Series Link 03.17.09: Early Carry On
Posted by Arnold Furious on 03.17.2009
Oh what a carry on
Series Link #14: Early Carry On
Oh what a carry on
SERIES LINK
Frequently when reviewing movies I notice I'm missing sequels here and there from classic series. In line with one of my key film watching beliefs I'll be making a point of tidying up some of my sequel history. The belief in question being that as long as I enjoyed the original I'll watch any sequel made of it. I don't know where this belief came from but it's one that seems to work out for me quite frequently and there are many film series where I have enjoyed multiple sequels based on my love and respect for the initial instalment (Alien, Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Rocky etc).
For this fourteenth edition of Series Link I thought I'd take a look at something I've been promising for a while. Carry On films. A staple of British entertainment for 20 years and a flagship series of British comedy. I've spent many days during my youth watching Carry On films. The idea behind them was to encapsulate the British sense of humour in a bawdy, slapsticky way with double entendres coming out of the you know wheres. Because there are a whopping THIRTY Carry On films I'll be splitting the series down into easier to handle chunks and interspersing them with other film series as to not completely do my head in. This first look at the Carry On films will look at the ones written by Norman Hudis between 1958 and 1962.
Series Link #14:
Early Carry On films.
How many films?
Six. Although the entire series runs to 30 films. 31 if you include the soon to be produced Carry On London (although that's been "in production" since 2003).
Starring?
William Hartnell, Shirley Eaton (3 times), Charles Hawtrey (4 times), Kenneth Connor (6 times), Kenneth Williams (6 times), Hattie Jacques (4 times), Bill Owen (2 times), Joan Simms (4 times), Leslie Phillips (2 times), Sid James (3 times), Dilys Laye.
Directed by?
Gerald Thomas (6 times)
Series Span:
1958-1962. Four years for the Hudis penned early Carry On's.
Carry on Sergeant (1958)
The Carry On series has featured several actors that were just synonymous with the series. Those include Kenneth Williams, Kenneth Connor, Terry Scott, Charles Hawtrey and Hattie Jacques. All of those make their debuts here. It also stars future Dr Who William Hartnell and TV gameshow host Bob Monkhouse. The Carry On series is rather famous for its crude and crass humour. But the early films were written by the more gentle spirited Norman Hudis. But unfortunately for the series Carry on Nurse was a shock hit in the US and Hudis was hired away by Hollywood. But that wasn't until 1962 so we're safe from the horrors of Carry On until then.
The opening film is an army romp with Charlie Sage (Bob Monkhouse) being conscripted on his wedding day. His new wife Mary (Shirley Eaton – a future Bond girl in Goldfinger) infiltrates the training base in the kitchen to try and stay in touch (under the tutelage of kitchen head Dora Bryan). Kenneth Connor plays hypochondriac best friend Horace Strong. The slender Charles Hawtrey plays frail Peter Golightly and Kenneth Williams unforgettably plays the laid-back James Bailey (BSC Economics) with slightly less campiness than his later roles. Their drill sergeant is Sgt Grimshawe (William Hartnell) who places a wager with fellow officer Sgt Paddy O'Brien (Terry Scott) that his will be the best squad on the base. Cue shenanigans.
There are misunderstandings but a minimum of antics. Its half a dozen fish out of water stories. Hawtrey, Connor and Williams are all perfect in their roles, which would explain why they got called back for more. The script is pretty funny on occasions and the double entendres are more subtle than later films. "You're just full of chits" being my personal favourite. The psychical comedy is someone limited. A fire extinguisher accidentally going off is supposed to be a knee-slapper but the comedy is inadequate and not prolonged. They don't milk gags for all they're worth. When they run through the training they do milk the characters for all they're worth though. Connor, Hawtrey and Williams are the ones who deliver in that respect. Hawtrey's fragile Golightly steals most of the scenes but Williams isn't far behind despite his lack of lines ("don't you think this is out of a date in a world bristling with H-bombs Sergeant?" on bayonet training). Connor has the most to do and his frequent visits to the sick bay allows Hattie Jacques to appear and Dora Bryan takes a shine to him as well. But there's nothing smutty like in the later films.
