Entertaining the Troops (2011 TV Movie) User Reviews

Call of duty

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 23 August 2016]

In the 1990s as we headed towards the 50th anniversary of D-Day, there was a time when companies released a number of popular videos with titles such as 'Songs that won the war' or 'Jokes that won the war.'

I actually saw a clip with Tommy Trinder doing an alleged comedy act. Maybe the video should had been called 'Jokes that nearly lost the war!'

Tommy Trinder was a performer for ENSA (Entertainment National Services Association) set up by impresario Basil Dean at the outbreak of war and sent out concert parties to entertain the troops at home and abroad. There were thousands of shows put on of varying quality. Some had stars such as Gracie Fields, Vera Lynn, George Formby and Noel Coward. Others had more inept performers and it was a breeding ground for a lot of post war entertainers such as Tommy Cooper, Frankie Howerd for example.

As far as the troops were concerned it was the chance of seeing the young nubile women that interested them and the chance to talk to them afterwards and share a drink. We see one performer who went to see injured troops, some who were severely disfigured.

Dean was vilified in some quarters although his elderly son and grandson are in the programme to set the record straight. As the programme was made in 2011, some of the contributors such as Tony Benn, Eric Sykes have subsequently died. Because of the passage of time it is left to the lesser known performers to take centre stage and talk candidly about their time entertaining the troops which involved putting themselves in danger at times.

Documentary Recounting the Work of ENSA During World War 2

[l_rawjalaurence · 7/10 · 24 April 2014]

This documentary recalls the work of ENSA - the Entertainment National Services Association - which did valuable work during World War II in sending out concert parties and entertainers to the troops (as well as civilians) both on the home and on the war fronts. Headed by Basil Dean, a theater and film producer, the organization was responsible for at least two million shows during a six-year period: some of them were of the highest quality, with big stars such as Noel Coward, Gracie Fields and George Fornby; others were quite simply tatty shows with fourth-rate variety entertainers. Deam himself was much reviled for his efforts; according to his son and grandson, he was criticized for producing too much material of inferior quality, while politicians believed that he used his position too much for personal gain. The documentary contains rarely-seen footage of ENSA performances, involving artistes both famous and not-so-famous; but perhaps its chief virtue is that it gives voice to performers (such as the dancer Joy Denney), now in their nineties, who perhaps have not had the chance to recall on television how much of a contribution they made to the war effort. Often putting themselves at great personal risk, they toured to various theaters of war, giving impromptu performances - for the most part to appreciative audiences, who welcomed the chance for any respite from the rigors of battle. At the end of the war ENSA received scant praise for their efforts; they were excluded from the Victory Parade in London. This documentary emphasizes how important their contribution actually was.