The Carry-On films

In the 1960s there began a series of low-budget British films starring day-player actors from Radio and Music hall that became (after Bond) the longest running series of British films. Deeply ingrained in our culture they began in the heart of the sexual revolution and taking school-boy humour liberties from the new permissiveness, coupling smut (yes smut) with tight, superb double-entendre dripping scripts and budgets that could be described as almost non-existent. And of course: cross-dressing.
As I said these films (now relics of a past unPC age) are very well known in the UK, however after chatting to People from other countries, it seems that these films didn’t travel.

Consequently I have started this thread to talk about some of these great films: The “Carry On” series.
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One of the reasons I consider these films important is that they allowed people to laugh at the naughtiness and the anti-authoritarian farce context, yes there are some deeply dubious racial and sexual stereotypes of course but even now these films are enjoyable. The other thing that occurred to me is the way that these films in the 60s – 70s are shadowed initially in the frat-boy comedies of Animal House and Porkies then, (in more outrageous forms) by the American gross-out comedies of the 1990s-2000s as puritanical shackles are released and we can laugh at someone who has his dick in a pie.

The definition of Screwball sex-comedies except without (usually) any form of nudity they represent an age now passed of late great comedy actors and comic scripts that are infinitely quotable.

What memories do you have of this series? Are you even aware of it or is it something you’ve no idea about? I’m curious as it’s influence has been pretty far reaching.

They are ensemble comedies, usually with the same dozen or so staple actors playing variations on the same characters (Kenneth Williams starred in 26 out of 31), they are joined by various other actors (usually whoever was available) they were shot incredibly fast - the cast prided themselves on usually only taking one take (most had a theatrical background).

All the films directed by Gerald Thomas and produced by Peter Rogers who managed to bang out 30 films in 20 years, most scripts (certainly the better ones) were by Talbot Rothwell who had cut his teeth in radio and before that writing scripts for concerts where he had been held as a prisoner of war during WW2.

The films had been wildly successful but dwindled during the 70s as taste moved away from this kind of humour - plus the scripts declined dramatically.

Weirdly many of the actors hated the films - many considered them to just be a regular paying job until something serious came along, however because of the success and longevity many became typecast and could not find serious roles. However there was a strong comraderie among the actors who would look forward to seeing each other, even if only to bitch and moan.

The other cultural aspect of this is the British tradition of Pantomime - which for those who don't know is a comedy play primarily -for children - usually based on a fairy tale which is performed around Christmas. Traditionally it contains drag (panto dame) eg. the ugly sisters in Cinderella AND often the male principal is played by a girl (who's mother is played by a man in drag). Cartoonish villains (think Rickman's Sherrif of Nottingham x1000) who always enter from the left, winks to the audience etc. But more than the content the tradition is that actors who are "resting" always get a run out in a Panto somewhere which is often quite well paid and can finance their "rest" for the remainder of the year. Ian McKellan famously (yet secretly) played a panto dame in a 2004 production at the height of his fame.

As far as the films go, they are probably not worth hunting out - they would flounder inder the microscope of the 21st century, however modern comedies that make capital out of parody, innendo and wordplay owe a debt to this series. If you're looking for a reccomendation I can suggest any from the middle of the series say: Carry on Cleo to Carry on Henry. I challenge anyone to watch one and not laugh at something - even if it's just the character's names.

The medical carry ons all feature a straight-laced Matron, this character is always played by Hattie Jacques, this character usually has the secret hots for Kenneth Williams's uptight doctor.

The young doctors and male patients are usually the saucy ones. Normally it is Babs Windsor who decided if someone is saucy.

This series was also quite heavy on the musica hall esque catchphrase comedy, each main eventer would have a phrase or sound that was their trademark. The vic and bob link under the "ingrained in our culture" above illustrates this nicely.

Ken, yes Carry on Screaming is a excellent choice, it parodies the whole genre nicely - Dr. Watt (who's my uncle) and fenella fielding vamping it up.

200 quid the full set at HMV.

Ken, i think you have a good point about some of the historical themed ones, they have kept a kind of timeless quality where as most of the contemporary ones have aged quite a bit. Plus they gave the actors (whom I maintain are some of the finest comic actors to ever grace celluloid) a chance to get their teeth into something a bit more meaty. Funny how Camping is normally the classic water-mark when, IMHO there's many that surpass it in terms of performance, script and production.

Nite Flights, welcome the boards - sure the innuendo seems lazy now but at the time it must have been a scandal - even so who can keep a straight face as Frankie Howerd gets another huge syringe in the ass or babs bending over to pick something up. Like it or not, it's our cultural heritage in the UK and perhaps it's the ex-pat in me getting nostalgic (or perhaps I just have a thing for those 70s style tits) but they still represent a guilty pleasure of balls-to-the-wall fun.

I love the shooting stars parody too (although, on the whole, i felt the show had lost it's way by the time will self had joined) i linked to it in the first post to show how important it was culturally.

There's a break down of Channel 4's excellent carry on darkly documentary by actor on youtube.