Allo Allo "Good Moaning - Officer Crabtree" Compilation Reaction

[@nocturne7371]

The most amazing thing about officer Crabtree is that the actor playing him is fluent in French for real.

[@glenmcinnes4824]

Native level speaker able to speak multiple dialects and to assume the majority of accents

[@Bjowolf2]

Soa 'e uas rreally yust playink 'imselv? 😂

[@vincentsilvester96]

The surreal thing is about this show, is that you start to think you are hearing French and German, but it's English actors and language with accents. I used to watch as a kid and it'd go over my head, but it's clever and more funny as you get older.

[@DM-rc4yu]

If someone told you about this before watching it, you'd say it's silly. But it works so well.

[@solidsimon3501]

Crabtree was only a minor character who popped up every now and again, but there were so many episodes that it appears he's one of the main characters when clipped. I have fond memories of the lovely Vicki Michelle, and ''Good moaning'' is still said to this day in this household.

[@lexiburrows8127]

I 'ave a kack in my bog!

[@mickylove76]

I always enjoyed the joke that the English don’t ever speak French properly. It’s a great cultural stereotype.

[@MythicSuns]

Context is important, and honestly for something so simple the writing behind it is comedic genius. So, here's the context: Officer Crabtree is an English spy working for the RAF and posing as a French police officer, but his French is really bad. In essence the show is translating all French and German into English with their respective accents kept in tact, but because Crabtree's French is so bad it comes out sounding wonky when it's translated into English.

[@Mike-rw2nh]

Oh the irony. Arthur Bostrom (Crabtree) speaks fluent French.

[@ratarsed666]

i love Allo Allo it was so funny and had so many mad characters the british agent in the french police is only one of many , the germans were hilarious too especaily herr flick of the gestapo .....

[@peterrraklliproductions2020]

Arthur Bostrom, Crabtree’s actor, has published a “Fronch Phrose Burke” called “Good Moaning France!” where you too can learn to be a fluent spoker of the Fronch Longuage. The idea for the Officer came from British PM Ted Heath, who loved France and spoke the language. However, he spoke French in an English accent, never attempting a French one. And Bostrom interpreted the character as just that!

[@TheEyez187]

Really!! That's Lit!!

[@johngrves3156]

This show is 30 plus years old , and is now lead with an " appology " it could affend !!!!!, but the series is just one long joke, i think sometimes you dont get the English " terms " we say , but its on constantly on UK tv , an wich is over an over again, ive been laughing along with you , Brilliant, and well done young man for covering " Allo Allo" John in Leeds ,England

[@nicholasbeech932]

He was the only actor who could master the script

[@leehallam9365]

Its a very funny, very silly show. The main plot drivers are the ever lasting attempt to smuggle the two British airmen back to England, and the German's obsession with loot, namely the valuable painting of The Fallen Madonna With The Big Boobies by Van Klomp.

[@arthurbostrom4912]

Hi- I think an algorithm must have brought me to your channel! Just to say thanks so much Jay for celebrating our series. Thanks also to the lovely comments from people who enjoyed Crabtree. It's true he was only a minor character: my job was to come in and land about 5 or 6 big laughs, and then leave. It was quite stressful, because I was encouraged to get it right in one take, so it was fresh. But I loved playing the part, and the fact that after nearly 40 years people still find it funny just makes me feel proud and happy. Thanks again.

[@digimont]

Thank you Arthur for the belly laughs and wonderful memories. My father was brought up on British vaudeville and served in the RAF in WW2. He absolutely adored Allo Allo and loved your portrayal of his favourite character, you provided a lot of joy in his declining years. You are my alarm, I wake to "Good moaning" every day.

[@petermizon4344]

THE POLICEMAN IS ENGLISH MAN WHO SPEAKS VERY POOR FRENCH LOL

[@joanmduncan]

Listen very carefully, I shall say zis only once. You need to see the full episodes, Crabtree was really only a minor character, but we still say Good Moaning here.

[@sannev8407]

He is by far the funniest character, and he had the most difficult role.

[@andywrong3247]

No jay it's all scripted, good writers, good moaning is good morning. Up to the nics is up to their necks. You'll catch on jay it took us a while.

[@anitahargreaves9526]

Saw Allo, Allo live in Londons, West End. Hilarious.

[@mervinmannas7671]

I am so glad you did this as its not a show many people react to. It was without doubt one of the best comedies, though it did go on a bit too long. I'm so glad as well that you got it and enjoyed it. The idea that everyone was speaking English but in either a French, German, Italian or British accent was bonkers. Then throw in Crabtree who's French is so bad its ridiculous makes it all the more daft.

[@paulwee1924dus]

Allo Allo = comedy GOLD

[@777petew]

Yes, Officer Crabtree demonstrates in English how bad his French sounds to French people, with hilarious results.

[@Bjowolf2]

The French are notorious for always getting their vowels wrong in English, but constable Crabtree is really an English agent in WW2 France, so he is getting all his vowels wrong in "French", which is actually English to make it comprehensible to people outside France 😂

[@jessicapayne8622]

This is how we learnt French in school!!

[@lemmysmolesmrs]

Nobody does a Malapropism like Crabtree 😂😂

[@TheEyez187]

Allo Allo or Bottom; you definitely the right show IMO!

