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

Carrying On with The Iron Maiden

 

Spurred on by my recent conversations with the wonderful Noel Purcell's son Patrick (more on that soon) I settled down today to watch one of the few Peter Rogers Productions I have still not seen. Thanks to the brilliant Talking Pictures TV, which I can now finally access, I caught a rare screening of the 1962 film The Iron Maiden.

The Iron Maiden is a charming film, very typical of Peter and Gerald's output in the late 1950s and early 1960s. A rare colour film from the duo at this stage, Maiden is very far removed from the innuendo-encrusted delights to come from later Carry On series entries. Instead this film is much more reminiscent of the classic Ealing comedies, showing the little man railing against adversity in the glorious post-war British countryside. The film is fairly innocent with gentle humour and some rather twee romantic interludes, however the cast is chock full of superb character actors and it's a joyous diversion from the modern world, perfect for a lazy afternoon in front of the television.

 

The Iron Maiden of the title is a vintage traction engine which is a labour of love for leading man Michael Craig. In many ways this film is Peter Rogers' attempt to provide a follow up to the hugely successful Genevieve released almost a decade earlier. While the John Gregson and Dinah Sheridan film focussed on vintage cars, this 1962 picture takes on the world of old engines. It's a curio looking at it from 2017 but it gets full marks on the nostalgia front! Michael Craig is perfect in the lead role. As Jack Hopkins he is in full on romantic hero mode. Craig had previous with the Rogers/Thomas family, having worked twice for Peter's wife Betty Box, first of all in 1959's Upstairs and Downstairs and then the year later starring opposite Leslie Phillips in Betty's Doctor in Love. Michael is a great actor and definitely has the looks and charm to carry the film. Just a shame he didn't work more for the dynamic Pinewood duo as he would have been great in some of the 1960s Carry Ons. Thankfully Michael is very much still alive and well and living in Australia.

An interesting aspect of this film is the number of American actors who form part of the principal cast. Michael Craig's love interest is played by the delightful Anne Helm while her parents are brought to life with considerable charm by Alan Hale Jr and Jeff Donnell. It provides a diversion and these very American characters add interest with their reactions to some rather quirky, curious British eccentrics. 

The film follows the burgeoning romance between Craig and Helm and it's very much opposites attract. There are several lightly comic set pieces involving a headstrong Kathy (Helm) and an equally dogmatic Jack, mostly involving various scrapes with the traction engine. It's all very frothy and light and apart from one unfortunate scene which Craig puts Helm over his knee and gives her a spank, it's all enjoyable stuff. 

However, as with many other films Peter and Gerald produced at this time (Watch Your Stern, Raising The Wind, Nurse On Wheels spring to mind) the main joy of The Iron Maiden is spotting a whole host of familiar faces in supporting roles. The Carry On flag is kept flying by Joan Sims (barely a Peter Rogers film without her at this time) and a young, pre-Carry On Jim Dale in a minor supporting role. Other familiar Carry On supporting players also feature: the charming Brian Rawlinson turns up as a country policeman who has various accidents on his bike; Judith Furse and Ian Wilson play an oddly matched pair of traction engine enthusiasts while that lovely actor Brian Oulton gets a fairly substantial role as the local Vicar. There are also blink and you'll miss 'em appearances from the likes of Michael Nightingale, Anton Rodgers and Cyril Chamberlain.

There are other notable non-Carry On actors present too. I've recently been hearing memories from Noel Purcell's son Patrick on his father's role in the film as Admiral Sir Digby Trevelyan and Patrick was even present on set to see some of the scenes filmed. Cecil Parker, a year before filming his Carry On Jack cameo, appears as Hopkins' boss Sir Giles Thompson. George Woodbridge, another familiar face has a lovely cameo role as Mr Ludge while future Emmerdale legend Richard Thorp (Alan Turner) also turns up as Harry Markham. 

