Setting the tone

For me, one of the greatest successes of the Carry On films was the music, mainly composed by the incredibly talented Eric Rogers. The score of a film sets the tone for the entire film, the story, the characters and the situations. While much of Eric's incidental music is truly excellent, his main theme tunes are the stuff of legend for me.

So here, for no reason other than a good wallow in some British film nostalgia, are my top five Carry On film theme tunes:

First off the rank is the tune from the classic 1971 adventure with the gang, Carry On At Your Convenience. The theme tune for Convenience is spot on for the film that follows. No subtlety, it moves at break neck speed and is full of fun and sauce!

Next up is the theme from my own personal favourite Carry On, Carry On Cabby. Released in 1963, this "kitchen sink" almost feminist Carry On features the first original score from Eric Rogers and the main theme is perfect. Once it gets inside your head you'll be forever humming it.

Going back to the very beginning now is a wonderful piece of music from the original Carry On composer, Bruce Montgomery. Montgomery, who also wrote crime fiction under the name of Edmund Crispin, composed the scores for the first six Carry On films. The original title music was updated and jazzed up as the films progressed and the clip featured below is my favourite, used in Teacher, Constable and Regardless. Montgomery's score was used for the last time in Carry On Cruising (the theme had more of a nautical twist for that film) before Eric Rogers came aboard for Cabby. Rogers continued to write the music for the films pretty much until the end of the run in 1978. 

I think the theme tune from 1975's Carry On Behind is one of the best in the entire series. It is very catchy and sets up the bawdy knock about 1970s comedy that follows superbly. It is also written around the initials of Peter Rogers' film producer wife, Betty Evelyn Box.

My final favourite has to be Carry On Screaming's chilling theme tune! The 1966 comedy horror classic is one of the few Carry On themes to feature an actual song. This comedy song was written by Myles Rudge and Ted DIcks, the duo who worked in theatrical revues and also wrote novelty songs for the likes of Bernard Cribbins and Joan Sims. The singer of Carry On Screaming is credited only as "Anon" and for many years it was rumoured the film's star and former pop singer Jim Dale was behind it. However, it is now credited to a session singer called Ray Pilgrim. 

So those are some of my favourite pieces of classic Carry On music, what are yours?


You can read more about why I love the Carry On film music here


You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan

Whatever Happened To ... Bruce Montgomery?

Bruce Montgomery is another forgotten figure from the glorious Carry On legacy. While Eric Rogers is the Carry On music supremo, Montgomery was the original composer for the series and deserves some credit for setting the tone.

Bruce Montgomery is credited with providing the musical scores for the first six Carry On films. He is responsible for creating that iconic theme tune which graced all the films from Sergeant to Cruising, with modifications along the way. I love the original theme tune and although I can see why they changed it over time, the jazzed up version which introduced Teacher, Constable and Regardless remains a firm favourite for me.

Montgomery also provided the musical scores for several other Rogers and Thomas productions at around the same time. The scores for Please Turn Over (1959), Watch Your Stern (1960) and Twice Round The Daffodils (1962) are also down to Bruce. Not only that, but the score and the screenplay for the 1961 film Raising The Wind came from the original Carry On music man. Montgomery certainly made a significant contribution to the early years of Carry On.

In addition to these credits, Bruce Montgomery also composed music for films produced by Peter Rogers' wife, Betty Box. Those included four of the famous Doctor films - Doctor in the House in 1954, Doctor at Sea the year after, Doctor at Large in 1957 and finally Doctor in Love in 1960. He was a busy man at Pinewood in the late 1950s and early 1960s. So what caused Montgomery and Peter Rogers Productions to part ways? 

Apparently Montgomery decided to stop working on the Carry On compositions as he was, by the early 1960s, struggling to achieve the right contemporary sound Rogers and Thomas were looking for. Enter Eric Rogers for the next 22 films! Sadly, Bruce Montgomery was also suffering from illnesses relating to alcohol, something which was plague the final years of his life. 

