High Finance
Encyclopedia
High Finance is the fifth episode of the eighth series of the British
comedy series Dad's Army
that was originally broadcast on the 3 October 1975.
arrives at the bank to pay in his takings, and cash a cheque. Pike refuses to cash his cheque because he is overdrawn. In Mainwaring's
office, Mainwaring attempts to explain why he cannot cash the cheque. Jones can't understand why, having just paid money in, he can't take money out. Mainwaring complains that the cheque is stained, and Jones explains it is from a piece of liver
. Mainwaring then asks what Jones is going to do about 'it', meaning his overdraft
, and Jones replies that maybe he could "keep the cheques away from the meat". Mainwaring insists on coming round to Jones's shop after work to try and see where his overdraft has come from.
After Jones has gone, rather upset, Wilson
suggests Mainwaring could give Jones an overdraft because he is in the platoon, Mainwaring refuses to bend the rules.
In Jones's shop Mainwaring attempts to examine Jones books, but chaos ensues. Mainwaring gets a fly paper stuck on his bowler hat
and Pike
attempts to cut if off, but trims off the rim as well, so Mainwaring cannot lift his hat. Pike then tips all Jones's carefully sorted ration tickets
onto the floor. Mainwaring takes all Jones's books home, much to Frazer's
horror.
The next morning, Jones agrees with Mainwaring's laborious conclusion from Jones's chaotic books that his business is £50 short, and then tells Mainwaring that he has an unpaid bill from the orphanage
for £50, which he produces from his pocket. Mainwaring is furious at having all his time wasted. In attempting to track down why the orphanage cannot pay the £50, Mainwaring interviews, in turn, The Vicar, Miss Twelvetrees and Frazer. He then convenes a meeting, inviting Wilson, the Warden, the Pikes, Hodges, the Verger, the Vicar, Frazer, Godfrey and Jones.
In the meeting, Mainwaring tracks the £50. Mrs Pike borrowed it from Wilson, who borrowed it from Godfrey, who borrowed it from Frazer. Frazer then withheld his rent from Miss Twelvetrees, who could not make her usual donation to the vicar, who could not pay Jones's meat bill. The meeting hears with horror that Mrs Pike needed the money to pay a huge increase in rent demanded by her landlord
, the Warden. Mrs Pike then says that Hodges had said he would "let me off if I was nice to him". At this, Wilson deliberately gets up, walks slowly but purposefully round the table and punches the Warden in the face, knocking him off his chair. The room is stunned, especially the Pikes, who are really impressed. Hodges complains that he's always liked her but that she is besotted with Wilson to which Pike says "Why don't you hit him again, Uncle Arthur!" the Warden is shamed into cashing a £50 cheque from Mainwaring, who gives it to Mrs Pike, who gives it to Wilson, to Godfrey, to Frazer, to Miss Twelvetrees, to the Vicar, via the Verger to Jones, who gives it back to Mr Mainwaring. All is concluded, and Mainwaring's triumph seems complete and unblemished, but then he is confronted in front of everyone by an irate grocer to whom Mrs Mainwaring owes £49 15/-, and he has to pay up.
!Cast
!Characters
|-
|Arthur Lowe
|Captain Mainwaring
|-
|John Le Mesurier
|Sergeant Wilson
|-
|Clive Dunn
|Lance Corporal Jones
|-
|John Laurie
|Private Frazer
|-
|Arnold Ridley
|Private Godfrey
|-
|Ian Lavender
|Private Pike
|-
|Bill Pertwee
|ARP Warden Hodges
|-
||Edward Sinclair
|The Verger
|-
|Frank Williams
|The Vicar
|-
|Harold Bennett
|Mr Bluett
|-
|Colin Bean
|Private Sponge
|-
|Natalie Kent
|Miss Twelvetrees
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
comedy series Dad's Army
Dad's Army
Dad's Army is a British sitcom about the Home Guard during the Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft and broadcast on BBC television between 1968 and 1977. The series ran for 9 series and 80 episodes in total, plus a radio series, a feature film and a stage show...
that was originally broadcast on the 3 October 1975.