[@RenaissanceEarCandy]

I so want someone to react to this show in full. It's so good. If you do do it make sure you react to the pilot episode (it's called the British are coming) Which came before episode one. And yes, I believe that he says is exactly as it's written in the scripts

[@HankD13]

New views really do have to get their head around the idea that Crabtree is an English spy, speaking French - very badly. That is the joke. That is why the French characters keep rolling their eyes at him. When the "English" speak English, or even the French speak English they used a very posh upper class English accent. It was a clever idea, that worked really well - and was very funny.

[@black4pienus]

He's my favorite of the show even though he wasn't a lead character.

[@stuartryan610]

You need to watch tv drama Secret Army if which this show is a parody. Secret Army was based on the invasion line called Lifeline. This was an escape organisation to help British air men shot down get back to England. There is also a follow up series to Secret Army called Kessler. Set in 1975 about how those nazis who escaped to south America tried to bring back the third reich. Secret Army was mostly based in Brussels, Belgium, but the lifeline work reached across Holland France and down to the Spain border. Whereas Allo Allo was fictionally relocated to a northern French village.

[@stuartryan610]

Additional, the invasion lines weren't resistance fighters. Very separate.

[@solidsimon3501]

Ever Decreasing Circles isn't that good as I remember.

[@Strange_Club]

No, it's pretty good.

[@andrewobrien8325]

2:48 I think I’m right in saying David Croft who worked on this behind the camera also did Dad’s Army. Honestly I think the reason is this style of humour is observation based and it takes no prisoners, everyone is fair game and while yes the humour is a bit dated, they make fun of everyone. I mean even america gets it(and I think there was only one episode Americans were in). Also one of the German in this tv show was in Pirates of the Caribbean(you know the guy who stops Jack Sparrow and says “It’s a shilling to tie up your boat at the docks” that’s him. I always make a wee joke of “Oh it’s litenant Gruber’s great something grandfather…..I see not much changes down the generations”).

[@Mesmancer]

Thinks to Officer Crabtree and the berk he has piblished. I can spoke fluent Fronch. I did not know it was pissible but it wicked.

[@barbaraszymanek9471]

You can buy the whole box set online.

[@colinchaves9285]

The premise of the character crabtree is that he's supposed to assist René helping him arrange escape for British forces. He claims that he is fluent in French but in reality his french is really really bad that's why the french don't understand him.

[@paulqueripel3493]

The show was a parody of a BBC drama series, secret army.

[@Agui007]

Allo Allo was a piss take of the 1970's tv series "Secret Army". I still think it's brilliant!! 😂

[@penshaw2]

officer Crabtree the Englishman trying to speak French and failing miserably!

[@leehallam9365]

Ever Decreasing Circles is a brilliant show.

[@Goldi3loxrox]

Officer Crabtree is a British intelligence Agent sent to France to help with the resistance and his grasp of the French Language is somewhat lacking which makes for hilarious outcomes.

[@livestocknetwork320]

You won't find 'allo 'allo on here because it's always blocked...

[@Mark-hb9xy]

Hi Jay, the joke behind this, is that whilst we British learn French in school, we are absolutely terrible at learning it, and simply fail to pronounce the words correctly. That 'French policemen' is a British agent in disguise. He is supposed to be speaking French, but is pretty useless at it.

[@Dcs.234]

Oh dear trying to get an American to understand why the policeman’s character speaks the way he does is beyond impossible

[@gregbramwell7666]

The show is loved by Germans, French too I know it was shown all over Europe and the jokes are just as harmless across the sea,as all get taken mick off

[@andywrong3247]

Hand rotten newt is hand written note, are you slowly getting it, is similar to a crossword quiz the more you do they the easier become.

[@andywrong3247]

Jay music, Bobby Caldwell, what I won't do for love, home malone (congratulations) bee gees (staying alive). Matt Monroe, British singer Frank sinatra rated him so did Tony Bennett, Andy Williams was good (moon river, your just to good to be true) Karen carpenter had a beautiful haunting voice. Dusty Springfield son of a preacher man.

[@JayPeezy]

Can i react to the Bobby Caldwell if i already know it? 😂

[@andywrong3247]

@@JayPeezy off course you can jay, have you ever noticed on some sad songs reactors fake crying I call it crocodile tears not once have I seen tears rolling down their cheeks. PS have you done any research on hannah Hauxwell yet 1973 Yorkshire television, it was nearly on a par with Fred dibner.

[@JayPeezy]

I can definitely look into it

[@filipv.5019]

Off course they all speak English, but the gig of the show is that you have to think they don’t. The French speak English with a French accent, but you are supposed to think they speak French. Same for the Germans. In the scenes were British pilots are dropped, they speak proper English, but the French do not understand what they are saying. Officer Crabtree is a British officer in disguise. He tries to speak French to them but his ‘French’ is so bad they can hardly understand him and everymthing he says has a different meaning in English than what he’s supposed to say in ‘French’. This is a gig on the main gig of the show. The writing is genius but almost impossible to translate for a non English-speaking audience.

[@sandrahilton3239]

he says good moaning because he is british pretending to be french.

[@barbaraszymanek9471]

Crabtree is a English man pretending to be French, hence his bad pronunciation of his "French"

[@andywrong3247]

Pissed out is passed out, I will dingle a Carot, means he will dangle a Carot. You are pronouncing allo allo wrong. Say el low el low in a French accent.

[@777petew]

My uwn Frunch is much butter than this.

[@stevegoddard5012]

If you can understand this mate your halfway to becoming English.

[@bmofano]

It's an English man, acting as a French man speaking English. Don't know why there's so many idiots in chat saying he's speaking bad French.