Carry On Sergeant - Revision history

Kurt at 03:51, 15 February 2023

2023-02-15T03:51:44Z

Kurt: /* Plot */

2022-11-11T22:47:10Z

Plot

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	==Plot==		==Plot==
	Newly married Mary Sage ([[Shirley Eaton]]) is distraught when her husband Charlie ([[Bob Monkhouse]]) receives his [[Conscription in the United Kingdom\|call-up papers]] during their [[wedding breakfast]]. He travels to Heathercrest National Service Depot, meeting fellow recruit Horace Strong ([[Kenneth Connor]]), a chronic [[hypochondriac]] who is devastated at having been passed as fit.		Newly married Mary Sage ([[Shirley Eaton]]) is distraught when her husband Charlie ([[Bob Monkhouse]]) receives his [[w:Conscription in the United Kingdom\|call-up papers]] during their [[w:wedding breakfast\|wedding breakfast]]. He travels to Heathercrest National Service Depot, meeting fellow recruit Horace Strong ([[Kenneth Connor]]), a chronic [[w:hypochondriac\|hypochondriac]] who is devastated at having been passed as fit.

	The new recruits are assigned to Sergeant Grimshaw ([[William Hartnell]]). Grimshaw will soon be retiring from the army and takes on a £50 bet with Sergeant O'Brien ([[Terry Scott]]) that his last bunch of squaddies will be his first champion [[platoon]].		The new recruits are assigned to Sergeant Grimshaw ([[William Hartnell]]). Grimshaw will soon be retiring from the army and takes on a £50 bet with Sergeant O'Brien ([[Terry Scott]]) that his last bunch of squaddies will be his first champion [[w:platoon\|platoon]].

	With beady-eyed inspection from Captain Potts ([[Eric Barker]]) and disgruntled support from Corporal Copping ([[Bill Owen (actor)\|Bill Owen]]), Grimshaw decides to use some psychology and treat his charges kindly rather than simply shouting at them. But basic training does not start well and he struggles to take his platoon through it. They include failure Herbert Brown ([[Norman Rossington]]), upper-class cad Miles Heywood ([[Terence Longdon]]), rock 'n' roller Andy Galloway ([[Gerald Campion]]), delicate flower Peter Golightly ([[Charles Hawtrey (actor, born 1914)\|Charles Hawtrey]]) and supercilious university graduate James Bailey ([[Kenneth Williams]]). His attempts seem doomed.		With beady-eyed inspection from Captain Potts ([[Eric Barker]]) and disgruntled support from Corporal Copping ([[Bill Owen (actor)\|Bill Owen]]), Grimshaw decides to use some psychology and treat his charges kindly rather than simply shouting at them. But basic training does not start well and he struggles to take his platoon through it. They include failure Herbert Brown ([[Norman Rossington]]), upper-class cad Miles Heywood ([[Terence Longdon]]), rock 'n' roller Andy Galloway ([[Gerald Campion]]), delicate flower Peter Golightly ([[Charles Hawtrey (actor, born 1914)\|Charles Hawtrey]]) and supercilious university graduate James Bailey ([[Kenneth Williams]]). His attempts seem doomed.

	Mary is determined to spend her wedding night with her husband and smuggles herself into the depot to get a job in the [[NAAFI]], a situation Charlie is eventually able to legitimise. Strong spends most of his time complaining to the Medical Officer, Captain Clark ([[Hattie Jacques]]). It is only the adoration of doe-eyed NAAFI girl Norah ([[Dora Bryan]]), which he initially rejects, that makes him realise his potential and inspires him to become a real soldier.		Mary is determined to spend her wedding night with her husband and smuggles herself into the depot to get a job in the [[w:NAAFI\|NAAFI]], a situation Charlie is eventually able to legitimise. Strong spends most of his time complaining to the Medical Officer, Captain Clark ([[Hattie Jacques]]). It is only the adoration of doe-eyed NAAFI girl Norah ([[Dora Bryan]]), which he initially rejects, that makes him realise his potential and inspires him to become a real soldier.

	On the eve of the final tests, Grimshaw is in despair, but he is overheard bemoaning his lot to Copping. The squad decide to win the best platoon prize at all costs. On the day, they indeed beat the other platoons at all tasks and Grimshaw is awarded the cup for best platoon. On Grimshaw's last day, the men present him with a cigarette lighter as a thank you/retirement present.		On the eve of the final tests, Grimshaw is in despair, but he is overheard bemoaning his lot to Copping. The squad decide to win the best platoon prize at all costs. On the day, they indeed beat the other platoons at all tasks and Grimshaw is awarded the cup for best platoon. On Grimshaw's last day, the men present him with a cigarette lighter as a thank you/retirement present.

