Carry On England

Carry On England
Original UK quad poster
Directed by	Gerald Thomas
Written by	David Pursall Jack Seddon
Produced by	Peter Rogers
Starring	Kenneth Connor Windsor Davies Patrick Mower Judy Geeson Jack Douglas Joan Sims Peter Butterworth Melvyn Hayes Peter Jones
Cinematography	Ernest Steward
Edited by	Richard Marden
Music by	Max Harris
Distributed by	The Rank Organisation
Release date	31 October 1976
Running time	89 min.
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	£250,000

Carry On England is a 1976 British comedy film, the 28th release in the series of the original 30 Carry On films (1958–1978). It was released in October 1976 and featured Carry On regulars Kenneth Connor, Jack Douglas, Joan Sims and Peter Butterworth. It was second and last Carry On film for Windsor Davies, Diane Langton and Peter Jones, as well as the fifth and last for Patricia Franklin and the eighth and last for Julian Holloway. Patrick Mower, Judy Geeson and Melvyn Hayes make their only appearances in a Carry On film. The film was followed by "That's Carry On!" in 1977.

Plot

Captain S Melly (Kenneth Connor) is put in charge of an experimental mixed-battery during the darkest days of the Second World War. It is a relief for Captain Bull (David Lodge) to greet his relief but Melly is not prepared for the ball-squeezing Sergeant Major "Tiger" Bloomer (Windsor Davies) and the randy antics of Bombardier Ready (Jack Douglas), Sergeant Tilly Willing (Judy Geeson) and Sergeant Len Able (Patrick Mower). Forever feigning illness or hiding in their underground "snoggery", the troops are happily getting to grips with each other rather than the enemy. Most prominent of the females is Private Alice Easy (Diane Langton) who tries to charm her new commanding officer but only succeeds in propelling her top button into his system! Private Jennifer Ffoukes-Sharpe (Joan Sims) pines for "Tiger" while everybody – including little Gunner Shorthouse (Melvyn Hayes) – gets a piece of the action. Even after a tip-off to the medical officer, Major Butcher (Julian Holloway) segregation and rigorous training, the unit is still a shower. However, an inspection by the cowardly Brigadier (Peter Jones) and Major Carstairs (Peter Butterworth) is interrupted by an airborne attack and Melly's troops finally prove they are real British bulldogs.

Production

This film featured few established members of the Carry On team. Carry On regular Kenneth Connor played a leading role, but the only other long-time regulars present, Joan Sims and Peter Butterworth, had only small supporting roles.

Windsor Davies, who had joined the series with a main role in the preceding film Carry On Behind, again plays a major role, reprising (in all but name) his Sergeant-Major character from the BBC sitcom It Ain't Half Hot Mum, along with Melvyn Hayes as his effeminate foil. Other main roles are played by established and recognisable actors Judy Geeson and Patrick Mower, both newcomers to the Carry On films.

The role of the Brigadier was written for series regular Kenneth Williams, and the role of Private Easy was written for series regular episodes Barbara Windsor, but Williams was unavailable due to appearing in the stage play, Signed and Sealed, and Windsor was unavailable due to appearing in The Mike Reid Show.

Series regular Sid James was unavailable for the film due to appearing in the stage play, The Mating Season. On the opening night of the play at Sunderland Empire Theatre on 26 April, James died of a heart attack on stage at the age of 62.

The film was originally certified AA by the then British Board of Film Censors which would have restricted audiences to those aged fourteen and over, but was cut down to the non-age limited A certificate by heavily toning down the scenes featuring topless nudity and removing one comedic use of the word fokker. However it still proved to be a major commercial failure and was withdrawn from some cinemas after just three days.

