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.

"Sid" (Sidney James) and "Sophie" (Hattie Jacques) run the "Wedded Bliss" dating agency that supposedly uses complex computer algorithms to match couples. Their cleverly entitled "to wit to woo" brochure is supposed to help make true love blossom but it's a "Carry On" so of course you're going to get the mismatches of the century playing out for the next ninety minutes. This is one of the more memorable of the franchise for me. The comedy bond between James and Jacques was always a strong one and here there is just enough humour - as opposed to tacky innuendo - to keep the thing entertaining enough with Joan Sims and a rather unlikely Lothario in Terry Scott, adding well too. It's not one of the better roles for Kenneth Williams ("Snooper"), Charles Hawtrey's "Bedsop" was actually quite annoying and it definitely recycles a few earlier ideas just once too often, but as these films go this is a slightly better effort that maybe raises a titter rather than a laugh and passes the time in a predictably smutty fashion.

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.

As a child of the 70s I was practically raised on Carry Ons, the films being perfect TV scheduling for rainy Sunday afternoons in particular. And yet, despite my familiarity with the series, I have no recollection of seeing Carry On Loving before now. It could be that programmers deemed it too saucy for daytime viewing, but I reckon the obvious answer is that it simply wasn't considered all that funny, especially in comparison with perennial favourites like Screaming, Camping and Up the Jungle.

'Loving' stars Sid James and Hattie Jacques as Sidney Bliss and Sophie Plummet, proprietors of The Wedded Bliss marriage bureau, who bring people together with the aid of a high-tech computer system (or so the customers are led to believe). Much hilarity ensues as the result of mismatched couples—or at least that's the idea; sadly, the thin plot, unmemorable characters and mediocre gags go to make this one of the poorer Carry Ons.

Still, even a weak Carry On has its moments: this one features the very lovely Jacki Piper (June from 'Up The Jungle) stripping down to her undies a couple of times, sees inexperienced introvert Jenny Grubb (Imogen Hassall) transformed into a super sexy model much to the delight of randy suitor Terence Philpot (Terry Scott), and wraps things up with a fun food fight, cream pies and cakes being flung with much gusto.

5.5 out of 10, rounded up to 6 for the cracking crumpet. Phwoarr!

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).