Customer Reviews

Carry on Abroad

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Carry On Abroad (1972) had one of the biggest cast's put together for this late entry to the series. All of the familiar favourites were in the cast which obviously were Sid James, Joan Sims, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Peter Butterworth, Barbara Windsor, Hattie Jaques, Kenneth Connor, Bernard Bresslaw.

The gang all head for the Island of Ellsbells on the mediteranean as part of a holiday package deal. Only problem is that when they arrive at their hotel they are astounded to discover that the building is only half complete and there are a minimum of just three staff members (Peter Butterworth, Hattie Jaques and Ray Brooks).

All possible digs at the expense of package holiday deals are plumbed in this typical British comedy which, although extremley predictable to say the least, does make fun, entertaining viewing and in that fact I do rate it four stars out of five as it stands as one of the funniest later Carry on's. Peter Butterworth and Hattie Jaques steal the film as they made a priceless, almost laurel and Hardy duo here although many of the other teams members have their moments too which include Joan sims (the umbrella sequence at the end is a classic), Sid James who basically plays his usual rogue-like self, Kenneth Williams, who minces around as the incompetent holiday rep and June Whitfield playing Kenneth Connor's frigid wife. Charles Hawtrey by this stge had gone on a downward spiral as he battled on with his ever increasing drink problems andrather sadly, director, Gerald Thomas highlighted this fact by having Hawtrey appear drunk half way through the film as if to try and shock Hawtrey into what his life was becoming like. It did'nt work and Hawtrey was never invited to appear in a Carry On film again. There had also been on-going problems with Hawtrey anyway as he continually caused problems for director Gerald Thomas and Producer Peter Rodgers as he firmly believed his name should be elevated above the title. They would never allow such a privelage saying that nobody is the sole star of the show and that the title, Carry On... would always take precedence. It was a sad end of an era and many claim this was the last true Carry On although Girls (1973), Dick (1974) and Behind (1975) would be of good value.

As for Carry On Abroad, well it serves as a reminder of what true carry On films are about - all fun and games! The film particularly scores well at it's hilarious climax where a torrential storm occurs, leading to the hotel slowly collapsing around their ears, only the gang are all too drunk and feeling far too amorous to even notice or care. Peter Butterworth manically runs round the hotel desperatley trying to get everybody too vacate the building and his efforts are ignored. This hilarious sequence is almost a direct re-working of the famous dinner party scene in Up The Kyber (1968), although there are slight variations. Needless to say the film manages to stay consistently funny throughout the entire film. Carry on Abroad remains a classic comic gem. Recommended.

This is about 25% down from the top of the carry on movies spread of hilarity. It is still worth while watching.

The plot involves different groups of people who end up at the same foreign holiday hotel.

The technical quality is pretty good. It fills a 9:16 screen with no vertical jitter as in past wham productions. There is an audio commentary and one episode of the short carry on television programs.

I hope that wham will continue bringing these out and then loop around and do the same high quality productions of the movies they botched earlier on.

The correct title for this movie is "Carry On Abroad" and its a solid entry in the series. The characters are archetypal "Carry On-ers" - June Whitfield as the "no sex, we're British" housewife, Sid James as a husband with a permanently roving eye, Kenneth Williams as the pernickety tour guide, Charles Hawtrey as the "Mothers Boy" etc. Like other series entries, it belongs in the seaside postcard, music hall tradition of obvious vulgarity in its spoof of disasterous package tour holidays - a hotel with flooding waterworks, bathrooms to be shared between two rooms, construction work that begins at 5am, plagues of mosquitoes in the dining room etc.And there's also that priceless dialogue. For example, (a)Barbara Windsor: I want a relationship that's going to last. Boyfriend: Who says it won't last?...we don't go home until tomorrow afternoon. (b) (In the dining room) Joan Sims: I wouldn't mind a roll. Sid James: Great, lets go upstairs. Joan Sims: I mean a sausage roll... However, despite spiraling disasters, a Spanish love potion ensures that the holiday isn't without its sparkle....and the movie certainly isn't without one either.

Carry On Abroad truly encapsulates the feel-good spirit that made the films such an enduring success. Nearly all of the teams favourite regulars are here as well as some extra additions to the cast line-up. The usual batch of players that are present and clearly on good form are Sid James, Joan Sims, Kenneth Williams, Peter Butterworth, Charles Hawtrey, Babara Windsor, Hattie Jaques, Kenneth Connor and Bernard Bresslaw and are joined by Scottish comedian Jimmy Logan and a host of other familiar T.V stars of the day such as June Whitfield, Ray Brooks, Carol Hawkins, Derek Francis, Patsy Rolands, Sally Geeson and John Clive.

Vic (Sid James) and Cora Flange (Joan Sims) join a pack of tourists on a package holiday deal to the Island of Elsbells. Vic's plans had already been mucked up as the holiday was intended to be a dirty weekend with his mistress, Sadie Tomkins (Babara Windsor) but all plans went down the drain after Cora (Joan Sims) decides she'd like to go along on holiday to keep an eye on her straying husband thus thwarting any such plans of a romatic rendesvous with Sadie Tomkins (Barbara Windosr).

Once all the tourists arrive at their destination, they are astounded to discover that the hotel is only half built and there are no more than three staff members (Peter Buterworth, Hattie Jaques and Ray Brooks). So follows several comic mishaps that are all as predictable as ever yet remains entertaining throughout with an ever healthy injection of laughs to be endured. Theres great fun throughout the film, especially where the gang get arrested and end spensing a night in jail , following a fight that occurs during a trip to the market.

However its the ending where the film really scores best as a torrential rainstorm occurs and the hotel slowly begins collapsing around their ears. Only problem is everyone is too drunk and feeling far too amorous to even care. Peter Butterworth manically runs round trying to get everyone to vacate the building but his efforts are blatantly ignored. You can't help thinking of Basil Fawlty in those sequences! There is a wonderful scene with Sid James and Joan Sims during these sequences when they are about to enjoy a spot of passion and then suddenly the roof caves in and they're drenched through from the rain. Hilarious stuff.

The film has a happy ending and the fun sequence where the gang are all reunited and decide to have a lock in at Vic and Coras pub is one of the best endings in a Carry On film, firmly holding onto that fine, feel-good spirit which would slowly dissolve from here on.

The cast are all on usual form, though Peter Butterworth and Hattie Jaques are perharps the best players here. They make an almost Laurel and Hardy kind of duo and Jaques in particular is an unusual role, playing a Spanish, downtrodden and seemingly demented cook. The rest of the cast certainly get their moments including Joan Sims in the hilarious umbrella sequence where she and Sid James are suddenly soaked from the roof collapsing during the storm of the last night just when they were planning a bit of nookie. Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey hilariously mince around during the majority of the film, putting in their more familiar characterisations whilst Jimmy Logan is a welcome addition to the cast who provides sparkle in every scene hes in.

Other stars such as Carol Hawkins, Sally Geeson, Ray Brooks, John Clive and David Kernan all add to the sparkle. The audio commentary to Carry On Abroad is the best in the series with never a dull moment as Carol Hawkins, Sally Geeson, John Clive and David Kernan share their memories and offer jolly anecdotes about their time making Carry On Abroad. Lively and fun to listen to.

All in all, Carry On Abroad was one of the last true great Carry On's. The series was on a slipey slope now and this would also be the last to feature Charles Hawtrey - a much loved regular in the series. Carry On Abroad was on the greatest of all the 1970's Carry On's and proved
to be another big smash hit at the Box Office. Great fun. Recommended.