Carry on Spying

I cannot believe at the time of writing this review this film has an average of 6.2, this is a 9 surely. Over 50 years on this remains a hilarious James Bond spoof. Banned from using characters from the James Bond franchise, Gerald Thomas creates Agent Charlie bind, 00-0. Kenneth Williams leads a team of British spies who must take on the STENCH criminals and capture the stolen formula of Professor Stark, who was blown up by the Milk man at the start. Spying stands out from the other early Carry on films by being very camp, Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey are on fine form. Barbara Windsor has just finished playing Gloria in the Rag Trade, she makes a great start to her legendary Carry on career, by playing Daphne Honeybutt, although it would be 3 years before she'd return as Sandra May in Carry on Doctor. Dilys Laye is gorgeous in this film and is uncredited for singing The Magic of love, but it was actually her voice. A real feel good film, and one that will make all the family smile.

Although not "Carry On" at it's best, this is a very entertaining addition to the series. Although touted as a Bond spoof this has much more in common with British spy movies of the 40's - "The Third Man" is often referenced. Only at the end do we get the Bond-esque action, and this is where it all goes wrong. The climatic sequence is not only very silly (even by Carry On standards) but also lazy. Barbara Windsor makes her series debut here and is a joy to watch. Williams does his "silly man" character from the Hancock shows rather than the usual "Snide" persona, and Bernard Cribbins is as loveable as always. If you want a James Bond spoof or a classic Carry On, don't come here. If you want a silly comedy in the Ealing Studios vein then this might well be your cup of tea.

This is yet another popular (and good) entry in the "Carry On" series. Like JACK, CLEO and SCREAMING, it's a parody of a current film or fad – in its case the box-office sensation that were the James Bond extravaganzas (in fact, it was the first of innumerable spoofs/imitations of that long-running franchise). Kenneth Williams (complete with funny accent) is more or less at his best here; accompanying him are Barbara Windsor (this proved to be her series debut), Bernard Cribbins, Charles Hawtrey, Dilys Laye (as a femme fatale), Jim Dale (playing the gang's long-suffering contact man) and Eric Barker (as, what else, their superior).

While it cleverly features an androgynous villain (played by Judith Furse and voiced by John Bluthal), the film also lampoons earlier classic British thrillers – such as Hitchcock's 1930s efforts and THE THIRD MAN (1949). The action takes place in a variety of locales from a Viennese café to an Algerian harem; typical espionage elements are the gang's donning of various disguises to follow or elude enemy agents and the perilous train journey. By the way, the villains' headquarters are amusingly accessed via a public convenience – which also pays off with an inspired surreal ending. In a direct nod to the Bond model, we get silly acronyms for the various organizations involved (such as S.T.E.N.C.H., S.M.U.T., S.N.O.G., etc).

A grown man shouldn't really be discussing a 'Carry On' film, but this has always been my personal favourite; and the series soon went into a precipitous decline after the franchise was taken over by Rank in 1966.

It actually rewards knowledge of classic adventure films of the forties like 'The Maltese Falcon' and 'The Third Man', both referenced by the presence of Eric Pohlmann - since he is referred to as 'The Fat Man' and was actually in 'The Third Man (not to mention having recently voiced Blofeld in 'From Russia with Love') - and has some genuinely witty dialogue, including "Was it - THEM?" "Well it certainly wasn't - US!!" and "So you knew my father!!". There's even a little mild satire, such as the cipher clerk with a Russian accent played by Gerton (sic) Klauber squinting at an intercepted message as he reads it aloud to the head of MI5; and the sign on their table that greets our heroes in a Viennese restaurant reading 'Reserved for Party of British Agents'.

Cinematographer Alan Hume actually graduated to the James Bond series. The opening sequence beginning with Victor Maddern driving up to the north entrance of Pinewood Studios anticipates that of 'Get Smart!', while the finale at STENCH headquarters is well worth the wait. Embellished with atmospheric music from Eric Rogers, presided over by the memorably strange Dr. Crow and staffed by stern henchwomen dressed like Modesty Blaise, (SPOILER COMING:) it obligingly has a prominently displayed panel for blowing the place up like the lever in Frankenstein's laboratory at the end of 'Bride of Frankenstein'.

Richard Wattis did three days work on this; his one and only 'Carry On'. Liz Fraser had sadly just left the series, and her replacement by Barbara Windsor (although playing a genius with a photographic memory) showed the series was coarsening. But Dilys Laye compensates by providing a memorable dragon lady.

This movie is not the best of the Carry on franchise but it works very well. Yes even with one or two moments of uneven pacing and an underused Dilys Lane, the film is very entertaining, with a nice simple story and some funny dialogue and gags. Carry On Spying is nicely filmed, has a quirky score and the acting is fine(even without Sidney James). Ever the old pros, Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey give it their all and are great fun, while Judith Furse stands out as well. But it is the wonderful Barbara Windsor who steals the show, she was delightful in this movie. Overall, this film is simple and thanks to the acting and dialogue especially is very entertaining as well. 8/10 Bethany Cox