deserves repeated viewings.
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