Carry on Sergeant is a good idea but it's not terribly well executed. William Hartnell and Bob Monkhouse feel out of place and there's a huge shortage of gags when either one of the main stars is onscreen. It's only when the supporting characters take over that it becomes a success. And it was a success. £500,000 from a tiny budget (£73k) made it into a hit. And the hit became a series. For the following films they took the funnier supporting players and pushed them to the front. Kenneth Connor first as he was the lead in Carry on Nurse. Although Bob Monkhouse was intended to continue on in the series and was offered a role in Carry on Nurse, which he rejected in favour of the better paying Dentist in the Chair, which is awful. Poor move Bob!
Carry on Nurse (1959)
Carry on Nurse was the first follow up to Carry on Sergeant and it was quite the hit. Surprisingly crossing over to the American audience as well as being so successful it spawned three other Carry On's set in hospitals (Doctor, Again Doctor & Matron). The same team behind Sergeant returned to make this one. Norman Hudis wrote the script based on Patrick Cargill and Jack Beale's play "Ring for Catty". Gerald Thomas returned behind the camera and the experience of making the first film has made him more familiar with narrative and how to build up to a big joke. Retained from last time are Kenneth Connor, Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey the co-stars from the first film. But the joys of the Carry On series is finding new stars and performances as the series progresses. And in Nurse its Hattie Jacques in her second Carry On film that really shines as the fearsome Matron. Joan Simms makes her Carry On debut as another nurse, a bumbling student called Stella Dawson.
The main players include gadabout reporter Ted York (played by early Carry On regular Terrence Longdon), broken handed pugilist Bernie Bishop (Kenneth Connor), Jack Bell (Leslie "Ding Dong" Philips) suffering from a bunion and the well educated Oliver Rickett (Kenneth Williams). The best part of Carry on Nurse is how it basically plays like a prison movie with the "inmates" finding ways to pass the time. Hawtrey's Humphrey Hinton absorbed in the world of hospital radio. York however is more interested in Nurse Denton (Shirley Eaton). But all the time this world is overseen by the Matron who takes over the role of ‘head warden' to ensure everyone is following the rules. A young Jill Ireland is also among the cast playing Kenneth Williams' love interest (no really!). It's strange watching early Williams where he played more bookish characters compared to his later incarnations where he was always flamboyant and over the top. Also on board is Bill Owen (Compo from Last of the Summer Wine) playing a builder with a broken leg and June Whitfield (June of Terry & June) as Leslie Philips' significant other. Not to mention Joan Hickson, better known to the world as Miss Marple.
Nurse is a much slower starter than Sergeant and there's a slow burn on introducing the characters and their foibles. In particular Matron who is more reputation than aggression to begin with. But that doesn't last. It also establishes a new kind of class system where Nurse Dawson is at the very bottom and Matron at the top of the hierarchy. In one scene this is finely demonstrated with a task being passed down through five nurses before Dawson gets stuck with it. As things start going wrong Dawson gets reprimanded for making mistakes "during Matron's round". "Mine's a pint" chirps Bill Owen in the background before being cut down with a HARSH stare from Matron. The doctors hardly make an appearance at all, which might well be so they could do a future Carry on Doctor film…which they did. Twice. The dialogue is much in line with Sergeant featuring a range of subjects and intelligence. So the common man and the thinking man's sense of humour are both catered for. The early Carry On films were surprisingly smart for dumb movies. Williams sparring with Hattie Jacques' Matron in particular where he stamps all over her rules with verbal boots.
Another focal point is the frequent interruptions of an irritating Colonel played by Wilfrid Hyde-White. He wants to bet on the horses and bothers Orderly Mick (Harry Locke) into placing bets for him. His behaviour combined with Bell's impatience at waiting for his bunion removal leads to the film's booze addled conclusion where the patient's get tired of abuse/waiting and decide to operate on Bell's bunion themselves with a cackling Kenneth Williams at the scalpel. Champagne and nitrous oxide combine for a chucklesome finale. Which makes amends for the general shortage of laughs in the opening half hour. Nothing like building to a big pay-off. A crescendo, if you will. It also features a nurse running around in her underwear and Charles Hawtrey in drag. Much like Carry on Sergeant the humour doesn't entirely hold up although it has a better structure than the first film. However that results in a sacrifice of jokes in favour of more elaborate set pieces. They have some wild ideas but don't quite follow through on them. Perhaps it was the more conservative 50's that allowed them to only hint at big penis gags and not show the infamous ending (involving a daffodil being inserted into the ill-mannered Colonel's anus). A re-make would almost certainly involve healthy doses of gross-out humour.