Kurt: /* Cast */

2022-11-11T22:45:37Z

Cast

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	* [[Terry Scott]] as Sergeant Paddy O'Brien		* [[Terry Scott]] as Sergeant Paddy O'Brien
	* John Mathews as Sergeant Matthews		* John Mathews as Sergeant Matthews
	* [[Ed Devereaux]] as Sergeant Russell		* [[w:Ed Devereaux\|Ed Devereaux]] as Sergeant Russell
	* [[Cyril Chamberlain]] as [[Bren Gun]] instructor		* [[w:Cyril Chamberlain\|Cyril Chamberlain]] as [[w:Bren Gun\|Bren Gun]] instructor
	* Leigh Madison as Sheila		* Leigh Madison as Sheila
	* [[Martin Wyldeck]] as Mr Sage (uncredited)		* [[w:Martin Wyldeck\|Martin Wyldeck]] as Mr Sage (uncredited)
	* [[Helen Goss]] as Mary's mother (uncredited)		* [[w:Helen Goss\|Helen Goss]] as Mary's mother (uncredited)
	* [[Benny Lee]] as Recruit (uncredited)		* [[Benny Lee]] as Recruit (uncredited)
	}}		}}

Kurt: /* Production */

2022-11-11T22:44:53Z

Production

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	==Production==		==Production==
	In 1955, film producer [[Sydney Box]] approached author [[R. F. Delderfield]] to write a screenplay about [[Conscription in the United Kingdom#After 1945\|National Service in the United Kingdom]]. The project was shelved until 1957 with Delderfield planning to write the screenplay of an [[ensemble cast]] film with the [[working title]] of ''The Bull Boys''. Delderfield's planned screenplay was to have been "one third laughter, one third documentary one third exciting incident leading up to the climax" with the virtues of National Service shown as giving the young men "pride in their regiment and uniform", similar to [[Carol Reed]]'s 1944 film ''[[The Way Ahead]]''.		In 1955, film producer [[w:Sydney Box\|Sydney Box]] approached author [[w:R. F. Delderfield\|R. F. Delderfield]] to write a screenplay about [[w:Conscription in the United Kingdom#After 1945\|National Service in the United Kingdom]]. The project was shelved until 1957 with Delderfield planning to write the screenplay of an [[w:ensemble cast\|ensemble cast]] film with the [[w:working title\|working title]] of ''The Bull Boys''. Delderfield's planned screenplay was to have been "one third laughter, one third documentary one third exciting incident leading up to the climax" with the virtues of National Service shown as giving the young men "pride in their regiment and uniform", similar to [[w:Carol Reed\|Carol Reed]]'s 1944 film ''[[w:The Way Ahead\|The Way Ahead]]''.

	Events overtook the film producers when the [[War Office]] [[White Paper]] of 1957 recommended the end of National Service. Box approached his brother-in-law [[Peter Rogers]] then the head of [[Beaconsfield Film Studios]] with the pair agreeing that the route to take was making fun of National Service, particularly due to the success of the 1956 [[Boulting brothers]] film ''[[Private's Progress]]'' and the 1957-1962 television series ''[[The Army Game]]''.<ref>Chapman, James ''A Short History of the Carry On Films'' in ''British Comedy Cinema'' edited by Hunter, I.Q. & Porter, Laraine, Routledge; 1st edition (5 April 2012)</ref> Unlike their disapproval of ''Private's Progress'', the War Office provided assistance to the film makers by providing a [[Company Sergeant Major]] to the film.<ref>p. 134 Mackenzie, S.P. ''British War Films'' BLM Academic UK; 1st edition (1 June 2006)</ref> Sequences were shot at [[Stoughton Barracks]] the then-home of the [[Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)]].<ref>{{Cite web \| url=http://movie-locations.com/movies/c/Carry-On-Sergeant.php \| title=Film Locations for Carry on Sergeant (1959), in Surrey }}</ref>		Events overtook the film producers when the [[w:War Office\|War Office]] [[w:White Paper\|White Paper]] of 1957 recommended the end of National Service. Box approached his brother-in-law [[Peter Rogers]] then the head of [[w:Beaconsfield Film Studios\|Beaconsfield Film Studios]] with the pair agreeing that the route to take was making fun of National Service, particularly due to the success of the 1956 [[Boulting brothers]] film ''[[Private's Progress]]'' and the 1957-1962 television series ''[[The Army Game]]''.<ref>Chapman, James ''A Short History of the Carry On Films'' in ''British Comedy Cinema'' edited by Hunter, I.Q. & Porter, Laraine, Routledge; 1st edition (5 April 2012)</ref> Unlike their disapproval of ''Private's Progress'', the War Office provided assistance to the film makers by providing a [[w:Company Sergeant Major\|Company Sergeant Major]] to the film.<ref>p. 134 Mackenzie, S.P. ''British War Films'' BLM Academic UK; 1st edition (1 June 2006)</ref> Sequences were shot at [[w:Stoughton Barracks\|Stoughton Barracks]] the then-home of the [[w:Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)\|Queen's Royal Regiment]].<ref>{{Cite web \| url=http://movie-locations.com/movies/c/Carry-On-Sergeant.php \| title=Film Locations for Carry on Sergeant (1959), in Surrey }}</ref>