Apart from his love of music, Bruce Montgomery also had a second fruitful career as an author of crime fiction. Under the pseudonym of Edmund Crispin, he produced nine detective stories and two collections of short stories. His titles included The Case of the Gilded Fly (1944); The Moving Toyshop (1946); Love Lies Bleeding (1948) and The Long Divorce (1952). As Crispin, he also edited seven volumes entitled Best Science Fiction, published during the 1950s.

Sadly, Montgomery's output in both careers began to falter as the 1960s dawned. He did continue to review books for The Sunday Times, but other than that he faded into obscurity. The last decade of his life saw him move to Devon, latterly the village of Dartington. In 1976 he married his long-term secretary, Ann. However they would only enjoy two years of married life together before his death at the age of just 56. Years of heavy drinking had taken its toll on Montgomery.

I think it's a shame that Bruce Montgomery's contribution to the Carry On legacy isn't always given the credit it is due. Although Eric Rogers was a master at creating the right musical backdrop to the onscreen antics of the gang, Montgomery also crafted some excellent pieces of music for those more innocent, early black and white Carry On films. 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan

From the Archive: Not Quite A Carry On - Raising The Wind

I have been blogging about some of the many other films Peter Rogers and Gerald Thomas produced and directed together during their long professional relationship. So far we have looked back at the likes of Nurse On Wheels, The Big Job and Bless This House. Today I'm going back a little further - Raising The Wind!

Yes quite. Raising The Wind is actually a rather cosy, early 1960s comedy film following the exploits of a bunch of rather mature looking young music students. It very much has the feel of one of the Doctor In The House films and features a large cast of well known comedy actors. Interestingly, Rogers and Thomas called upon then Carry On music man, Bruce Montgomery, to write the script for this film. And he does a fair job of it too.

Like many of of Rogers and Thomas' ensemble comedies, there isn't really much plot to speak of here. A group of ambitious young musicians progress through music school with the climax of the film revealing which ones pass their final exams. There is lots of terrific light comedy sprinkled throughout but as usual it is the quality of the performers that really raises the bar. 

The film boasts starring roles for several actors who were then Carry On regulars. They include Liz Fraser, Kenneth Williams, Leslie Phillips (who had just made his final Carry On until Columbus in 1992), Eric Barker and Sid James in a wonderful cameo role alongside Lance Percival as a pair of dodgy music producers. Heading up the cast and bridging the gap between Doctor and Carry On franchises is a larger than life performance from the legendary James Robertson Justice, who brings his bombastic Lancelot Spratt character to life once again. 

Also along for the ride are Paul Massie, Jennifer Jayne and Jimmy Thompson, who join Fraser, Phillips and Williams as the music students. Jimmy Thompson would appear in three Carry Ons, Regardless, Cruising and Jack, but has his largest role here as Alex. Canadian Paul Massie made many films during this time but later moved to Florida and became a theatre Professor at a University. Finally, the glamorous Jennifer Jayne who made her only appearance for Rogers and Thomas in this film. She was known at the time for working alongside Dirk Bogarde in the classic The Blue Lamp and Norman Wisdom in the film On The Beat. 

Despite the fact the film has no major plot to speak of it is still a joy to watch mainly due to the supporting cast which is crammed with regular faces from the Carry On/Doctor group of repertory players. Look out for the likes of Geoffrey Keen, Joan Hickson, Esma Cannon, Victor Maddern, David Lodge, Brian Oulton and the very first appearance from future Carry On legend, Jim Dale. As always, these Pinewood stalwarts knew how to cast a film economically with expert and experienced talents.

Without a doubt the high point of Raising the Wind is the scene which sees Kenneth Williams attempt to conduct an orchestra. It is a masterpiece of comic acting and timing and shows Kenneth at his comedic peak. I love it and can watch it again and again.

So there we are, Raising the Wind. Nothing extraordinary but yet again Peter and Gerald give us something that rises up above the average thanks to a wonderful cast of comedy performers at the top of their game. And to finish, here is that wonderful scene of Kenneth Williams taking on the role of conductor!

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