Cast

• Kenneth Connor as Captain S Melly
• Windsor Davies as Sergeant Major "Tiger" Bloomer
• Patrick Mower as Sergeant Len Able
• Judy Geeson as Sergeant Tilly Willing
• Jack Douglas as Bombardier Ready
• Peter Jones as Brigadier
• Diane Langton as Private Alice Easy
• Melvyn Hayes as Gunner Shorthouse
• Peter Butterworth as Major Carstairs
• Joan Sims as Private Jennifer Ffoukes-Sharpe
• Julian Holloway as Major Butcher
• David Lodge as Captain Bull
• Larry Dann as Gunner Shaw
• Brian Osborne as Gunner Owen
• Johnny Briggs as Melly's driver
• Patricia Franklin as Corporal Cook
• Linda Hooks as Nurse
• John Carlin as Officer
• Vivienne Johnson as Freda
• Michael Nightingale as Officer
• Jeremy Connor as Gunner Hiscocks
• Richard Olley as Gunner Parker
• Peter Banks as Gunner Thomas
• Richard Bartlett as Gunner Drury
• Billy J. Mitchell as Gunner Childs
• Peter Quince as Gunner Sharpe
• Paul Toothill as Gunner Gale
• Tricia Newby as Bombardier/Corporal Murray
• Louise Burton as Private Evans
• Jeannie Collings as Private Edwards
• Barbara Hampshire as Private Carter
• Linda Regan as Private Taylor
• Barbara Rosenblat as ATS girl

Crew

• Screenplay – David Pursall & Jack Seddon
• Music – Max Harris
• Production Manager – Roy Goddard
• Art Director – Lionel Couch
• Editor – Richard Marden
• Director of Photography – Ernest Steward
• Camera Operator – Geoffrey Godar
• Wardrobe – Vi Murray & Don Mothersill
• Casting Director – John Owen
• Stills Cameraman – Ken Bray
• Make-up – Geoffrey Rodway
• Sound Recordists – Danny Daniel & Gordon McCallum
• Continuity – Marjorie Lavelly
• Hairdresser – Stella Rivers
• Costume Design – Courtenay Elliott
• Set Dresser – Donald Picton
• Dubbing Editor – Pat Foster
• Assistant Editor – Jack Gardner
• Assistant Director – Jack Causey
• Titles – GSE Ltd
• Processor – Rank Film Laboratories
• Gun – Imperial War Museum
• Producer – Peter Rogers
• Director – Gerald Thomas

Filming and locations

• Filming dates – 3 May-4 June 1976 (Note that Sid James – star of 19 previous entries in the series – died just days before filming on 26 April 1976)

Interiors:

• Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire

Exteriors:

• Pinewood Studios. The orchard was utilised once again as it was for the camping and caravan sites in Carry On Camping and Carry On Behind.
• Black Park, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire

Bibliography

• Davidson, Andy (2012). Carry On Confidential. London: Miwk. ISBN 978-1-908630-01-8.
• Sheridan, Simon (2011). Keeping the British End Up – Four Decades of Saucy Cinema. London: Titan Books. ISBN 978-0-85768-279-6.
• Webber, Richard (2009). 50 Years of Carry On. London: Arrow. ISBN 978-0-09-949007-4.
• Hudis, Norman (2008). No Laughing Matter. London: Apex. ISBN 978-1-906358-15-0.
• Keeping the British End Up: Four Decades of Saucy Cinema by Simon Sheridan (third edition) (2007) (Reynolds & Hearn Books)
• Ross, Robert (2002). The Carry On Companion. London: Batsford. ISBN 978-0-7134-8771-8.
• Bright, Morris; Ross, Robert (2000). Mr Carry On – The Life & Work of Peter Rogers. London: BBC Books. ISBN 978-0-563-55183-6.
• Rigelsford, Adrian (1996). Carry On Laughing – a celebration. London: Virgin. ISBN 1-85227-554-5.
• Hibbin, Sally & Nina (1988). What a Carry On. London: Hamlyn. ISBN 978-0-600-55819-4.
• Eastaugh, Kenneth (1978). The Carry On Book. London: David & Charles. ISBN 978-0-7153-7403-0.

External links

• Carry On England at IMDb