	[[Stuart Levy (producer)\|Stuart Levy]] the co-producer of [[Anglo-Amalgamated]] wasn't keen on the title of ''The Bull Boys''. Inspired by the success of another studio's 1957 film ''[[Carry On Admiral]]'', suggested the new title of the film.<ref name="Whittle, David 2016">Whittle, David ''Bruce Montgomery/Edmund Crispin: A Life in Music and Books'' Routledge; 1st edition (November 10, 2016)</ref> Delderfield's script that involved a male ballet troupe being conscripted was turned into a play.		[[w:Stuart Levy (producer)\|Stuart Levy]] the co-producer of [[w:Anglo-Amalgamated\|Anglo-Amalgamated]] wasn't keen on the title of ''The Bull Boys''. Inspired by the success of another studio's 1957 film ''[[Carry On Admiral]]'', suggested the new title of the film.<ref name="Whittle, David 2016">Whittle, David ''Bruce Montgomery/Edmund Crispin: A Life in Music and Books'' Routledge; 1st edition (November 10, 2016)</ref> Delderfield's script that involved a male ballet troupe being conscripted was turned into a play.

	==Soundtrack==		==Soundtrack==

Kurt: /* Soundtrack */

2022-11-11T22:42:12Z

Soundtrack

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	==Soundtrack==		==Soundtrack==
	Composer [[Bruce Montgomery (composer)\|Bruce Montgomery]] wrote the entire score to be played by a military band. The score was played by the [[Band of the Coldstream Guards]].<ref name="Whittle, David 2016"/>		Composer [[w:Bruce Montgomery (composer)\|Bruce Montgomery]] wrote the entire score to be played by a military band. The score was played by the [[w:Band of the Coldstream Guards\|Band of the Coldstream Guards]].<ref name="Whittle, David 2016"/>

	==Title==		==Title==

Kurt: /* Title */

2022-11-11T22:41:47Z

Title

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	==Title==		==Title==
	"Carry on, Sergeant" is a normal expression for an Army [[Officer (armed forces)\|officer]] to use; the American equivalent is, "As you were." (in British English 'As you were' is a military command to withdraw an order i.e. to return to the previous position). The title that replaced ''The Bull Boys'' was suggested by [[Stuart Levy (producer)\|Stuart Levy]] to cash in on the popularity of the 1957 film ''[[Carry on Admiral]],'' which was written by [[Val Guest]].<ref>p. 155 Whittle, David ''Bruce Montgomery/Edmund Crispin: A Life in Music and Books'' Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2007</ref> At the time, the success of ''Carry On Sergeant'' prompted applause and audience laughter in serious settings where the phrase was used, including amongst audiences of the film ''[[The Devil's Disciple (1959 film)\|The Devil's Disciple]]'' (1959).<ref>Ross, 1996. p. 16</ref>		"Carry on, Sergeant" is a normal expression for an Army [[w:Officer (armed forces)\|officer]] to use; the American equivalent is, "As you were." (in British English 'As you were' is a military command to withdraw an order i.e. to return to the previous position). The title that replaced ''The Bull Boys'' was suggested by [[w:Stuart Levy (producer)\|Stuart Levy]] to cash in on the popularity of the 1957 film ''[[Carry On Admiral]],'' which was written by [[Val Guest]].<ref>p. 155 Whittle, David ''Bruce Montgomery/Edmund Crispin: A Life in Music and Books'' Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2007</ref> At the time, the success of ''Carry On Sergeant'' prompted applause and audience laughter in serious settings where the phrase was used, including amongst audiences of the film ''[[w:The Devil's Disciple (1959 film)\|The Devil's Disciple]]'' (1959).<ref>Ross, 1996. p. 16</ref>

