A Brush with the Law

"A Brush with the Law"
Dad's Army episode
Episode no.	Series Five Episode 051
Directed by	David Croft
Story by	Jimmy Perry and David Croft
Produced by	David Croft
Original air date	15/12/72 (recorded 26 November 1972)
Running time	30 minutes

"A Brush with the Law" is the eleventh episode of the fifth series of the British comedy series Dad's Army that was originally transmitted on 15 December 1972.

Synopsis/Plot

Mainwaring is charged with showing a light and is taken to court by a cheerful Warden. As if that wasn't enough, the magistrate is none other than his old nemesis Captain Square. The platoon tries to help by testifying as witnesses to Mainwaring's innocence, but things go from bad to worse when Jones messes up his story under oath. As both Square and Hodges proceed to push Mainwaring towards what could be a sticky end, Walker steps in and puts some pressure on Square by reminding him of his own illegal activities involving some black market whiskey. But it's the Verger who finally saves the day, confessing it was he who showed the light after all.

The case is dismissed and Mainwaring is allowed to leave the court "without a stain on his character". He attributes his acquittal to "honesty, fair play and the integrity of British justice".

Notes

Mainwaring was prosecuted under the Emergency Powers Act 1940 which had been rushed onto the statute book by the government under a wave of popular pressure. Under its rules, Mainwaring could have been sentenced to several months in jail had he been found guilty as charged.

After Mainwaring is proved innocent Pike says "it's just like that film with John Garfield", a reference to the 1939 film They Made Me a Criminal.

Cast

Arthur Lowe as Captain Mainwaring
John Le Mesurier as Sergeant Wilson
Clive Dunn as Lance Corporal Jones
John Laurie as Private Frazer
James Beck as Private Walker
Arnold Ridley as Private Godfrey
Ian Lavender as Private Pike
Bill Pertwee as ARP Warden Hodges
Geoffrey Lumsden as Captain Square
Frank Williams as The Vicar
Edward Sinclair as The Verger
Stuart Sherwin as Junior Warden Reg Adamson
Jeffrey Gardiner as Mr Wintergreen
Marjorie Wilde as Lady Magistrate
Chris Gannon as Mr Bone, the Clerk of the Court
Toby Perkins as Usher

References

Dad's Army

Characters

Cast

Crew

Television
episodes

Series 1	"The Man and the Hour" "Museum Piece" "Command Decision" "The Enemy Within the Gates" "The Showing Up of Corporal Jones" "Shooting Pains"

Series 2	"Operation Kilt" "The Battle of Godfrey's Cottage" "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Walker" "Sgt. Wilson's Little Secret" "A Stripe for Frazer" "Under Fire"

Series 3	"The Armoured Might of Lance Corporal Jones" "Battle School" "The Lion Has Phones" "The Bullet is Not for Firing" "Something Nasty in the Vault" "Room at the Bottom" "Big Guns" "The Day the Balloon Went Up" "War Dance" "Menace from the Deep" "Branded" "Man Hunt" "No Spring for Frazer" "Sons of the Sea"

Series 4	"The Big Parade" "Don't Forget the Diver" "Boots, Boots, Boots" "Sgt – Save My Boy!" "Don't Fence Me In" "Absent Friends" "Put That Light Out!" "The Two and a Half Feathers" "Mum's Army" "The Test" "A. Wilson (Manager)?" "Uninvited Guests" "Fallen Idol"

Series 5	"Asleep in the Deep" "Keep Young and Beautiful" "A Soldier's Farewell" "Getting the Bird" "The Desperate Drive of Corporal Jones" "If the Cap Fits..." "The King was in his Counting House" "All is Safely Gathered In" "When Did You Last See Your Money?" "Brain Versus Brawn" "A Brush with the Law" "Round and Round Went the Great Big Wheel" "Time on My Hands"

Series 6	"The Deadly Attachment" "My British Buddy" "The Royal Train" "We Know Our Onions" "The Honourable Man" "Things that Go Bump in the Night" "The Recruit"

Series 7	"Everybody's Trucking" "A Man of Action" "Gorilla Warfare" "The Godiva Affair" "The Captain's Car" "Turkey Dinner"

Series 8	"Ring Dem Bells" "When You've Got to Go" "Is There Honey Still for Tea?" "Come In, Your Time Is Up" "High Finance" "The Face on the Poster"

Series 9	"Wake Up Walmington" "The Making of Private Pike" "Knights of Madness" "The Miser's Hoard" "Number Engaged" "Never Too Old"

Specials	"Untitled Sketch" "Broadcast to the Empire" "Battle of the Giants!" "My Brother and I" "The Love of Three Oranges"