Knights of Madness

2022-08-19T11:53:20Z

2A00:23C7:2909:5801:4DE4:D364:82D6:AC7F: /* Notes */

{{unreferenced|date=June 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox television episode
| series = [[Dad's Army]]
| image =
| caption =
| series_no = 9
| episode = 3
| director = [[David Croft (TV producer)|David Croft]]
| story = [[Jimmy Perry]] and David Croft
| producer = David Croft
| airdate = {{Start date|df=yes|1977|10|16}}<br />(recorded 22 July 1977)
| length = 30 minutes
| guests =
| prev = [[The Making of Private Pike]]
| next = [[The Miser's Hoard]]
}}

"'''Knights of Madness'''" is the third episode of the ninth and final series of the British comedy series ''[[Dad's Army]]''. It was originally transmitted on 16 October 1977.

==Synopsis==
To support the [[Wings for Victory Week]], the platoon restages the Battle of [[Saint George and the Dragon]]. This does not go down well with Hodges and his ARP wardens, however, as they have been planning the same thing.

==Plot==
At the town meeting, the council are trying to organise the events that will take place in order to celebrate [[Saint George's Day]]. After a vote, it is decided that the Home Guard and the ARP will share the grand finale. Both Mainwaring and Hodges are reluctant to reveal what they each will be doing for the event.

Later that day, Mainwaring is in his office with Wilson and Pike. Mainwaring tells them of his plan to celebrate St. George's Day by staging a fight between [[St. George and the dragon|St. George and a dragon]], representing Britain's fight against Hitler. Mainwaring reveals that he will be playing St. George.

During the rehearsal of the fight, Mainwaring is finding it quite difficult to manoeuver in a real suit of armour, but is persistent stating that "if our ancestors could wear it, so can I". After falling off his horse a number of times, he eventually gives up and agrees to let Godfrey's sister knit him a suit of armour. Meanwhile, Pike is told to dress up as a [[Squander Bug]] using a costume his mother made him, but finally gets out of this and becomes a [[herald]] instead.

As the platoon are about to get their staged fight underway, the ARP interrupt them, as they too are staging the fight between St. George and the dragon, with Hodges as St. George. As things take a turn for the worse, Hodges challenges Mainwaring to a duel, which he accepts. The two dragons also face off, with Jones at the head of one and the Vicar at the head of the other. Wilson tells Pike that they "ought to do something" and with that, Pike shoots Hodges' horse in the backside with his herald's trumpet/pea-shooter, causing it to rear up and throw Hodges off. The Home Guard dragon eventually defeats the ARP dragon, and Mainwaring salutes the cheering crowd from his horse.

==Notes==
#This episode references the legend of [[St George]] and the [[Dragon]]. However it throws a peculiar twist on it by having St George fight St George and the dragon fight the dragon.
#This episode is mistakenly copyrighted 1972, as it was recorded and filmed in 1977.

==Cast==
*[[Arthur Lowe]] as [[Captain Mainwaring]]
*[[John Le Mesurier]] as [[Sergeant Wilson]]
*[[Clive Dunn]] as [[Lance Corporal Jones]]
*[[John Laurie]] as [[Private Frazer]]
*[[Arnold Ridley]] as [[Private Godfrey]]
*[[Ian Lavender]] as [[Private Pike]]
*[[Janet Davies (actress)|Janet Davies]] as [[Mavis Pike|Mrs Pike]]
*[[Bill Pertwee]] as [[Chief ARP Warden Hodges|ARP Warden Hodges]]
*[[Frank Williams (actor)|Frank Williams]] as [[Reverend Timothy Farthing|The Vicar]]
*[[Edward Sinclair]] as [[Maurice Yeatman|The Verger]]
*[[Colin Bean]] as Private Sponge
*[[Janet Davies (actress)|Janet Davies]] as Mrs. Pike
*[[Olive Mercer]] as Mrs. Yeatman
*[[Eric Longworth]] as the Town Clerk
*[[Fred McNaughton]] as the Mayor

{{Dad's Army}}

[[Category:Dad's Army (series 9) episodes]]
[[Category:1977 British television episodes]]

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Knights of Madness