He and others from the 130-strong local sub branch of the Vietnam Veterans Association will gather tonight to screen the movie and reflect after they first watched it. For some it will be the first revisit since the 1970s.

The screening is part of commemorations marking the weekend’s Vietnam Veterans Day in Bendigo, with Saturday to see a march from Rosalind Park’s View Street entrance, followed by a memorial to the fallen at the Soldiers Memorial Institute.

The screening at the Star Cinema takes place this evening, and while producers billed it as a black comedy when it first came out, Mr Penno remembers it differently.

“I remember seeing it in the 1970s and thinking there was not much that was funny about it,” he said.

Related: War memories still fresh for Vietnam vets

It is not that he hated the movie, he just had a different interpretation of it. A more critical appraisal, perhaps.

“It’s interesting, isn’t it? For those directly involved in it (the war), what others might think of is black humour doesn’t necessarily work,” he said.

“So it will be interesting to see if I see the funny side of it this time.”

The Bendigo Advertiser has chosen not to spoil the ending for those who have not seen the movie, though those who vaguely recall the conversation with the barman might want to skip two paragraphs ahead now.

Mr Penno remembers identifying with that iconic answer the barman receives and the unspoken understandings veterans share.

“Even to this day amongst the (Bendigo) veteran group there is a sense of each other knowing what we have been through, that there’s no real need to rehash that stuff,” Mr Penno said.

“When we gather we tend to talk as much about football, grandchildren and anything else.”

And while tomorrow’s service will be a time for sombre reflection on sacrifice and war, the weekend will also be a chance to come together as part of a tight-knit group.

“We are all well connected to each other largely because of the contribution of wives and partners,” Mr Penno said.

“In a sense they endured more than people understood, living with a person who had experienced significant trauma and the struggle of coming to terms with that.

“It was very much a shared experience with our partners.”

Today, Mr Penno said he and other veterans were at peace and enjoying “a comfortable old age”.

A BBQ, reserved for veterans and their loved ones, will take place after Saturday’s service.

The march begins at 10.45am Saturday at the View Street entrance to Rosalind Park and ends at the Soldiers Memorial Institute where the service will take place.

The movie commences tonight at the Star Cinema at Eaglehawk. Bookings via the cinema.