Sidenote – Gerald Thomas adapted the source material a second time in 1962 when he shot Twice Round the Daffodils. However it took on a more serious nature as Thomas was trying to expand his repertoire. That didn't stop him from directing EVERY Carry On film.
Carry on Teacher (1959)
For the third Carry On films Norman Hudis transferred the antics to a school. It seemed like a logical progression as the previous two films were set in places that had rules and organisation that could be destroyed for comic purposes. What place has more rules and organisation than a school? The six big players from Carry on Nurse returned; Kenneth Connor, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Leslie Philips, Joan Sims and Hattie Jacques. No such strong support this time around though and the cavalcade of cameos in Nurse isn't here for your entertainment. The school setting is rather reminiscent of the St Trinian's series, which started in 1954 and had been hugely successful as well. So not only does the Carry On title draw people in but the setting pretty much writes itself!
The plot sees child psychiatrist Mr Grigg (Leslie Philips) turning up at Maudlin Street School. Headmaster Wakefield (Ted Ray) to study the pupils. The script is ever so slightly smuttier than the last two. In particular the naming of Joan Sims character; Miss Allcock. The regulars slip into their roles expertly. Charles Hawtrey as the music teacher, Joan Sims as the gym teacher (flirting in the extreme with Leslie Philips), Kenneth Williams as the English literature teacher, Kenneth Connor as the science teacher and Hattie Jacques as the maths teacher. They just look like they were born to play teachers! The plot mainly involves two romances between the inspector (Rosalind Knight) & Kenneth Connor and Leslie Philips & Joan Sims. The kids start to rebel when they discover they're being used as guinea pigs by the establishment and start an assortment of practical jokes. Most of which are straight up Ronald Searle material. To say it's similar to St Trinian's would be an understatement. But the cast helps matters.
Kenneth Williams is showing hints of his overblown acting in the later Carry On films, sad to say. Although at least on this occasion it's just character ticks and not a constant deluge. Kenneth Connor shows a little range though. Much like in the previous film the aim is to head towards a huge set piece. This one has the performance of Romeo & Juliet where the saboteurs destroy the play. Kenneth Williams' horrified reactions to the onstage antics up the comedy ante somewhat. There's certainly an established Carry On formula by this point, which makes the films somewhat predictable. It's gentle and clean and the comedy is almost entirely harmless. The comedy is pretty disjointed too. Just being a series of skits rather than an ongoing film. As soon as the play was mentioned earlier in the film there was a feeling it'd just be there for a bunch of pratfalls, which it is. But at least they're funny.
Where might you know the Carry On stars from?
Kenneth Connor: He was a cab driver in the Eaton classic the Ladykillers. Later in life he appeared in Hi-De-Hi and was Monsieur Alfonse in Allo Allo.
Shirley Eaton: Was a Bond girl. She appeared in that most iconic of Bond movies Goldfinger. She had a rather famous demise too; painted entirely gold after getting to knock boots with Sean Connery.
Charles Hawtrey: Had a bit part in Alfred Hitchcock's Sabotage in 1936 as a youth. He's one of the main "Carry On" guys because he never really starred in anything outside of the series.
Hattie Jacques: Appeared as Miss Fezziwig in 1951's Scrooge as well as having a part in David Lean's Oliver Twist. She was Eric Sykes twin sister on the popular 70's sit-com Sykes. She was also the storyteller on Jackanory in the 60's.
Terrence Longdon: Was in Ben-Hur. He was Drusus. Also appeared in the Wild Geese, Helen of Troy and the Sea Wolves.
Bill Owen: Best known for his 185 episode run on Last of the Summer Wine as Compo, which ended when he died in 1999. He was also in O' Lucky Man with Malcolm McDowall in 1973.
Leslie Phillips: Played a caddish quasi-hero throughout his career. Frequently as a star although in his later years he's appeared in an assortment of films in bit parts including the first two Harry Potter films and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. His role opposite Peter O'Toole in Venus was quite touching. He's also appeared in Out of Africa, Empire of the Sun and the Longest Day. Not a bad resume.
