Carrying On with a … Doctor At Sea!

This is part of a brand new series of blogs looking back at the wonderful series of British comedy films - the Doctor … series. There were seven Doctor films produced at Pinewood Studios between 1954 and 1970, all with Betty Box and Ralph Thomas at the helm. With Betty being Peter Rogers' wife and Ralph the brother of Gerald Thomas, there were bound to be a fair few Carry On connections.

These medical comedy films were extremely popular at the time and while perhaps they do not have the lasting appeal of the Carry Ons, there is no doubting their classic status. Always looking more lavish than their sister films in the Pinewood stable, they did share a cosy ensemble feel with many familiar faces appearing again and again over the years.

So let's continue today by looking at the follow up to the hugely successful Doctor In The House, the 1955 film Doctor At Sea. 

What's it about?

With a view to escaping his employers' daughter, who has amorous designs on him, Dr Simon Sparrow (Bogarde) signs on as medical officer on a cargo ship, "SS Lotus". The ship is commanded by hot-tempered and authoritarian Captain Wentworth Hogg.

Sparrow overcomes initial seasickness and settles into life on board. After arriving in a South American port (unspecified, but possibly in Ecuador), Sparrow meets Hélène Colbert , a sexy young French nightclub singer.

The misogynist Captain Hogg is forced to take on two female passengers, Muriel Mallet, the daughter of the chairman of the shipping company, and her friend, Hélène, for the return trip. Romance blossoms between Simon and Hélène, and when they reach home, Helene receives a telegram offering her a job. She and Sparrow return together.

Throughout the trip, Hogg has been romanced by Muriel and eventually becomes engaged to her - with almost certain promotion to Commodore.

Who's in it?

Dirk Bogarde stars once again as Simon Sparrow, indeed he is the only actor from the original film to reprise the same role. James Robertson Justice also returns but in the different role of Captain Hogg. 

Also starring is Brenda De Banzie as Muriel Mallet and a certain Brigitte Bardot as Helene Colbert. Familiar character actor Maurice Denham also appears as Steward Easter.

Carry On faces?

Joan Sims is back for her second outing in a Doctor film, this time playing unlucky in love Wendy, who takes rather a shine to Dr Sparrow! Playing Wendy's mother is the actress Joan Hickson, another face making a return appearance.

Carry On Nurse guest star Michael Medwin grabs a leading role as Sub-lietenant Trail while  Carry On Constable supporting actress Jill Adams plays the aptly named Jill. Returning after the first film the previous year is reliable supporting actor Cyril Chamberlain, here playing Whimble. 

Also keep your eyes peeled for the legendary Fred Griffiths in an uncredited role as a Seaman and apparently also future Carry On Teacher and Cathy Come Home star Carol White in an uncredited bit role.

Did you know? 

Doctor At Sea was Brigitte Bardot's first ever English speaking film.

The film was nominated for a 1956 BAFTA Film Award for Best Screenplay.

Doctor At Sea was the third most popular film at the British Box Office in 1955, after The Dam Busters and White Christmas. 

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Aileen Lewis: Credit where Credit's due

 

You may very well not have heard of Aileen Lewis but there is no doubt you'll have seen her in one of your favourite classic British films or television series. Check her out on the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) and you will find she has nearly 140 screen credits dating from the late 1940s until the mid-1980s. So why is she not well known?

Well, look a little closer and you'll see that all but one of her massive list of credits are in fact uncredited appearances. Aileen Lewis was a background artist or extra. She was forever in crowd scenes or in the back of shot at parties yet very rarely if at all spoke any lines. No shame at all in this and work as an extra obviously suited her as she made it her day job for her entire working life. Nicknamed "The Duchess" for her rather aristocratic appearance, Aileen Lewis was born in County Westmeath, Ireland in April 1914. Aileen married Herbert Lewis in 1936 and the pair remained happily married until Herbert's death aged 100 in 2010. 

 

Aileen's career is a check list of all that was good, great, popular and everything else in modern British culture from the post war era onwards. She appeared fleetingly in some of my own personal favourite films. She was a lady in the nightclub in the classic comedy Genevieve in 1953; a newspaper reporter in 1959's I'm All Right Jack; a neighbour in Roman Polanski's 1965 film Repulsion; a casino patron in the Morecambe and Wise big screen adventure That Riviera Touch and the lady with the Rolls Royce in Digby, The Biggest Dog in the World! Aileen also appeared in three James Bond films - From Russia with Love (1963), Live and Let Die (1973) and finally Octopussy in 1983. 

On the small screen, yet again Aileen Lewis appeared in practically every modern day classic. Some of her most high profile credits were eight different episodes of The Saint between 1962 and 1969; two episodes of Main in a Suitcase, The Baron, The Avengers, The Professionals, The Sweeney (and the first Sweeney film), The Persuaders, Jason King, Special Branch and Doctor Who! Quite a CV!

Of course, no blog on this site can conclude without mention of the glorious Carry On films. Given the era in which Aileen worked, it would be extremely surprising if she had not worked on a Peter Rogers and Gerald Thomas production at Pinewood Studios. You will be relieved to hear she worked for the famous duo on many occasions. Aileen's first appearance in a Carry On came in 1962 when she set sail on the Happy Wanderer as passenger Mrs Lewis (I see what they've done there) in Carry On Cruising. The following year Lewis was back at Pinewood to play an Onlooker in Carry On Jack. In 1966 she played a Citizen in Don't Lose Your Head and two years later she appeared at the polo match in Carry On Up The Khyber. Aileen was seen dancing at the hospital party in Carry On Again Doctor in 1969 and played a Courtier in Carry On Henry the following autumn. In 1973 Aileen was one of the town councillors seen alongside Kenneth Connor and June Whitfield in Carry On Girls while her final appearance in the films came with the last original film in the run, as a dinner guest in 1978's Carry On Emmannuelle. 

Aileen also appeared in a couple of other of Peter and Gerald's comedy films. Her very first work for them was in Please Turn Over, the Ted Ray comedy in 1959. She was a lady in the pub in the Juliet Mills and Esma Cannon district nurse comedy Nurse On Wheels. Moving over to work for Peter's wife Betty Box, Aileen cropped up in three of the Doctor comedies - At Sea in 1955, In Distress in 1963 and finally Doctor in Clover in 1966.

Aileen retired from the profession in 1984 at the age of 70 following her 137th credit in the film Top Secret. However she went on to enjoy a long retirement. Aileen passed away at the age of 99 in February 2014, just two months shy of her 100th birthday. She may never have been a leading lady, but we thank AIleen for her many years of service to the very best of British film and television. Long may we continue to spot her on our screens.

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