Carry on Camping

One of the most popular films in series, it is broad and amusing, and accompanied by quite a good score this time, yet it is only intermittently very funny. The sexual humour is at times rather amusing, and Kenneth Williams sparkles in his role, but arguably it is sillier than the par of Carry On films, with the last ten minutes or so of the film being really utter nonsense. In addition, having too many main characters means that they do not get a chance to be developed very well. But overall, it is quite an enjoyable experience nonetheless, with a number of very entertaining, even if not hilarious, scenes.

This movie (a real guilty pleasure for me) contains one of the best convoluted gags in movie history. The boys drive up to what they believe to be the nudist camp they're searching for. A sign states "All Asses Must Be Shown". The boys guffaw, their girlfriends are appalled. Sid asks where the manager is. "He's gone for a pee" is the reply. Soon, the scruffy manager appears, hitching up his pants, carrying a wooden letter "P" which he proceeds to nail onto the sign so it now reads "All Passes Must Be Shown".

Most of the other jokes are old as the hills (and welcome nonetheless), but whoever came up with this elaborate bit of business belongs in the Charles Kaufman/Preston Sturges/Jacques Tati club.

This certainly one of the better CARRY ON films which had me laughing out loud at the scene where the farmer is lecturing his pregnant daughter " You don`t know what his name was ? Couldn`t you have asked to whom do I owe the pleasure ? "

The door is knocked and the farmer answers it to a man wanting some milk : " Oh hello there. I was round earlier and your daughter gave me it . And I would like some more please , but don`t worry I`m willing to pay for it this time "

Cut to farmer aiming his gun

Classic scene

I don't consider the Carry On movies the best movies I have seen or anything, but I do find them very entertaining. Carry on Camping is for me one of the better movies of the series, it is very funny and lively. It is perhaps too short, and the big slapstick finale was a wee bit of a disappointment compared to other scenes of the film such as the wonderful double entendre incidents. That said, it looks great, one of the better-looking Carry Ons I think, the music is quirky, the direction is lively and the film moves quickly. Not to mention a nice story, some hilarious dialogue and some of the funnier comedy set pieces from any Carry On movie. And the cast are on top form- Sidney James has a ball as an unlikely hippy, Kenneth Williams is delightful as pretty much always, Barbara Windsor brightens up the screen with her presence, Charles Hawtrey is hilarious and Peter Butterworth has possibly his finest hour as the miserly site owner. Overall, very entertaining, high art it isn't, but fun it is. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Sid Boggle (Sid James) and his friend Bernie Lugg (Bernard Bresslaw) hatch a plan to take their girlfriends, Joan Fussey (Joan Sims) and Anthea Meeks (Dilys Laye), to a nudist campsite called Paradise. However, when they get there it's not the paradise they envisaged, full of odd balls and bad British weather, things only perk up when a coach load of girls turn up. Trouble is, the guys must get shot of their girlfriends first.

Oddly, Carry On Camping is a film that is revered by the series fans yet frowned upon by critics. Plot wise I'm inclined to agree with the critics, it's as basic as can be and is nothing other than a series of vignettes weaved together to create a lurid camping based holiday film. Tis true, but hell the comedy is good here, smutty and awash with innuendo and making the most of the double meaning of the word camping. It's also one of the series best roll calls as regards its cast, most of the big hitters are here, it's easier to just say Jim Dale and Kenneth Connor are the two notable absentees.

From the sight of Barbara Windsor's bra shooting thru the air, to the hapless Terry Scott having buck shot removed from his posterior, Camping has no other intentions other than to titter the discerning Carry On fan. What often gets forgotten tho, is just what great comedy actors some of these series regulars were, witness here a sequence in a tent as Terry Scott, Charles Hawtrey and Betty Marsden attempt to get ready for bed, comedy gold. So one for fans only it seems, hooray for me then because I love Carry On Camping, always have, always will. 8/10