Domestic violence in comedy

I'm a big fan of the classic sitcom Dad's Army, and tonight watched the episode Man Hunt.

One part of the episode shocked me. Here is some background.

After Private Walker tells Captain Mainwaring he gave a parachute he found to a man to make into knickers, Mainwaring, Wilson and Walker embark on a farcial mission to find a pair of knickers so they can check whether the parachute was British (white) or German (cream)

When the trio knock at one house, a man answers and slams the door when asked by Private Walker whether he can see his wife's knickers.

He then proceeds to go upstairs and starts hitting his wife, while the camera focuses on the bemused faces of the three Home Guard officers.

Disturbingly, the audience at the time seemed to find this little scene hilarious instead of rather shocking, with guffaws of laughter as if Private Walker had ended up with the knickers on his head.

It is also interesting to note that the Home Guard officers do not seem bothered by the fact that a man is hitting his wife because of their silliness. Rather than break down the door and try him or at least run to find a telephone and call the police, they simply move on to the next house.

A sign of the difference in attitudes between 1969 and now I suppose, but still a rather foul little episode in an otherwise delightful comedy.

I am not usually a fan of censorship and I am glad the episode was shown uncut, as it shows the difference made by forty one years of feminism to popular culture.