	==Box office==		==Box office==

Kurt: /* Bibliography */

2022-11-11T22:40:11Z

Bibliography

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	*{{Cite book \|last=Ross \|first=Robert \|title=The Carry On Companion \|publisher=Batsford \|location=London \|year=2002 \|isbn=978-0-7134-8771-8 }}		*{{Cite book \|last=Ross \|first=Robert \|title=The Carry On Companion \|publisher=Batsford \|location=London \|year=2002 \|isbn=978-0-7134-8771-8 }}
	*{{Cite book \|last1=Bright\|first1=Morris \| last2=Ross \|first2=Robert \|title=Mr Carry On – The Life & Work of Peter Rogers \|publisher=BBC Books \|location=London \|year=2000 \|isbn=978-0-563-55183-6 }}		*{{Cite book \|last1=Bright\|first1=Morris \| last2=Ross \|first2=Robert \|title=Mr Carry On – The Life & Work of Peter Rogers \|publisher=BBC Books \|location=London \|year=2000 \|isbn=978-0-563-55183-6 }}
	*{{Cite book \|last=Rigelsford \|first=Adrian \|author-link = Adrian Rigelsford\|title=Carry On Laughing – a celebration \|publisher=Virgin \|location=London \|year=1996 \|isbn=1-85227-554-5 }}		*{{Cite book \|last=Rigelsford \|first=Adrian \|author-link =w:Adrian Rigelsford\|title=Carry On Laughing – a celebration \|publisher=Virgin \|location=London \|year=1996 \|isbn=1-85227-554-5 }}
	*{{Cite book \|last=Hibbin \|first=Sally & Nina \|title=What a Carry On \|publisher=Hamlyn \|location=London \|year=1988 \|isbn=978-0-600-55819-4 }}		*{{Cite book \|last=Hibbin \|first=Sally & Nina \|title=What a Carry On \|publisher=Hamlyn \|location=London \|year=1988 \|isbn=978-0-600-55819-4 }}
	*{{Cite book \|last=Eastaugh \|first=Kenneth \|title=The Carry On Book \|publisher=David & Charles \|location=London \|year=1978 \|isbn=978-0-7153-7403-0 }}		*{{Cite book \|last=Eastaugh \|first=Kenneth \|title=The Carry On Book \|publisher=David & Charles \|location=London \|year=1978 \|isbn=978-0-7153-7403-0 }}

Kurt: /* Critical reception */

2022-11-11T22:39:51Z

Critical reception

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	==Critical reception==		==Critical reception==
	''[[Variety (magazine)\|Variety]]'' summarised ''Carry On Sergeant'' as a "Corny but mostly very funny Army farce that will click in U.K. provinces, and is not designed for any other type of audience" adding, "A bunch of talented character comedians have been handed these situations and, in their respective styles, they wring a lot more out of them and the dialog than the writers provide."<ref>{{cite news\| url=https://archive.org/details/variety212-1958-09\|date=September 24, 1958 \|title=Carry On, Sergeant \|journal=[[Variety (magazine)\|Variety]] \|page=[https://archive.org/details/variety212-1958-09/page/n17 18]\|author=Rich. }}</ref> ''[[The Monthly Film Bulletin]]'' called it "a traditionally English mixture of old farcical situations, well-worn jokes, and comic postcard characters. Charles Hawtrey, as a weedy incompetent, and Kenneth Williams, as a condescending intellectual, provide some genuine laughs. The rest of the humour is either overdone or half-baked".<ref>{{cite journal \|date=September 1958 \|title=Carry On, Sergeant \|journal=[[The Monthly Film Bulletin]] \|volume=25 \|issue=296 \|page=112 }}</ref>		''[[w:Variety (magazine)\|Variety]]'' summarised ''Carry On Sergeant'' as a "Corny but mostly very funny Army farce that will click in U.K. provinces, and is not designed for any other type of audience" adding, "A bunch of talented character comedians have been handed these situations and, in their respective styles, they wring a lot more out of them and the dialog than the writers provide."<ref>{{cite news\| url=https://archive.org/details/variety212-1958-09\|date=September 24, 1958 \|title=Carry On, Sergeant \|journal=[[w:Variety (magazine)\|Variety]] \|page=[https://archive.org/details/variety212-1958-09/page/n17 18]\|author=Rich. }}</ref> ''[[w:The Monthly Film Bulletin\|The Monthly Film Bulletin]]'' called it "a traditionally English mixture of old farcical situations, well-worn jokes, and comic postcard characters. Charles Hawtrey, as a weedy incompetent, and Kenneth Williams, as a condescending intellectual, provide some genuine laughs. The rest of the humour is either overdone or half-baked".<ref>{{cite journal \|date=September 1958 \|title=Carry On, Sergeant \|journal=[[w:The Monthly Film Bulletin\|The Monthly Film Bulletin]] \|volume=25 \|issue=296 \|page=112 }}</ref>

