Com jeito vai... Marujo

A nautical tale of mutiny, identity theft and laughs. What Carry on Jack lacks in terms of regulars, it more than makes up for in jokes.

It is unfairly seen as one of the lesser entries, in the shadows of Camping, Screaming and Doctor, but Jack has some great moments. As always it looks terrific, with great sets and costumes.

Kenneth Williams is great, Charles Hawtrey arguably steals she show. So many great one liners, one of the finest moments being... Walter, Walter...... Yess....

It would have been nice if Sid James, Barbara Windsor and Kenneth Connor had appeared, but the cast here give it a very different flavour.

A very worthy film, 8/10.

As a fan of the entire Carry On .... series, I was always disposed to like this movie. True, it had few regulars, but the script allowed the cast to shine. Kenneth Williams gives his usual over-the-top performance as the anything-but-fearless Captain Fearless, Juliet Mills gives the most amusingly unconvincing impersonation of a man since Some Like It Hot, and Bernard Cribbins is great as the good-hearted, but woefully naive Albert Poopdecker. Charlie Hawtrey plays his usual character as well as ever, and all in all the plot once more becomes just the backdrop for all the gags, double entendre, and slapstick we all expect and love from the movies we know so well.

Caught the second half of "Carry On Jack" about seven years ago. Thought it was completely unreal.

I recognized Cribbins from the Doctor Who movies with Peter Cushing. Here he reminds me a bit like John Cleese at times, and Trevor Bannister off "Are You Being Served?"

Clearly he is filling the blank left by Kenneth Conner.

Wonder why Juliet Mills appeared in this? As Haley's sister and Sir John's daughter, surely she could have gotten whatever she wanted and didn't have to join this bandwagon.

She reminded me of the young girl who "posed" as a boy in "Swiss Family Robinson". Not at all convincing.

The cow in the lifeboat bit was good.

The amputation joke would have NEVER existed in American film or television back in '64.

The one joke I always recalled was 'the captain fell on deck right where that plaque is.'

"I'm not surprised, I nearly tripped over the silly thing the other day myself."

When I first heard that line, I had to do a triple take.

No, Sid James, Kenneth Conner, Joan Sims, dear Hattie and Barbara Windsor (thus far, I have only seen her in one, Carry On Spying) weren't in this one.

The interchanging performers basically doing the same characters is a standout for this assortment of movies.

Now on to the next Carry On: Carry On Cowboy.

yee-hah!

I do like the Carry On films in general, and while Jack is not the best, it is still amusing. I have to admit I do prefer Cleo, Screaming and Khyber, but I do think it is better than Columbus, England and Emmanuelle, which I consider the nadirs of the series. Jack does have its problems, it does have a thin story, some of the pacing isn't as secure as it could have been and I do miss Joan Sims, Sidney James and Hattie Jaques. However, the film looks great, great costumes and sets, and while never absolutely hilarious it is amusing enough. And the acting is fairly good, Charles Hawtrey almost steals the show, Kenneth Williams isn't given as much to do but he is good, Jim Dale's is small but he is hilarious, Juliet Mills is pleasant (and has a great derriere), while Bernard Cribbins is very likable. Overall, not outstanding but worth watching. 7/10 Bethany Cox

On his deathbed, Nelson calls for a larger British Navy, a point that the Admiralty agree on. Problem is that they have limited men left – a problem that leads to them finally allowing Albert Poop-Decker to pass out despite him having failed consistently for the past 8 years. However a visit to a house of ill-repute sees him knocked out by Sally and his uniform stolen; things get worse when he is then picked up by a pressgang and taken to the very ship that he was meant to be serving on. He can't even get his job back, because Sally has dressed as him and has taken his place convincingly. While Albert tries to cope with this, he unwittingly finds a plot by First Officer Jonathon Howett to remove Captain Fearless from command of the Venus.

I'm not entirely what to make of the decision to show this film on the day also taken to mark the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar (28th June 2005) but I decided to watch it anyway. Notable for being the first time that the Carry On series went for a full on historical setting with full costumes this film isn't really notable for anything else. Lacking many of the regulars, the material is not as funny as it could have been as it aims for a broad spoof that lacks enough clever lines to be considered a strong entry in the series. This is not to say that it is not amusing because, like many of the series, it is broadly entertaining in a very basic way and is fun if you like the series – just don't expect to be bowled over by it.

The lack of the regulars is a bit of a problem but the film soldiers on regardless. Williams is enjoyable as Fearless, delivering his usual performance to good effect. Cribbins takes on the role usually played by Jim Dale (who turns up in a minor role) and does it reasonably well. Mills is quite good looking but not much else and she looks like a man in exactly the same way that Brittany Spears doesn't. Houston and Herbert provide some gruff support and do well despite not providing any laughs. Hawtrey is his usual self again to good effect.

Overall not a great film or a great entry in the series but it is broadly amusing and will please fans of the series. A few more regulars and a lot sharper and wittier lines would have made it much better but it is what it is and I guess you'll already know if you'll like it or not before you watch it.