Joan Simms: The Queen of the Carry On (appearing in 24 films). She had a long career outside of the Carry On movies including appearances on Dr Who, Worzel Gummidge and One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing.
Kenneth Williams: Although best known for his Carry On work Williams had his own show in the 1970's as well as making nearly 50 appearances on Countdown. He was originally known for his work on stage and acted opposite Ingrid Bergman.
Carry on Constable (1960)
Carry on Constable's lead role of Sgt Wilkins was written for Carry on Teacher star Ted Ray but as fate would have it he was contractually obliged to do something else and was replaced with Carry On legend Sid James in his first Carry On film. The idea for the latest Carry On film came from prolific veteran scribe Brock Williams. His idea was converted to the big screen by series writer Norman Hudis. The regulars were all back; Connor, Hawtrey, Williams, Leslie Philips, Joan Simms, Hattie Jacques and even Shirley Eaton. The budget was no longer an issue and anyone that was available was in. The series had become sufficiently popular by the start of the 60's that money was readily obtainable. The series would become a victim of its own success however when it lost Hudis to Hollywood after the first six films.
When a flu epidemic strikes down several coppers they're replaced with rookies out of the academy. These three new special constables are Charlie Constable (Kenneth Connor), Stanley Benson (Kenneth Williams) and Tom Potter (Leslie Phillips). Constable is a paranoid obsessed with astrology with an unfortunate name. Benson the cynical upper crust chap and Potter the womanising idiot. The trio are relatively useless but not much worse than the existing coppers. Especially the flowery PC Gorse (Charles Hawtrey). Of these Williams is most happy with his re-occurring role. This one an amalgamation of the previous ones and the closest he's gotten to his classic character. Meanwhile Kenneth Connor has the most to do with a complex character although he's rather similar to the hypochondriac in Carry on Sergeant.
The four inept policemen get into an assortment of scrapes failing to prevent crime in a series of set pieces. Gerald Thomas has really gotten a hold of the formula by this point. There's less dead time and a quicker turnover of gags. Like the script had to have a joke every 2 minutes and sticks to the rules that way. That makes Constable the most consistently funny of the early Carry On films. Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey in particular are outstanding. They'd continue in their roles for many years. Perhaps the most frustrating part of watching Carry On films is seeing the same actors play the same parts over and over again. It'd be nice to see some of the actors trying something different. But I guess you can only really play what's on the paper. The characters were probably written by Hudis with certain actors in mind. Which is handy because the better the actors and writer know each other the better the performances. Even if they're a bit repetitive and formulaic.
Carry on Regardless (1961)
And speaking of repetitive. Leslie Phillips was due to appear in Carry on Regardless but decided that the character he played was so similar to the previous ones that he didn't want to do it. Dangers of typecasting and all that! And to be fair Leslie Phillips was frequently typecast. He'd simply gotten tired to playing the same old character and wanted out. It's not as if he was short of work! He's always been in demand. Making matters worse was Hattie Jacques who fell ill. Her part ended up being divided between Joan Simms and Liz Fraser.
The problem the Carry On series faced after four films was that they tended to substitute a certain location and moved from one to another. They'd already done the army, hospitals, schools and the police force. Wherever they went next they'd be re-treading. In this instalment Bert Handy (Sid James) sets up a Helping Hands agency, which provides temps. Liz Fraser gets to take over the busty blonde bombshell role with a slightly plumper looking Joan Simms feeling thoroughly deflated by it. Sid James seems settled in the lead role by his second pop at it and the ensemble cast are used to their roles. The Leslie Phillips job goes to another Carry On regular Terrence Longdon. Much like the previous few Carry On films its hit a formula and sticks to it. We end up with a series of skits based on various jobs. It's almost like a ‘best of' compilation. Some would call that lazy. But it works fine as a sketch based film. Each of the Carry On gang gets to strut their stuff in a series of awkward situations. The comedy is somewhat bawdier than the previous entries, with the freedoms of the 1960's perhaps beginning to seep into the mainstream. America's better pictures that year featured West Side Story and The Hustler.
