Cuidado com a Popa

I couldn't dislike this amiable family comedy/farce, about a hapless and accident prone ordinary seaman, Blissworth, played by one of my favourite comedy actors of the 50's and 60's, Kenneth Connor. He's surrounded by many of the usual 'carry on' characters, such as Sid James, who's always a joy to watch, Hattie Jacques, who's cast as the well built and highly intimidating scientist, and the wonderful Joan Sims, playing the romantic interest on board the ship. The humour is gentle with dialogue not being peppered every two minutes with the explicit sexual vulgarity of the later 'carry on' films. The storyline about the plans for a new torpedo being lost by able seaman Blissworth gives Kenneth Connor full range to exploit his comic talents and impersonations, which hitherto he had demonstrated through the medium of radio in the 50's. I also loved seeing Noel Purcell, playing the growling and constantly outraged bearded admiral. For today's audience, the humour may seem dated but it does give film goers the opportunity to see a galaxy of British radio and TV stars all together in one film.

There were a number of naval comedies made at this time,Carry On Admiral,Up the Creek,The Navy Lark.This is is one of the lesser examples of these nautical comedies.Kenneth Connor was a fine comedy character actor but he wasnt capable of carrying a film with a rather unfunny script.Eric Sykes and Spike Milligan contribute an unpleasant racist cameo

I watched this film on British television quite a long time ago. I remember it as being a perfectly acceptable black and white British comedy, in the style of the better Carry On movies. Despite a cast of successful British comic actors, it is really memorable for the performances of star Kenneth Connor, whose character I seem to recall disguises himself as a woman and a Scottish scientist (there may have been other disguises that I can't remember so well). Connor was surely the most versatile and underrated actor of the Carry On ensemble, and this film showcases him at his best.

This is not a Carry On film but it does feature a lot of the regulars but also has less of the innuendo as well.

A naval ship are testing a new experimental torpedo but the top secret plans get accidentally destroyed so the crew have a scheme to sneak in another copy before the Admiral comes into inspect them with Doctor Potter, the top scientist.

Kenneth Connor gets the bulk of the screen time as he dons several disguises to get his hands on the plan. This is a gentle but dated comedy very reminiscent of those early black and white Carry On films but I never found it more than mildly amusing and nothing much stands out as most of the cast apart from Connor are playing it straight even Sid James.

The is an odd cameo from Eric Sykes and Spike Milligan with Milligan playing a comedy Indian character which is very much of its time. What is not of its time is the top scientist turns out to be female.

Some of the external location scenes for this film, were shot at the then H.M. Dockyard, Chatham, when it was still a working Naval Dockyard. The Dockyard is now closed, but the historical part, which includes the Main Gatehouse seen in the film, is open to the public. The gatehouse has featured in a number of TV programmes and films. In one film, 'Let Him Have It', which told the story of Derek Bentley, the Gatehouse was used to depict the entrance to the prison, where Bentley was held prior to his execution. Other parts of the Dockyard used includes the Admirals Offices, which was used in the first series of the British TV series 'Cats Eyes', filmed in the early 1980's, which starred Jill Gascoigne and Leslie Ash.