Carry on Constable

A flu epidemic has reduced the local police station down to a skeleton crew. Hope arrives in the form of four recruits - - that's no hope mind you...

Carry On Constable introduced the wonderful Sid James to the series, he would become one of the most beloved actors to Carry On film fans. Ironically "Constable" finds James somewhat removed from the type of character he would become known for, it's a restrained role and showcases his acting abilities as an official figure type, the glue binding the whole play together.

The fourth film in the Carry On series retains the more genteel comedy factors that had imbued the previous three outings, though this would be the first to show nudity! Four policemen's bums gleaming bright! A scene that provides a splendid anecdote in Kenneth Williams brilliant book, Just Williams (I urge anyone interested in classic film/TV/radio/stage to check it out).

Plot basically pitches the four recruits, Williams, Leslie Phillips, Charles Hawtrey and Kenneth Connor (brilliant as usual as a superstitious sort) into a number of chaotic physical situations mined for laughs. Back at the station Sgt. Frank Wilkins (James) is pulling his hair out at the ineptitude of his new charges - and that of his ignoramus boss, Inspector Mills (Eric Barker). Joan Sims is on hand to steam the collar of Kenny Connor, just as Phillips lusts after any female form, while Hattie Jaques provides a glimpse of her tender character acting side as the station's sensible soul.

There's some drag dressings played for good laughs, a whole bunch of scenes where the not so intrepid coppers get taken for fools, and a few deftly scripted lines guaranteed to raise a smile. Elsewhere there's a raft of super character actors in cameos who beautifully portray the classic eccentricities of the Brits of the era, so take a bow Irene Handl, Esma Cannon and Joan Hickson (wonderful as a posh drunken lush). Never riotous or bawdy, "Constable" is still a fondly thought of entry in the long running series, as are most of the black and white productions. It shows a group of film makers very much of the time and using it to the max. Lovely. 8/10

I've recently been working my way through these earlier, black-and-white CARRY ONS, finding them a breath of fresh air after the stale sauciness of the later entries. CARRY ON CONSTABLE, while proving less imaginative and well-made than some of the other entries made around the same time (such as NURSE and REGARDLESS) is still a fun little film.

Sid James joins the series as a likable sergeant forever at the mercy of his stuffy superior (a wonderfully straight-laced Eric Barker). After a flu epidemic, he takes on five new recruits (Williams, Connor, Hawtrey, Phillips and Sims) who soon get into all manner of pratfalls. The cast are good, even if the jokes aren't (most of them are over obvious, such as the bit with the out-of-control police dog). Even the predictable ending lacks bite when compared to the genuine thrills that concluded the later CARRY ON CABBY.

There's more of an emphasis on sweet romance here than crude gags, which is a pleasure. Williams plays the smug one, Hawtrey is accident prone and scene-stealing, as ever, while Sims plays it relatively straight and Phillips chases skirt wherever he can (Shirley Eaton memorably pops up out of the bathtub in one scene). Connor is unfortunately saddled with a superstitious character who ends up more irritating than amusing. There are better CARRY ON films out there, but compared to the ones being made a decade later this is pure class.

The fourth film in the long running British comedy series, Constable sees Sid James making his Carry On debut as Sergeant Frank Wilkins, whose police station has been hit by a flu epidemic leaving him relying on rookie officers to make up the numbers. Fresh from training college, PC Charlie Constable (Kenneth Connor), PC Timothy Gorse (Charles Hawtrey), PC Stanley Benson (Kenneth Williams) and PC Tom Potter (Leslie Phillips) make a series of blunders that look likely to result in Sgt Wilkins' transfer to another station. In order to make up for their mistakes, the four newbies attempt to track down and arrest a tough gang of thieves they believe to be holed up somewhere nearby.

Constable sees little bit of cheeky innuendo ('You stupid constable!, 'I've lost my pussy') and gratuitous bare flesh (four bare male backsides and Shirley Eaton in her underwear) creeping into the Carry On formula, making this one a stepping stone between the more gentle comedy of the earlier films and the more ribald humour of latter entries. For much of the running time, though, the film is simply good-natured knockabout fun, consisting of a series of amusing episodic scenes, with a little romance thrown in for good measure, the whole thing coming together for a predictable feel-good ending designed to leave the viewer with a warm glow. As always, the likable cast put in winning performances, and as silly as it all undeniably gets, it's hard not to have a reasonably good time.

This is one of the first Carry-On films and, consequently is one of the best. The chemistry of the stars is already there and Connor's as the superstitious constable in love with a co-workers from afar, and Williams as the scientific deduction 'expert' both shine above the rest.

Sid James is surprisingly poorly used as the Sargeant supervising the chaos, but still a very funny movie throughout and one which should be included in anybody's Carry-On collection.

This was the fourth of the Carry On series and although dated by the police uniforms is one of the best simply because all of the regulars are equally well used and for once Sid James is kept under control and used as a foil for some of the situations which works well with his expressive face. Kenneth Williams is still in the intellectual role which eventually gave way to the over-the-top persona in the later films. Leslie Phillips gels well with the others ( even better than he did in Carry On Teacher )

If anything this film underuses the female stalwarts with Hattie Jacques and Joan Sims being love interests.