	==Bibliography==		==Bibliography==

Kurt: /* Filming and locations */

2022-11-11T22:38:54Z

Filming and locations

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	==Filming and locations==		==Filming and locations==
	*Filming dates – 24 ~~March 1958~~ – ~~2 May~~ 1958		*Filming dates – {{Date\|1958-03-24}} – {{Date\|1958-05-02}}

	'''Interiors''':		'''Interiors''':
	* Stage B, [[Pinewood Studios]], Buckinghamshire		* Stage B, [[w:Pinewood Studios\|Pinewood Studios]], Buckinghamshire

	'''Exteriors''':		'''Exteriors''':
	* Army camp: Cardwell's Keep, [[Stoughton Barracks]], Stoughton Road, [[Stoughton, Surrey\|Stoughton]] near Guildford, Surrey		* Army camp: Cardwell's Keep, [[w:Stoughton Barracks\|Stoughton Barracks]], Stoughton Road, [[w:Stoughton, Surrey\|Stoughton]] near Guildford, Surrey
	* Wedding scene: St Mary's Church of England, Church Hill, [[Harefield]], Middlesex		* Wedding scene: St Mary's Church of England, Church Hill, [[w:Harefield\|Harefield]], Middlesex
	* Church scenes: [[Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire]]		* Church scenes: [[w:Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire\|Beaconsfield]]

	==Critical reception==		==Critical reception==

Kurt: /* External links */

2022-11-11T22:36:54Z

External links

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	==External links==		==External links==
	* {{IMDb title\|id=0051453\|title=Carry On Sergeant}}		* {{IMDb title\|id=0051453\|title=Carry On Sergeant}}
	*[http://www.thewhippitinn.com/carry_on_films/carry_on_sergeant/''Carry On Sergeant'' at The Whippit Inn]
	*[http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/466460/index.html ''Carry on Sergeant'' at BFI Screenonline]		*[http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/466460/index.html ''Carry on Sergeant'' at BFI Screenonline]

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	[[Category:Films produced by Peter Rogers]]		[[Category:Films produced by Peter Rogers]]
	[[Category:Films with screenplays by Norman Hudis]]		[[Category:Films with screenplays by Norman Hudis]]
			[[Category:British military comedy films]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:40, 11 November 2022
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	*{{Cite book \|last=Ross \|first=Robert \|title=The Carry On Companion \|publisher=Batsford \|location=London \|year=2002 \|isbn=978-0-7134-8771-8 }}		*{{Cite book \|last=Ross \|first=Robert \|title=The Carry On Companion \|publisher=Batsford \|location=London \|year=2002 \|isbn=978-0-7134-8771-8 }}
	*{{Cite book \|last1=Bright\|first1=Morris \| last2=Ross \|first2=Robert \|title=Mr Carry On – The Life & Work of Peter Rogers \|publisher=BBC Books \|location=London \|year=2000 \|isbn=978-0-563-55183-6 }}		*{{Cite book \|last1=Bright\|first1=Morris \| last2=Ross \|first2=Robert \|title=Mr Carry On – The Life & Work of Peter Rogers \|publisher=BBC Books \|location=London \|year=2000 \|isbn=978-0-563-55183-6 }}
	*{{Cite book \|last=Rigelsford \|first=Adrian \|author-link = Adrian Rigelsford\|title=Carry On Laughing – a celebration \|publisher=Virgin \|location=London \|year=1996 \|isbn=1-85227-554-5 }}		*{{Cite book \|last=Rigelsford \|first=Adrian \|author-link =w:Adrian Rigelsford\|title=Carry On Laughing – a celebration \|publisher=Virgin \|location=London \|year=1996 \|isbn=1-85227-554-5 }}
	*{{Cite book \|last=Hibbin \|first=Sally & Nina \|title=What a Carry On \|publisher=Hamlyn \|location=London \|year=1988 \|isbn=978-0-600-55819-4 }}		*{{Cite book \|last=Hibbin \|first=Sally & Nina \|title=What a Carry On \|publisher=Hamlyn \|location=London \|year=1988 \|isbn=978-0-600-55819-4 }}
	*{{Cite book \|last=Eastaugh \|first=Kenneth \|title=The Carry On Book \|publisher=David & Charles \|location=London \|year=1978 \|isbn=978-0-7153-7403-0 }}		*{{Cite book \|last=Eastaugh \|first=Kenneth \|title=The Carry On Book \|publisher=David & Charles \|location=London \|year=1978 \|isbn=978-0-7153-7403-0 }}