The Virgin Soldiers Reviews

An amusing and, to some extent, insightful look at the lives of young British soldiers serving in Malaya. Their major concern, outweighing the threat of rebel revolt, is the pursuit of sexual conquests. Indeed, most of the young men are as naive about romance as they are about war. The film concentrates on the exploits of Bennett, a clerk with a fancy for Redgrave, a local schoolteacher and the daughter of regimental sergeant Major Patrick. Both Bennett and Redgrave have had no experience in the subtler aspects of romance, so their attempts at love result in rather embarrassing spectacles. Eventually, they do hit it off, the opportune moment coming during a raid. Though there are many characters here that could easily have become stereotypes, director Dexter avoids this trap and the result is genuine, heartfelt humor. STAND UP VIRGIN SOLDIERS (1977) was the sequel to this.