Maybe it's just my love of alcohol but I really enjoyed Joan Simms getting pissed up at the wine tasting. Kenneth Connor also has a whale of a time playing American secret agent in a skit where he jumps off a train. There's a great cameo from Norman Wisdom regular Jerry Desmonde too where he plays a womanising actor. Carry on Regardless does suffer from a serious lack of storyline though. Its basically just one skit after another. This was the point at the which series came under genuine threat. Any American company Warwick Films had registered Carry on Intern & Carry on Doctor and intended to make them while Renown Films had themselves got a Carry on Doctor planned based on a book. This left Rank and Peter Rogers films under real threat. However public opinion was very much on their side and the British public rallied around the producers allowing them to get re-focused on the series. The result was Carry on Regardless. It's the least effective of the early Carry On's because its themes make it feel like a bunch of skits.
Carry on Cruising (1962)
Cruising came from the mind of Carry On actor Eric Barker. He'd already appeared in two Carry On films so his idea was taken on board with relative ease. It then passed to Norman Hudis who was writing his final Carry On film. He'd move aside after Cruising and go to work in the USA. Things were not too ship-shape for the series either by the time Cruising rolled around. Regular Charles Hawtrey got into a row with producer Peter Rogers (who produced every Carry On film) and ended up quitting. Joan Sims was then taken ill and replaced at the last minute by Dilys Laye. Along with Leslie Phillips quitting the series during the previous film all was not well. They were losing the writer and the cast members were dropping like flies (Hattie Jacques wasn't 100%). On the upside this would be the first Carry On film to be shot in colour. It also pushed to further establish some of its main players. Sid James, Kenneth Williams and Kenneth Connor all step closer to their ‘classic' Carry On personas that would develop under the writing of Talbot Rothwell (who would take over on the next film; Carry on Cabby).
Cruise ship Captain Wellington Crowther (Sid James) has a ship that runs smoothly but suddenly he gains some new staff; first officer Leonard Majoribanks (Kenneth Williams), doctor Arthur Binn (Kenneth Connor) and ship's seasick cook Wilfred Haines (Lance Percival – taking Hawtrey's job). Crowther is under pressure to deliver and doesn't like new faces. The concept of the blonde bombshell is in full flow now with Glad (Liz Fraser) and Flo (Dilys Laye) both onboard. We also have the whole ‘laughing' thing in place. Williams debuts his laugh in full blown form. Which is so ridiculous that Kenneth Connor mocks it immediately. Somehow the advent of colour photography dumbs the entire Carry On concept down significantly. The men are after sex, the women are after sex and everything else is bodily functions gags. Some of the characters are downright irritating, which is exactly how I remember them from my youth.
The standard Carry On antics are based on the ensemble cast basically annoying one character, usually who's in charge. Sid James is in charge here so the others grate at him and that's the basis of much of the humour. The pushing of the more smutty elements takes away from the gentle humour of the first five films. As if the Rothwell regime had already taken over. For example Kenneth Connor pervert doctor spends one scene just staring at Dilys Laye's chest. It's almost as if the inspiration for the film, the cruise to sunny Spain, traditionally brings the worst out of the British citizen. There is one thing for sure…if you watch Carry on Cruising and dislike it there's every chance you'll dislike the entire series. It's entirely typical of the kind of fodder you can expect from the other Carry On's. Cruising is saved however by a feel good vibe and some humorous running gags. With the exception of Constable it's the most consistent of the series to date.
RATINGS
Carry on Sergeant **1/2
Carry on Nurse **1/2
Carry on Teacher **1/2
Carry on Constable ***
Carry on Regardless **
Carry on Cruising ***
The 411 –
The early Carry On films are all much alike. Usually the backdrop just changes from hospital to school to where ever. The exception being Carry on Cruising, which shows where the series was headed as the humour got a little edgier. Or dumber, perhaps, would be a more accurate description. Norman Hudis for the most part wrote gentle humour intended to get giggles rather than belly laughs. I quite enjoyed them as a change of pace but as the series progresses it aims to appeal to the lowest common denominators. Carry On was never ‘high art' or anything but it became increasingly tacky and vulgar over time. Thankfully Hudis' work avoids such pitfalls. Unfortunately the series would head in that direction sooner rather than later. You'll notice none of the films scored particularly highly and yet they're all easy to watch. Whether it'll tickle your fancy is down to taste but it's a series that's hard to ignore if you're interested in the history of English comedy.