Synopsis
Jones is overdrawn at the bank, and after a long investigation Mainwaring discovers that this has been caused by The Warden exorbitantly raising Mrs Pike's rent.Plot
JonesLance-Corporal Jack Jones
Lance Corporal Jack Jones is a fictional Home Guard platoon lance-corporal, veteran of the British Empire and butcher portrayed by Clive Dunn in the BBC television sitcom Dad's Army...
arrives at the bank to pay in his takings, and cash a cheque. Pike refuses to cash his cheque because he is overdrawn. In Mainwaring's
Captain George Mainwaring
Captain George Mainwaring is the bank manager and Home Guard platoon commander portrayed by Arthur Lowe on the BBC television sitcom Dad's Army, set in the fictional seaside town of Walmington-on-Sea during the Second World War...
office, Mainwaring attempts to explain why he cannot cash the cheque. Jones can't understand why, having just paid money in, he can't take money out. Mainwaring complains that the cheque is stained, and Jones explains it is from a piece of liver
Liver
The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. It has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion...
. Mainwaring then asks what Jones is going to do about 'it', meaning his overdraft
Overdraft
An overdraft occurs when money is withdrawn from a bank account and the available balance goes below zero. In this situation the account is said to be "overdrawn". If there is a prior agreement with the account provider for an overdraft, and the amount overdrawn is within the authorized overdraft...
, and Jones replies that maybe he could "keep the cheques away from the meat". Mainwaring insists on coming round to Jones's shop after work to try and see where his overdraft has come from.
After Jones has gone, rather upset, Wilson
Sergeant Arthur Wilson
Sergeant The Honourable Arthur Wilson is a fictional Home Guard platoon sergeant and bank clerk portrayed by John Le Mesurier on the BBC television situation comedy Dad's Army....
suggests Mainwaring could give Jones an overdraft because he is in the platoon, Mainwaring refuses to bend the rules.
In Jones's shop Mainwaring attempts to examine Jones books, but chaos ensues. Mainwaring gets a fly paper stuck on his bowler hat
Bowler hat
The bowler hat, also known as a coke hat, derby , billycock or bombin, is a hard felt hat with a rounded crown originally created in 1849 for the English soldier and politician Edward Coke, the younger brother of the 2nd Earl of Leicester...
and Pike
Private Frank Pike
Private Frank Pike is a fictional Home Guard platoon member and junior bank clerk portrayed by Ian Lavender in the BBC television sitcom Dad's Army. He is frequently referred to by Captain Mainwaring as "stupid boy".- Personality :...
attempts to cut if off, but trims off the rim as well, so Mainwaring cannot lift his hat. Pike then tips all Jones's carefully sorted ration tickets
Rationing in the United Kingdom during and after World War II
Rationing in the United Kingdom refers to rationing introduced by the government of the United Kingdom several times during the 20th century, mostly during and immediately after war....
onto the floor. Mainwaring takes all Jones's books home, much to Frazer's
Private James Frazer
Private James Frazer is a fictional Home Guard platoon member and undertaker portrayed by John Laurie on the BBC television sitcom Dad's Army. He is noted for the phrase "we're doomed!" and "Rubbish!"- Personality :...
horror.
The next morning, Jones agrees with Mainwaring's laborious conclusion from Jones's chaotic books that his business is £50 short, and then tells Mainwaring that he has an unpaid bill from the orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
for £50, which he produces from his pocket. Mainwaring is furious at having all his time wasted. In attempting to track down why the orphanage cannot pay the £50, Mainwaring interviews, in turn, The Vicar, Miss Twelvetrees and Frazer. He then convenes a meeting, inviting Wilson, the Warden, the Pikes, Hodges, the Verger, the Vicar, Frazer, Godfrey and Jones.
In the meeting, Mainwaring tracks the £50. Mrs Pike borrowed it from Wilson, who borrowed it from Godfrey, who borrowed it from Frazer. Frazer then withheld his rent from Miss Twelvetrees, who could not make her usual donation to the vicar, who could not pay Jones's meat bill. The meeting hears with horror that Mrs Pike needed the money to pay a huge increase in rent demanded by her landlord
Landlord
A landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant . When a juristic person is in this position, the term landlord is used. Other terms include lessor and owner...
