Carry On... Up the Khyber

This film defines British comedy. The jokes, puns, and characters are all classic carry on. I'd say this is the best of the series, and atcually the most accomplished plot-wise. The 'dining room attack' scene, I think, is one of the best moments in film history, and should be seen. Highly recommended.

If you're American or British, you've probably watched some French classics, among them acclaimed comedies like "The Visitors", "Amelie" or "Dinner For Schmucks" but are you familiar with "The Charlots" or "The Seventh Company"?

These are staples of popular comedy whose appeal never crossed frontiers because of the very literalness of their popularity. So you might enjoy foreign movies from France, Sweden, Japan or Iceland and call yourself a legitimate cinephile: yet there's always an invisible barrier that can't be crossed and would keep many foreign gems in the dark except for the lucky or the perseverant type. I guess I'm one of these happy few because I just discovered the "Carry On" series and here's how it happened.

Since the beginning of the year, I've been regularly watching movies from the British Film Institute Top 100 and I was looking for one with a shorter runtime, "Carry On... Up the Khyber" had 88 minutes and after three black-and-white "kitchen-sink" dramas, I needed laughs, colors and goofiness. The opening credits convinced me that I'd made the right choice and this is my best comedic discovery since Woody Allen's "What's New Tiger Lily?". The film is outrageously funny and even if I didn't get more than half the references, I take pride for having never gone through one half-minute without a good chuckle at the very worst.

And so... what a jolly good journey in that Khyber Pass, a remote British camp in the Indian mountainside with not-so friendly neighbors from Kalabar, who could pass as Indians, Afghans or Arabs but you if you expect accuracy anywhere, I'd recommend the film's cousin "Zulu" with Michael Caine. The head governor of the province is Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond (Sidney James), assisted by Captain Keene (Roy Castle) and Major Shorthouse (Julian Holloway) and guarding the Pass, there's the glorious Third Foot & Mouth Regiment lead by Sergeant MacNutt (Terry Scott) who notices the shameful secret of cowardly Private James Widdle (Charles Hawtrey) contradicting the very legend of the 'Devils in Skirts' regarding what they have beneath their kilts or as a matter of fact, what they don't.

Those were the British Empire glory days and it's very fitting that the military legend of the Empire where the sun never set involved the place where the moon didn't shine. And in the very context of the film, it also tells you what kind of humor it aims: right below the kilt... making it -one year before these TV shows' releases- the spiritual predecessor of "The Benny Hill Show" and "Monty Python's Flying Circus". Now, let's move back to the plot (literally).

One of the Karaban army generals Bungdit Din (the giant Bernard Bresslaw) discovers what lies under an unconscious Widdle's kilt and brings the exhibit (no pun intended) to the Khasi of Kalabar (Kenneth Williams) who is enjoying a game of polo with his daughter Princess Jelhi (Angela Douglas) and is exchanging diplomatic smiles with the governor and Lady Ruff-Diamond (Joan Sims). It's interesting that the Khasi has servants doing the sex for him and the governor and his wife are sexually frustrated so the whole exchange of gazes and salutes in pure deliberate camp still hits that right note as it can tell you what libidinous thoughts hide behind the character's minds. At that point of the film, I decided to read a little trivia and realized that "Carry On", the film I was watching was the 16th and arguably the best entry (hence its BFI inclusion) of a series that spanned more movies than James Bond. And I had never heard of it. That made the discovery all the more thrilling for I knew I was getting educated into something exclusively British.

Resuming my viewing, I got myself transported from one gag to another, from a hilarious under-the-kilt inspection to a visit incognito to Khasi's harem, the film uses every possible gags, not too much slapsticks, a lot of double entendres and a great deal of naughty naughty humor, the kind of humor where the wrong of a woman going ti another man (Lady Joan to the Khasi) is righted by many women sent to the governor who (as you might guess it) isn't too displeased for these tiffin session. This is a film where a religious man saves women from heresy by making love to them, he's Brother Belcher (Butterworth). This is a film where a girl asks which her mother is and her father says: "Foolish child! How many times do I have to tell you? She with the emerald eyes and hair of copper... and number thirty-two stamped on her back."

The film wasn't shot on location but in Pinewood studios, it didn't embarrass itself with historical accuracy, it doesn't mock Indian traditions but a certain Kiplingesque view of it, it doesn't mock cultural gaps but demonstrate that despite them, commanders from each side are enjoying the comfort of their cushy jobs and their little privileges and benefits in kind (one that goes with the term 'tiffin'). It still decides to remain British through a riveting climactic dinner scene that gives its full sense to the "stiff upper lip" spirit (an obligatory trope in any British war film) with the orchestra playing while the governor's place is being bombarded and when a fakir's severed head is served on a plate and a few bricks fall on the table, these inconveniences only meet downplayed remarks, the best one belonging to Joan Sims "I'm a little plastered".

There's something so refreshing in that era where anything could be sources of laugh. Such a film would be impossible... except maybe for the kilt gag, because... well, who's the joke's on?

