Things that Go Bump in the Night
Encyclopedia
Things That Go Bump in the Night is the sixth episode of the sixth series of the British television
sitcom Dad's Army
that was originally transmitted on the 12 December 1973.
miles from anywhere. Jones informs Captain Mainwaring that his van only has 0.5 gallons (2.3 l) of petrol left (Walker hadn't been able to make the petrol coupons in time), so Mainwaring decides to shelter in a house nearby. Mainwaring has a slight head cold, so Jones restrains him from going out in the rain fearing he might catch pneumonia
. The platoon march to the door holding a tarpaulin
sheet above their heads. However, when Pike rings the doorbell, he lets go of his corner and ends up soaked.
Once at the house, they find that the front door is open, the electricity is off and the fire is still burning. However, the house appears to be completely deserted. Frazer suggests it is like the Mary Celeste
. Pike has to change out of his wet clothes, so ends up wearing a flag-bearer's uniform and a bear-skin rug. Suddenly, they hear the sound of hound
s howling. Mainwaring tells them not to be worried and they go upstairs to find somewhere to sleep.
Once in a bedroom, Captain Mainwaring claims a bed for himself, informing the others to sleep in the double bed. However, Jones feels Mainwaring's bed and refuses to let him sleep there until he has warmed it up. Jones puts a bed warmer
in the sheets, but unfortunately sets it on fire. The platoon try to blow it out with pillows, but just end up with feathers everywhere. Mainwaring tips a basin of water over the bed and Sponge tells Pike to get some more. Mainwaring is annoyed at Jones for ruining his bed, and tells Frazer to shut the door. Frazer closes the door just as Pike is coming through with some water, and Pike ends up soaked again.
Later, as everybody is asleep, Pike wakes up Sergeant Wilson (who gets a fright at the sight of the bearskin), and asks him whether he can accompany him to clean his teeth. Wilson reluctantly agrees. Meanwhile, Godfrey wakes up Jones because he needs to visit the bathroom. They set off and meet Pike coming back around a corner, frightening both parties.
Later, Pike, still unable to sleep, is woken up by the sound of heavy boots coming up the stairs. He warns the others, and they turn out the candles. The boots come towards the bedroom. The door opens slowly to reveal Captain Cadbury, who is surprised to find them in his bedroom.
In the morning, the platoon are having breakfast. It turns out that the house is a dog training school, and that Cadbury had left to fix the generator. Pike ends up wearing a German uniform that they use for training purposes. Outside, Cadbury shows them the dogs, pointing out one, Prince 439, that is a troublemaker. The platoon set off to get some petrol, each carrying an empty gin
bottle.
While out in the country, Captain Cadbury informs them that the dogs are only half-trained and that they have not been taught how not to tear their victim to pieces. Walker then notices that the noise of the hounds is getting louder. They realise the dogs must have got out. Cadbury then realises that they must be tracking them, because Pike's uniform is covered in aniseed. Thus, the platoon make a run for it, carrying Godfrey aboard a sheep hurdle. Once they reach a stream, Mainwaring tells the platoon that dogs cannot follow a scent across water, so Pike is made to cross downstream. Mainwaring refuses to get his feet wet, and is carried across on the hurdle. Meanwhile, Pike falls in the river.
Once across, the platoon relax. However, Mainwaring's plan has failed, and they end up climbing trees to get away from the hounds. Cadbury suggests that Pike should throw his clothes down to the dogs, meaning that Pike has to strip naked. This allows the platoon to escape and they continue their walk, with Pike wearing a potato sack.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
sitcom 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 transmitted on the 12 December 1973.
Synopsis
It is a dark and stormy night. The platoon is lost. Jones' van has only 0.5 gallons (2.3 l) of petrol in its tank. Tired, cold and miserable, the men decide to spend to the night in a nearby house. It appears to be deserted, but is it?Plot
Due to a miscalculation by Sergeant Wilson, the platoon are lost in a thunderstormThunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
miles from anywhere. Jones informs Captain Mainwaring that his van only has 0.5 gallons (2.3 l) of petrol left (Walker hadn't been able to make the petrol coupons in time), so Mainwaring decides to shelter in a house nearby. Mainwaring has a slight head cold, so Jones restrains him from going out in the rain fearing he might catch pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
. The platoon march to the door holding a tarpaulin
Tarpaulin
A tarpaulin, colloquially tarp, is a large sheet of strong, flexible, water-resistant or waterproof material, often cloth such as canvas or polyester coated with urethane, or made of plastics such as polyethylene. In some places such as Australia, and in military slang, a tarp may be known as a...
sheet above their heads. However, when Pike rings the doorbell, he lets go of his corner and ends up soaked.
