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"Bilko" remains one of the funniest shows ever aired on TV. Other reviewers have nicely captured the essence of the show, with one exception. Bilko pokes fun at every human foible, but without malice and nastiness. The show has a respect and love for us humans, warts and all.
I have to agree that the "monkey joins the Army show" is the best, but my favorite remains the episode that commences with COL Hall being passed over for promotion to Brigadier again. After he receives the notice he places a call to Washington to complain, and as he waits for his call to go through he practices a tough response to the superior officer with whom he will speak. However, when the call is finally placed all Hall can say is "COL Hall speaking, sir" in the meekest of subordinate tones.
Angry at himself for his meekness Hall roars off to Washington to complain in person, and a worried Mrs. Hall and the base chaplain send Bilko after Hall to rescue him.
The next scene will resonate with anyone who has served in the military. Hall arrives at the general's office (which is filled with people waiting to see the general), and a rude secretary tells Hall he will have to wait a few days to get in.
Bilko arrives, sizes up the situation, and through his usual fast talking wangles a golf game for "Jack Hall, the tiger of New Guinea" with pro Jimmy Demaret and, unknown to Hall, President Eisenhower.
After the game, Hall, totally beatified, enters the clubhouse, sees Bilko (who asks about his game) and can only reply: "he called me Jack." In the next scene, Hall returns to the general's office and, Ike obviously having phoned ahead, the general rushes out of his office, embraces Hall while yelling "it's Jack Hall" a the top of his lungs.
Hall returns home to Ft. Baxter with his star, but then he removes it, telling his crew that accepting the star would have meant leaving the base for another, and he couldn't face leaving his team, so he remained a colonel.
All this in the space of 25 minutes! Truly a wondrous show. Enjoy.
score 10/10
rmestl2 7 January 2011
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2365564/ |
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12-10-2020 03:22:06