Carry on Loving

This film is about hooking up and stars Sid James as Sidney Bliss, who runs the Wedded Bliss Agency along with Hattie Jacques. A series of lonely hearts come in looking for their significant others and this movie basically is a series of vignettes about what happens. The worlds do collide somewhat and while things get chaotic, they are also fun. This film is truly a product of its time in that there are open displays of affection and the young ladies wear miniskirts. This was the first film with the very pretty Jacki Piper, buts its the ensemble aspect of this film which makes it work. Its a sex comedy without the nudity. Its fun and enjoyable.

Sex is all the rage in the small city of "Much Snogging-on-the-Green" with everyone talking about it, doing it or talking about doing it. In the midst of all this the Wedded Bliss computer dating agency uses "computer technology" to try and bring together those unlucky enough not to be getting any. Meanwhile the unmarried Percival Snooper dispenses marital guidance for those unlucky enough to be already hitched.

A review by TC Raymond on this very site suggests that this "isn't a prime candidate for the best in the series" but goes on to say how good it is. Of course I agree strongly with that specific statement if not his overall opinion. Of course Loving is not up there as the best of the series and the reason for this is because it is actually at the other end of the scale with the Carry On films made in the 1970's that generally saw the series lose touch with the spoofs and wit of the better films (such as Khyber for example). The plot is a series of double-entendres, sexual misunderstandings and people talking at cross purposes. You see, the big joke is that they sound like they're talking about sex but really they're not – oh my splitting sides. Now I'm not against a bit of that (I'm bl00dy doing it now) but it doesn't make a film on its own and sadly this is the majority of the comedy and there is little else here. I barely laughed once I think but I suppose those that think the "Confessions" films are the height of comedy will like this and find value in it.

The cast are mostly poor. O'Callaghan made me realise just how good Jim Dale was because the former is pretty awful in the character often played by the latter. James is always good at the sort of lecherous character he is given here and he is amusing. Williams is his usual self but his material is weak and he deserves better (as indeed many of them do). Sims and Jacques play the clichéd women's roles while Piper is the totty. At least Hassall is different from the usual female character within this series. Small turns from Scott, Bresslaw and a few others don't add that much.

Overall then a pretty poor film which is sadly where the Carry On series found itself as it lurched towards its death in the 1970's. Viewers who love saucy postcards and smutty jokes may find some value in it but for the majority I suspect it is too basic and obvious to be worth watching. Befitting the quality of the script the whole thing ends in one big messy pile, which is a pretty good summary of the quality of the whole affair if you ask me (and yes I know you didn't).

This is a bit daft, but its not as bad as the last 2, its just a bit stilted and set in the 70's sex scene.

Sid James is back on top billing, and its got plenty of regulars, Ken Williams, Charlie Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Hattie Jacques, Terry Scott, Peter Butterworth, Bernard Bresslaw, Julian Holloway and new girl Jacki Piper, Joan Hickson returns after a long gap, and there is anew boy Richard O'Callaghan, he only did 2 , but with a high profile. Two cameos were performed by Bill Pertwee (Dad's Army) and Bill Maynard (Heartbeat) who went on to do a few more.

This was all a bit average and I was going to give it a 6 until the wedding party at the end which was hilarious, so it raised it one star.

I personally liked this Carry On. True the story is thin, Terry Scott is nothing special(in my opinion)-in fact I found him bland- really and the film spends too much time on Scott and the regulars feel underused in comparisons. However, it does look good, with the cinematography, locations and scenery first rate, and the music was energetic. I liked the pacing, and the innuendos and double entendres. And the cast in general are likable, Sidney James and Kenneth Williams are always good value as is Joan Sims, Charles Hawtrey and Hattie Jaques, while Joan Hickson and Imogen Hassal make delightful appearances. Overall, Carry on Loving is not brilliant, but it is definitely watchable for fans of the series. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Again, this turned out to be more enjoyable than I was anticipating – despite the essential lack of plot and the general feeling that the regulars are merely going through the paces. The premise – or, more precisely, series of sketches – revolve around Sidney James and Hattie Jacques' matrimonial agency; several people with various hang-ups turn up at their door – including marital consultant (but confirmed bachelor) Kenneth Williams, Terry Scott and inexperienced Richard O'Callaghan. The thing is that James and Jacques aren't married themselves, and he's been having a fling with Joan Sims (who's herself doted upon by pony-tailed wrestler Bernard Bresslaw)!

Many generally amusing complications arise from this situation, though a lot of time is spent with the younger generation at the expense of the series stalwarts (Peter Butterworth, for instance, only gets an unbilled – albeit great – cameo). Some of the better moments include: Scott's visit to the house of proposed soulmate Imogen Hassall, with relatives who seem to have strayed in from an episode of THE ADDAMS FAMILY TV series!; their date in her flat (she eventually has a startling make-over), which is constantly interrupted by the arrival of her ostensibly engaged flat-mates; the unexpected arousal of Williams' stuffy housekeeper Patsy Rowlands after he brings home Jacques, and then Sims turns up to seduce him (because James wants to get back with Jacques) – the scene is further complicated by the arrival of the raging Bresslaw, who's however hilariously knocked-out by the charged-up Rowlands!; the side-splitting pie-throwing finale during James and Jacques' marriage – which is definitely one of the highlights of the entire series.

P.S. Hammer Films starlet Yutte Stensgaard's scenes were deleted from the released version (reportedly, she was also in CARRY ON AGAIN DOCTOR [1969] – but I didn't recognize her in that one).