, the Warden. Mrs Pike then says that Hodges had said he would "let me off if I was nice to him". At this, Wilson deliberately gets up, walks slowly but purposefully round the table and punches the Warden in the face, knocking him off his chair. The room is stunned, especially the Pikes, who are really impressed. Hodges complains that he's always liked her but that she is besotted with Wilson to which Pike says "Why don't you hit him again, Uncle Arthur!" the Warden is shamed into cashing a £50 cheque from Mainwaring, who gives it to Mrs Pike, who gives it to Wilson, to Godfrey, to Frazer, to Miss Twelvetrees, to the Vicar, via the Verger to Jones, who gives it back to Mr Mainwaring. All is concluded, and Mainwaring's triumph seems complete and unblemished, but then he is confronted in front of everyone by an irate grocer to whom Mrs Mainwaring owes £49 15/-, and he has to pay up.
Cast
{| class="wikitable"!Cast
!Characters
|-
|Arthur Lowe
Arthur Lowe
Arthur Lowe was a BAFTA Award winning English actor. He was best known for playing Captain George Mainwaring in the popular British sitcom Dad's Army from 1968 until 1977.-Early life:...
|Captain Mainwaring
|-
|John Le Mesurier
John Le Mesurier
John Le Mesurier was a BAFTA Award-winning English actor. He is most famous for his role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the popular 1970s BBC comedy Dad's Army.-Career:...
|Sergeant Wilson
|-
|Clive Dunn
Clive Dunn
Clive Robert Benjamin Dunn OBE is a retired English actor, comedian and author, best known for his role as Lance-Corporal Jack Jones in the BBC sitcom Dad's Army.-Early life:...
|Lance Corporal Jones
|-
|John Laurie
John Laurie
John Paton Laurie was a British actor born in Dumfries, Scotland. Although he is now probably most recognised for his role as Private James Frazer in the sitcom Dad's Army , he appeared in hundreds of feature films, including films by Alfred Hitchcock, Michael Powell and Laurence Olivier...
|Private Frazer
|-
|Arnold Ridley
Arnold Ridley
Major William Arnold Ridley, OBE was an English playwright and actor, first notable as the author of the play The Ghost Train and later in life for portraying the elderly Private Charles Godfrey in the popular British sitcom Dad's Army .-Early life:Ridley was born in Walcot, Bath, England where...
|Private Godfrey
|-
|Ian Lavender
Ian Lavender
Arthur Ian Lavender , better known as Ian Lavender, is an English stage, film and television actor, best known for his role as Private Frank Pike in the BBC comedy series Dad's Army.-Early life and career:...
|Private Pike
|-
|Bill Pertwee
Bill Pertwee
William Desmond Anthony Pertwee MBE is a British comedy actor. He is best known for playing the part of antagonist ARP Warden Hodges in the popular sitcom Dad's Army.-Early and personal life:...
|ARP Warden Hodges
|-
||Edward Sinclair
Edward Sinclair
Edward "Teddy" Sinclair was a British actor most famous for his role as the verger Maurice Yeatman in Dad's Army. He also made appearances in Z Cars and Danger Man.Edward's father was the son of a stage actor who died when he was 14...
|The Verger
|-
|Frank Williams
Frank Williams (actor)
Frank Williams is an English actor.Williams was educated at Ardingly College. He starred in The Army Game and as the Vicar in Dad's Army. In 1970, he starred in the short-lived sitcom As Good Cooks Go...
|The Vicar
|-
|Harold Bennett
Harold Bennett
Harold Bennett was an English actor best remembered for having played 'Young Mr. Grace' in the 1970s British sitcom Are You Being Served?.-Biography:...
|Mr Bluett
|-
|Colin Bean
Colin Bean
Colin Bean was a British actor best known for his role as Private Sponge in the Second World War sitcom Dad's Army from 1968 to 1977, appearing in76 of Dad’s Army’s 80 episodes....
|Private Sponge
|-
|Natalie Kent
|Miss Twelvetrees