Once at the house, they find that the front door is open, the electricity is off and the fire is still burning. However, the house appears to be completely deserted. Frazer suggests it is like the Mary Celeste
Mary Celeste
The Mary Celeste was an American brigantine merchant ship famous for having been discovered on 4 December 1872, in the Atlantic Ocean unmanned and apparently abandoned , despite the fact that the weather was fine and her crew had been experienced and able...
. Pike has to change out of his wet clothes, so ends up wearing a flag-bearer's uniform and a bear-skin rug. Suddenly, they hear the sound of hound
Hound
A hound is a type of dog that assists hunters by tracking or chasing the animal being hunted. It can be contrasted with the gun dog, which assists hunters by identifying the location of prey, and with the retriever, which recovers shot quarry...
s howling. Mainwaring tells them not to be worried and they go upstairs to find somewhere to sleep.
Once in a bedroom, Captain Mainwaring claims a bed for himself, informing the others to sleep in the double bed. However, Jones feels Mainwaring's bed and refuses to let him sleep there until he has warmed it up. Jones puts a bed warmer
Bed warmer
A bed warmer was a common household item in cold countries, especially Northern Europe. It consisted of a metal container, usually fitted with a handle and shaped somewhat like a modern frying pan, with a solid or finely perforated lid...
in the sheets, but unfortunately sets it on fire. The platoon try to blow it out with pillows, but just end up with feathers everywhere. Mainwaring tips a basin of water over the bed and Sponge tells Pike to get some more. Mainwaring is annoyed at Jones for ruining his bed, and tells Frazer to shut the door. Frazer closes the door just as Pike is coming through with some water, and Pike ends up soaked again.
Later, as everybody is asleep, Pike wakes up Sergeant Wilson (who gets a fright at the sight of the bearskin), and asks him whether he can accompany him to clean his teeth. Wilson reluctantly agrees. Meanwhile, Godfrey wakes up Jones because he needs to visit the bathroom. They set off and meet Pike coming back around a corner, frightening both parties.
Later, Pike, still unable to sleep, is woken up by the sound of heavy boots coming up the stairs. He warns the others, and they turn out the candles. The boots come towards the bedroom. The door opens slowly to reveal Captain Cadbury, who is surprised to find them in his bedroom.
In the morning, the platoon are having breakfast. It turns out that the house is a dog training school, and that Cadbury had left to fix the generator. Pike ends up wearing a German uniform that they use for training purposes. Outside, Cadbury shows them the dogs, pointing out one, Prince 439, that is a troublemaker. The platoon set off to get some petrol, each carrying an empty gin
Gin
Gin is a spirit which derives its predominant flavour from juniper berries . Although several different styles of gin have existed since its origins, it is broadly differentiated into two basic legal categories...
bottle.
While out in the country, Captain Cadbury informs them that the dogs are only half-trained and that they have not been taught how not to tear their victim to pieces. Walker then notices that the noise of the hounds is getting louder. They realise the dogs must have got out. Cadbury then realises that they must be tracking them, because Pike's uniform is covered in aniseed. Thus, the platoon make a run for it, carrying Godfrey aboard a sheep hurdle. Once they reach a stream, Mainwaring tells the platoon that dogs cannot follow a scent across water, so Pike is made to cross downstream. Mainwaring refuses to get his feet wet, and is carried across on the hurdle. Meanwhile, Pike falls in the river.
Once across, the platoon relax. However, Mainwaring's plan has failed, and they end up climbing trees to get away from the hounds. Cadbury suggests that Pike should throw his clothes down to the dogs, meaning that Pike has to strip naked. This allows the platoon to escape and they continue their walk, with Pike wearing a potato sack.
Cast
| 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 |
| James Beck James Beck Stanley James Carroll Beck was a British actor best remembered for his role as Private Joe Walker, the cockney spiv in the popular BBC sitcom Dad's Army. The cast was mainly composed of older actors, but Beck was one of the younger members.-Early life:Beck was born in Islington, North London and... |
Private Walker |
| 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 |
| Jonathan Cecil Jonathan Cecil Jonathan Hugh Gascoyne-Cecil , more commonly known as Jonathan Cecil, was an English theatre, film and television actor.-Early life:... |
Captain Cadbury |
| 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 |