O Quartel do Barulho

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.

I enjoy the Carry on movies, they are entertaining, cheeky and witty and make my day when I need it. While a tad too short and rather basic and cookie-cutter in the story structure, this fourth entry known as Carry on Constable is an enjoyable one and lifted by the Carry on debut of regular Sid James, and he is funny as always. The rest of the cast are rock solid as well with Kenneth Williams and Joan Sims especially standing out. The writing is cheeky in alternative to smutty, a trait that plagued some of the later entries, and while not the original on the block the gags are equally amusing. The film looks good too with nice locations and the like, musically it is quite quirky and it is snappily directed. Overall, very enjoyable. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Joan Sims (The Last of the Blonde Bombshells) the gym teacher in Carry On teacher is here as a constable. Just out of the Academy and wanting to do a good job. Unfortunately, she has caught the eye of a fellow copper.

Shirley Eaton from Goldfinger is also here looking as good as ever.

The usual antics and sight gags with the normal Carry On gang; only this time in a police station. Bonus nudity that has not been in any of the other ones I have seen. Sorry, it bare butts on guys running to the shower.

It is kind of cute, even if the formula stays pretty much the same, just in different locations.

I wasn’t as taken with this one as the three previous “Carry Ons” I watched: truth be told, law and order is one of the most popular themes with star comedians (Chaplin’s EASY STREET [1917], Keaton’s COPS [1922], Laurel & Hardy’s THE MIDNIGHT PATROL [1933], Will Hay’s ASK A POLICEMAN [1939], Norman Wisdom’s ON THE BEAT [1962], etc.), so it couldn’t very well fail to find an audience – but I also felt the level of gags this time around to be curiously uninventive!

The film marks the series debut of Sidney James as a police sergeant under duress (and constantly threatened with a transfer by Inspector Eric Barker) during a flu epidemic who’s assigned a quartet of rookies to help him – the trouble is that these are none other than Kenneth Connor, Kenneth Williams, Leslie Philips and Charles Hawtrey (the station, apparently, is so hard-up that the prison cells are to serve as their quarters)! The boys deliver their typical schtick: Connor is nervous as the constable whose last name happens to be Constable (and especially given his uncommonly superstitious nature), Williams is a snobbish know-it-all (he figures himself an expert in picking out criminal types – except that the one he approaches to steer on the path of righteousness turns out to be Scotland Yard man Victor Maddern!), Philips the lothario (he falls for a pretty blonde policewoman – but who conveniently comes down with the flu to make way for series stalwart Joan Sims – and then offers advise to guest star Shirley Eaton on matters of romance), while Hawtrey is the prissy but wisecracking member. Cyril Chamberlain is on hand once more, and CARRY ON NURSE (1959)’s Terence Longdon cameos as a confidence trickster plying his trade on rookie Williams.

Again, there’s some tentative romance among the regulars – with James hitting it off with female sergeant Hattie Jacques and, as ever, Connor aching to attract the attention of a serious-minded colleague (in this case, Sims). As for flaws, I guess it boils down to a basic lack of plot: the film practically resolves itself into a series of sketches, some of which even turn repetitious – such as the rookies walking Barker’s dog or bursting into houses only to be met by scantily-clad females (which is how Eaton herself is belatedly introduced), while their helping old ladies in various ways is either unappreciated or greeted with outright hostility. Predictably, too, the quartet finally makes amends by taking the initiative to capture a gang of crooks. Incidentally, the film features some surprising male nudity as the rookies – intending to take an early-morning shower – are scalded and run out in panic; in the same vein, there’s definite camp value to seeing Williams and Hawtrey in drag (having gone undercover to catch potential shoplifters)!

All in all, however, I must admit that I’m having a great time with these early “Carry Ons” – which I find generally more rewarding than the later bawdier, i.e. rather tasteless, entries.

P.S. For some reason, the on-screen title of this one includes a comma after the “Carry On” epithet.

The wonderful thing about watching some of these lovely early Carry ON movies is the small cameos of wonderful British actors. Some were never really house hold names but the thing is that every time they appeared in a movie they would light up and bring something very special to even the most mediocre movies. Esma Cannon as a deaf old woman in this movie is a superb example. This lovely actress always added something very special to every film she was in and after reading the biog on IMDb she had what looks like an incredibly impressive career. Joan Hickson just about steals the film as the tipsy lady fond of a tickle of booze. She is absolutely fabulous. We all know in later years she played a very understated Miss Marple but in this movie you see her at her glorious best.The great Irene Handl is there too and she lifted every film she was in. Miss Handl came to Australia to star in Goodnight Mrs Puffin and BusyBody. She was a brilliant actress but few would know who she was by name. Sid James is less tacky in this movie and I really enjoyed him in this. Kenneth Connor is still rather annoying and I still find him the weak link. I wonder if the shower scene in this film is the first time we saw some bum in a movie. Its very brief. The Hawtrey and Williams drag scene when they go under cover is delightful. Hawtrey remains my personal favourite, he was indeed camper in this than the early ones. Hatti Jaques and Joan Sims are wonderful as always. Hatti is becoming my favourite apart from Hawtrey. It is interesting to see Sid James before they made his characters tackier and tackier. I found this a very pleasant little romp, I cant say I really laughed but I did enjoy it The production values considering the budget in these films was very impressive. For me its the small cameos I loved the most.