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6.4/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.4/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Diggers in Blighty remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Should you watch Diggers in Blighty? If you have a thing for black-and-white historical oddities or just really want to see how Australian cinema handled the '30s, sure. If you need pacing that doesn't feel like a sleepy Sunday afternoon, you’re gonna hate it. It’s slow. Like, really slow.
The movie follows Chic and Joe, two soldiers on leave. They are clearly out of their element in the polite parlors of England. Watching them try to navigate upper-class etiquette is the whole point, I guess.
There's this one moment where they’re trying to impress some ladies, and the dialogue just sort of... hangs there. It’s almost painful. It reminds me a bit of the awkwardness in The Soap Girl, where you just want to reach into the screen and help the poor guys out.
It’s not as polished as Tol'able David, that’s for sure. But there’s a certain grit to it that feels honest. It doesn't try to be anything other than a simple story about two blokes being out of place. Sometimes that’s enough, right?
I found myself getting distracted by the background extras. There's a guy in one party scene who just stands there, staring at a wall for like thirty seconds. I kept waiting for him to do something, but he never did. Maybe he was just tired.
The romance subplots feel tacked on, like they were afraid the audience would get bored with just soldiers drinking tea. It’s not quite as messy as Trouble, but it’s close. It’s perfectly fine if you like your movies to feel a bit broken.
Look, it’s a weird little artifact. It isn't going to change your life. But if you’ve got nothing else to do and want to see some vintage charm, you could do worse. Just don't blame me if you fall asleep halfway through the second act. 😴