Something Nasty in the Vault

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Contents

[edit] TV episode

017 - Something Nasty in the Vault
Script Jimmy Perry and David Croft
Director David Croft
Producer David Croft
Recorded Sunday 15/6/69
Original transmission Thursday 9/10/69 7.30pm
Series Three
Length 30 minutes
Original Viewing Figures 11.1 million
Preceded by The Bullet is Not for Firing
Followed by Room at the Bottom

Something Nasty in the Vault is the fifth episode of the third series of the British comedy series Dad's Army that was originally transmitted on Thursday 9 October 1969.

[edit] Synopsis

When an air raid interrupts a bank inspection, an unexploded bomb is left in the hands of Mainwaring and Wilson.

[edit] Plot

Walker arrives to pay in some money into the bank, and a rather posh looking gentleman is standing behind him. As Pike prepares to cash his money, he discovers one of Walker's £5 notes is a forgery. Mainwaring is shocked to learn that the money came from him, and decides to hush it up. As Walker leaves, the posh gentleman introduces himself as Mr West, a Bank Inspector. Mainwaring's face falls.

He takes him into the office, where West tells him that his monthly report to Head Office has become irregular. Mainwaring blames it on his Home Guard duties. West is shocked to see a Lewis Gun Mk1 perching on the windowsill, and regales Mainwaring for putting the bank in danger. Suddenly, the air raid siren sounds and their meeting is cut short.

West is less than pleased when they return two hours ago, complaining that it could have been one of their planes they heard. Suddenly, he notices a hole in the roof, and flies into a fit of rage, believing that while they were in the Anderson shelter, someone broke into the bank. As he picks up loose notes, both Mainwaring and Wilson vanish. West searches for them, and is shocked to see a massive hole in the floor, where Mainwaring and Wilson are stranded, clutching an unexploded bomb on their laps. West rushes off to get help, bumping into Jones, who quickly takes charge and puts the bank under martial law. He rushes off to get the rest of the platoon and ring the Bomb Disposal Unit, while Pike and ARP Warden Hodges dither about in the office.

Eventually, Jones returns with the platoon and has a brief argument with Hodges as to who should take charge. Eventually Captain Rogers of the Bomb Disposal Unit arrives and takes charge. Unfortunately, both the keys to the strongroom are still under Mainwaring and Wilson's possession, so Frazer uses a fishing rod to yank up one of the keys. Rogers enters the strongroom, and identifies the bomb as a 'trembler'. He exasperates Mainwaring and Wilson by saying he has to go back to GHQ to pick up some special equipment.

Jones realises that Mainwaring and Wilson can't hang on much longer, so he proposes an elaborate plan to remove the bomb from them. They tie the bomb to a piece of rope and decide to pull it up, but in the process, it takes Jones with it!

Later, they all have a drink in the pub, and West congratulates the platoon for saving the bank. Mrs Pike rushes in and offers her compliments to Mainwaring and Wilson. West offers to pay for the drinks, but the note he uses is a dud, so Walker pays it with money he nabbed from the bank.

[edit] Notes

  1. This episode was originally titled 'Don't Let Go'.
  2. According to a cut scene, this episode is set exactly one year after The Man and the Hour. This places the final scenes of The Bullet is Not for Firing, which are set on Monday 12 September 1941, two days before these events.

[edit] Cast

Cast Characters
Arthur Lowe Captain Mainwaring
John Le Mesurier Sergeant Wilson
Clive Dunn Lance Corporal Jones
John Laurie Private Frazer
James Beck Private Walker
Arnold Ridley Private Godfrey
Ian Lavender Private Pike
Bill Pertwee ARP Warden Hodges
Janet Davies Mrs Pike
Robert Dorning Mr West, the Bank Inspector
Norman Mitchell Captain Rogers

[edit] Radio episode

012 - Something Nasty in the Vault
Script Harold Snoad and Michael Knowles
Producer John Dyas
Recorded Monday 23/7/73
Original transmission Monday 15/4/74, 6.15pm
Series One
Length 30 minutes
Original Viewing Figures 0.7 million
Preceded by Under Fire
Followed by The Showing Up of Corporal Jones

[edit] Synopsis

[edit] Plot

[edit] Notes

[edit] Cast

[edit] References

v • d • e
Dad's Army
Characters:
Television episodes
Radio episodes
Spin-offs