The Iron Maiden has all the hallmarks of classic, confident Rogers and Thomas. The cinematography is by Alan Hume, co-producer is Frank Bevis and Eric Rogers does the music. Interestingly, the film is written by neither Norman Hudis or the soon to emerge Talbot Rothwell. Instead, legendary lyricist and composer Leslie Bricusse is behind this film and it's a decent effort on his part. Eric Rogers was soon to join the Carry On team as their full time music director following the departure of Bruce Montgomery. Some of the music in The Iron Maiden is very familiar indeed, a test run for Carry On Cabby perhaps and a rather stately little number which would turn up six years later in Up The Khyber. You can see all the elements gelling already.

 

All in all, The Iron Maiden isn't the best film Peter and Gerald turned out at the peak of their powers but it does feature some of the very best British character actors around. It's a diverting little yarn which survives on the quality of the cast and the willingness of the audience to indulge in some delightful nostalgia. 

As an aside, it's definitely worth checking out Talking Pictures TV. They very often show some rare and classic gems from the world of British cinema, the kind of films you used to watch on BBC Two on a rainy afternoon. There are some absolutely lovely titles to be seen so do check that channel out. You can follow them on Twitter here and there website is here

And stay tuned for my interview with Patrick Purcell, son of the great Noel Purcell, coming soon!

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan on Facebook and on Instagram

Carry On Up The Proms!

I stumbled upon this by complete accident but I absolutely love it! Apparently the famous Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in 2009 featured a segment on theme music from the Carry On films!

I've always thought Eric Rogers' music and the orchestra recordings were a fundamental part of the films' success. They really captured the spirit and humour of the Carry Ons and were often funny in their own right. Think of the theme music from Carry On Camping or Doctor. Barbara Windsor's theme as she totters about in her nurses uniform or the music that graces every appearance by Hattie Jacques as Matron. Glorious stuff. 

The performance features classic music from the likes of Carry On Camping, Carry On Doctor and Carry On Cabby. It also features that beautiful music written for the touching scene between Joan Sims and Sid James in Carry On At Your Convenience.

The Proms orchestra has brought it all back to life again and it's magical!

Here is the video, Enjoy, it is well worth a watch (and listen!)

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and also Facebook

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

My Favourite Scene: Carry On England

I have been writing an occasional series of blogs which attempt to highlight my favourite scene in each of the thirty original Carry On films made between 1958 and 1978. Today I am going to cross off another of my less than favourite series entries, Carry On England.

I might dare to suggest that England is actually worse than the film that followed it, Carry On Emmannuelle. Released in 1976, Carry On England came in the wake of the sad death of Sid James. There were far too many changes to the tried and trusted formula for England to be a success. Too many of the regular cast were either missing or had been replaced. Only Kenneth Connor, Jack Douglas, Peter Butterworth and Joan Sims were present and correct. Despite a starring role for Connor, the others are pretty much restricted to frustrating and low quality cameo roles. 

One of the big mistakes made with England was to include a rash of unfamiliar, younger performers who did not have the necessary experience to pull off a Carry On comedy. The likes of Patrick Mower, Judy Geeson, Diane Langton and Melvyn Hayes all did their best but it really didn't work out. Furthermore, the longstanding music composer Eric Rogers missed his first Carry On film in over a decade. Annoyed at cuts to his budget, Rogers chose not to work on the score for England, which instead was produced by Max Harris. The change is noticeable throughout. 

Finally, while Talbot Rothwell was no longer well enough to provide a Carry On script, Dave Freeman had stepped in for the previous film, Carry On Behind, and delivered a belter. Instead of hiring Freeman again, Rogers decided to bring in two new writers to the world of Carry On. Sadly, this wasn't a wise decision either.

In an attempt to keep pace with the very popular Confessions films, the Carry Ons adapted a more honest treatment of sex and nudity in England. This film was the first to be awarded a restricted certificate, meaning the core Carry On audience of working class families could not see the picture together. This was due to several scenes featuring prominent nudity from some of the supporting actresses. Despite acquiescing to several cuts, the film was still too much for many regular Carry On fans.