Probably the best of the Carry-Ons. Genuinely funny performances from all the actors and a classic script.

Watch Carry on up the Khyber and then watch Zulu. Two films about the British made in the 1960's both of them perfect in their own way.

This is now generally regarded as the best CARRY ON movie which,in retrospect,may not be saying that much.On the other hand,there seems to be an increasing fondness here in Britain(and perhaps even the US)for the series' persistent innuendo,cheerful vulgarity,slapstick corn,and venerable comic performers(most of whom are sadly long since gone) now nearly four decades after it's peak.Compared with much cinema gross-out humour today(as typified by the Farrelly Brothers in the US,with the UK's SEX LIVES OF THE POTATO MEN not far behind,perhaps literally!),the CARRY ON style of fun with it's saucy double entendres virtually present in every line seems oddly charming and innocent when in previous generations appeared as crude and tasteless,certainly to many weary film critics of the time.It could come across as witless and repetitive,as it certainly did in the later CARRY ON's of the 1970's(when the series finally finished),but despite the relentless puns on view here,UP THE KHYBER executes them all with an unexpected style,panache and energy,with arguably the entire series' most memorable visual gags and genuinely funny verbal one-liners.

The talented comedians on view,Sid James,Kenneth Williams,Peter Butterworth,Joan Sims,Terry Scott,Charles Hawtrey,Bernard Bresslaw,etc. are all on fine comic form throughout,handling the timing with considerable aplomb,with the farcical plot(the film's only negative point;it is never subtle,and it's attempts at satire are fleeting to say the least,probably very deliberately)about colonial conflict in India caused by British 'Devils in Skirts' not turning out in underwear oddly seeming to work rather well.It has great confidence and courage in it's convictions,and some lines and ideas("Gone For Tiffin","Fakir,Off!!",the 'Arsitarsi' tribe),and especially the dining room sequence(perhaps the funniest in the series' entire history)are the very best examples of typical lowbrow British humour.

Even the production values seem above average for the CARRY ON's,admittedly streamlined but still fairly elaborate and convincing,only faltering in it's actual depiction of the Khyber Pass itself,which is actually Snowdonia in North Wales.The film's very non-PC racial stereotyping and impersonation could be a problem for some,but may in fact add a certain extra period charm.

UP THE KHYBER represents CARRY ON humour at it's peak,preceded as it was by some of the other best efforts in the series(CLEO,SCREAMING,DOCTOR).With the arrival of the 70's,the CARRY ON's went into gradual decline from around 1973,ending in EMMANUELLE in 1978,generally recognised as the worst,before the critically-derided COLUMBUS emerged in 1992.UP THE KHYBER,however,shows us how amusing the series could be at it's best.

1895. The British colonisation of Indian continues despite the threat posed by the Khasi of Kalabar and his loyal army of Burpers. Rebellion seems imminent when it is discovered that the feared 3rd Foot in Mouth Regiment (The Devils in Skirts) actually wear underwear under their kilts. When the Khasi receives proof of this he starts an uprising among Bungdit Din's Burgers against the British forces under Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond. However Captain Keene leads a small group of men deep into Indian in an attempt to stop the approaching massacre.

If you hate the Carry On films with a passion then chances are you will hate this one as well. However for fans or those who enjoy the sense of humour when it works, then it is likely that you will love this film as it is one of the best of the series. The plot is very un-PC by today's standards (imagine having so many white actors playing Indians today?) but this isn't really important here. The plot is actually quite well developed for a carry on film and acts as a suitable framework for the jokes, allowing it to feel like a film rather than just a series of sketches and innuendo held together by the thinnest of threads.

The plot certainly helps but it is the strength of the script that makes this such an enjoyable film (if you can call a script full of innuendo `strong'). The film has so many really enjoyable lines that it is impossible to list them all; of course, if you don't like their breed of innuendo then you shan't like this but I do and this is as good and as honed as they got it. Lines such as `rank stupidity', `Fakir. Off', `and up yours' and `I wouldn't trust him an inch' are all well scripted and display a higher class of innuendo (if you know what I mean): even character names are good if not subtle; Ginger Hale, Bungdit Din, Jelhi, Busti and Khasi to name a few. It helps of course that the cast are so talented at this type of comedy and deliver their lines with perfect timing and perfect facial expressions and reactions. James and Williams lead the cast and are easily the best two in the whole film - they have the best lines, the best reactions and the best timing. The rest of the Carry On regulars are all very assured and delivered the material with the ability of pro's; Hawtrey, Scott, Sims, Bresslaw, Butterworth and Douglas are all very good and it is true that this is almost a who's who of British comedy of the time. Roy Castle is good but he is very much a straightman in the piece.

Overall, this is the film that those new to the Carry On series should seek out as it is one of the films where they had the best material (plot and script) as well as a full cast of very talented British comedians. It is still based on innuendo and silly gags but it is funny and enjoyable.