The television schedules have a couple of treats in store for Carry On fans this weekend with two classic series entries showing this coming Saturday 15 September. As usual they are on ITV3 and Film4, both now regular homes to different ends of the film franchise. While ITV3 tend to show the later, Talbot Rothwell era films, Film 4 shares the more innocent, usually black and white Norman Hudis gems.
So get these times in your film watching diaries!
Carry On Loving (1970) - ITV3, 15.05.
Carry On Loving is the twentieth in the series to be made, and was released in 1970. By 1970 times were most certainly a changing. The cosy postwar years which launched the Carry Ons were long gone and everything was a lot more liberated and up front, as it were. After nearly twelve years of hit films, the Carry On team were still at the top of their game but perhaps there was felt to be a need to adapt and change to maintain their position at the top of the comedy charts? Carry On Loving saw an attempt at this. Basically Loving is a saucy seventies tribute to Norman Hudis' classic 1961 film Carry On Regardless. Instead of the Helping Hands Agency of the earlier film, this 1970 update saw Talbot Rothwell set the film at the Wedded Bliss Matrimonial Agency, run by Sid and Sophie Bliss. Loving even saw the outside of the Wedded Bliss Agency filmed on the same location in Windsor that had been used for Regardless almost a decade earlier.It features series regulars Sid James, Hattie Jacques, Kenneth Williams, Joan Sims, Terry Scott, Charles Hawtrey and Bernard Bresslawalongside newcomers Richard O'Callaghan (in his first Carry On) and Imogen Hassall (in her only Carry On role). The dialogue veers toward open bawdiness rather than the evasive innuendo characteristic of the earlier films in the series.
Further reading: Carry On Blogging: Hattie Carries On as Sophie Bliss
Carry On Blogging: Five Reasons I Love Carry On Loving
Carry On Constable (1959) - Film4, 17.00.
Another glorious black and white feature, this film yet again plays to Norman Hudis' strengths by focusing on another British institution, the police force. There's the figure of authority pitched against a group of bumbling incompetents too as new recruits battle to success during a flu epidemic at the local station. This film marks a major turning point for the Carry Ons as it sees the debut of a certain Mr Sidney James in the starring role of Frank Wilkins. It's a fairly low key entrance for Sid, given what was to come but it's a superb performance and it's clear he's firmly in charge! Eric Barker returns for the first time since Sergeant, playing a similar officious role while the new recruits are played with relish by Leslie Phillips, Charles Hawtrey, Kenneth Williams and Kenneth Connor. Throw in some lovely supporting turns from Joan Sims and Hattie Jacques and a cameo from original Carry On girl Shirley Eaton and you have a great afternoon matinee film to enjoy!
Further reading - Carry On Blogging: Connor Carries On as Constable Constable!
Carry On Blogging: Joan Carries On as WPC Gloria Passworthy
Carry On Blogging: Hattie Carries On as Laura Moon
I hope you enjoy them both!
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