So enough of my grumbling. What's my favourite scene in the mess that is Carry On England? Well, against my better judgement the climax of the film which sees the bumbling characters take part in a shoot out with some rogue German planes is actually quite patriotic. Despite being badly shot, scripted and acted, the scene somehow manages to work on some levels and it actually looks like the cast are enjoying themselves (for a change). Both Kenneth Connor and his co-star Windsor Davies also have good chemistry throughout these scenes.

Honestly though, it could all have been oh so much better!

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and also Facebook

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Carry On Up The Proms!

Here is another of my favourite blogs. The music featured in the Carry Ons always played a big part in their success and this performance at the Royal Albert Hall a few years ago is an absolute joy.

I stumbled upon this by complete accident but I absolutely love it! Apparently the famous Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in 2009 featured a segment on theme music from the Carry On films!

I've always thought Eric Rogers' music and the orchestra recordings were a fundamental part of the films' success. They really captured the spirit and humour of the Carry Ons and were often funny in their own right. Think of the theme music from Carry On Camping or Doctor. Barbara Windsor's theme as she totters about in her nurses uniform or the music that graces every appearance by Hattie Jacques as Matron. Glorious stuff. 

The performance features classic music from the likes of Carry On Camping, Carry On Doctor and Carry On Cabby. It also features that beautiful music written for the touching scene between Joan Sims and Sid James in Carry On At Your Convenience.

The Proms orchestra has brought it all back to life again and it's magical!

Here is the video, Enjoy, it is well worth a watch (and listen!)

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and also Facebook

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Carry On Composing

God bless Eric Rogers. The Carry On films would not have been nearly as brilliant without his beautifully judged musical scores. Rogers composed and conducted the theme tunes and incidental music for 22 of the 31 Carry On films made and his contribution should not be underestimated.

Taking over control of the musical scores from Bruce Montgomery, Rogers created some marvellous tunes over the years. I love the theme music for Carry On Cabby, it really sets the tone, while the music that heralds the arrival of the Glam Cab drivers is just superb. My favourite of all Eric Rogers' themes must be those for Carry On Doctor, Carry On Camping and Carry On Abroad. Each are memorable and really capture of the essence of the films that follow.

I also love the sentimental music he composed for the lovely scene between Joan Sims and Sid James at the end of Convenience. The quality of these compositions really does raise the bar and help nudge these low budget comedies up to a higher level. 

Rogers is possibly an unsung hero of the Carry Ons, only appearing very briefly as the bandleader in the party scenes in Again Doctor. He does provide glorious snatches of past classics in that scene, playing the theme from Cabby as well as the wonderful The Magic of Love from the Cafe Mozart scene in Spying (beautifully brought to life by Dilys Laye in that film). Sadly, Peter Rogers tried to cut the music budget for Carry On England so Eric declined to be involved in that film. The difference really shows. The score for England just doesn't cut it.

I really loved how he developed particular musical cues to signify the arrival of a particular character. Who can forget Charles Hawtrey's little intro music or the tune that greeted the arrival of Hattie Jacques' Matron. The music that accompanied Barbara Windsor's tottering nurse in Doctor is also a classic.

Can you imagine the Carry On films without their musical accompaniments? No, I can't either. What's your favourite piece of Carry On music? 

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and also Facebook

Clicking on the adverts helps to keep this blog going.

Carry On Up The Proms!

I stumbled upon this by complete accident but I absolutely love it! Apparently the famous Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in 2009 featured a segment on theme music from the Carry On films!

I've always thought Eric Rogers' music and the orchestra recordings were a fundamental part of the films' success. They really captured the spirit and humour of the Carry Ons and were often funny in their own right. Think of the theme music from Carry On Camping or Doctor. Barbara Windsor's theme as she totters about in her nurses uniform or the music that graces every appearance by Hattie Jacques as Matron. Glorious stuff. 

The performance features classic music from the likes of Carry On Camping, Carry On Doctor and Carry On Cabby. It also features that beautiful music written for the touching scene between Joan Sims and Sid James in Carry On At Your Convenience.

The Proms orchestra has brought it all back to life again and it's magical!

Here is the video, Enjoy, it is well worth a watch (and listen!)

You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and also Facebook

Clicking on the adverts helps to keep this blog going.