Carry on Forever

this three part documentary was shown over easter on itv3.whilst it was interesting to see those old faces who are still around it was surprising that Barbara Windsor was not interviewed.I felt that it was too uncritical of Peter Rogers.He always claimed that the title was the star.well that simply was not the case.Without the likes of Williams,James,Jacques,Sims and Hawtry,and of course the writers the title would have counted for nothing.Further more he paid the British stars a pittance,Williams £6000 as against the outrageous £30000 he paid Phil silvers.Furthermore the actors received no residuals from the many repeats on TV.It was not mentioned that both Sims and Hawtrey died in poverty.Nor was it mentioned that Sims was slightly ostracised for having an affair with a member of the crew.Nor that Hawtrey was axed because he wanted more money and star billing,not just for his alcoholic tendencies.Interesting too that when they tried to make Carry on London a few years ago the project failed.

A three parter broadcast in the UK in 2015, Carry On Forever is a wonderful nostalgia trip for fans of the series. From the off it has to be said that this is far from definitive, for that to be the case this would have had to be a programme of treble the length it actually is! So there are some gaps for sure, yet the makers - realising this is a fond look at the series - keep the sad aspects of some cast members down to a minimum. The drink problems, the weight problems, the strops and tantrums etc, some are covered with tender tones (Martin Clunes narrates), but as stated previously this is not definitive due to time constraints.

What we do get warms the cockles. Many of the regulars have left the mortal coil, so the producers bring in the offspring of some of the icons to comment, to look at documents, photographs and on set footage that had previously not been seen by the public. These provide some real emotion, as does the feeling and fondness that shines out from the survivors who partake in the programme. The likes of Jim Dale, Bernard Cribbins, Jackie Piper, Angela Douglas, Julian Holloway and Sally Geeson all line up to keep things real, some being reunited for the first time in decades, themselves viewing pictures they hadn't seen before.

Then there's the clips from the films, nothing new for fans, but enough to whet the appetite, to get you hankering to watch one of your particular favourites. As most fans will tell you, not all of the Carry On films were great, some are real stinkers, the latter of which sees the producers steer away from chastising the likes of Carry On England, yet the series has cemented itself as part of the British film institution, with the films themselves perpetual showings on UK TV even today. Carry On is indeed Carrying On Forever and this programme does it justice. 9/10

By 1958 it was clear that military conscription would soon end in the UK, and someone thought that a few cinemagoers might like to salute its passing with a low-budget film-comedy. Nobody had high hopes for it, and its title 'Carry On Sergeant' was simply a drill-command remembered by a million demobbed National Servicemen. Yet it became a runaway hit, and the same producer and director would be working on their 31st 'Carry On' as late as 1992.

To the astonishment of the film world, the producers earned consistently high profits by refusing to pamper their stars, and paying the sort of money that would normally interest only those who needed the series more than it needed them. To some degree, this is what happened. Many big names made only a single appearance. The silly and temperamental Charles Hawtrey tried to make a stand, and was dropped. Kenneth Williams sulked about it, but it is doubtful whether he was in much demand elsewhere. And so, he and a few other stalwarts made up a recognisable team that kept the brand going. It was, after all, regular work. Shirley Eaton comments that because nobody was allowed to be the star, it made everybody feel like the star, though producer Peter Rogers claims that the series itself was the star. According to a few commentators, anyway, the team evolved into enough of a happy family to look back on with affection after half a century, Hattie Jacques being voted as the most agreeable to work with.

If your own favourites include 'Carry on Cleo' or 'Carry on Screaming', these took advantage of sets and costumes that were already conveniently lying around at Pinewood. My own favourite is 'Carry on Regardless', an early one that was still in the original format - which would soon change, as the traditional taboos were steadily eroded. Some say the 'accidental' snapping of Barbara Windsor's bra-strap marked the end of an era.

For me, the series came up with no great comedic moments that ring down the years, only a few good ones: Kenneth Connor trying to ride a bike with square wheels (though his neurotic style of humour did not usually do much for me), and Joan Sims taking a whip to Sid James.

But I do wish I could make out what the lovely Liz Fraser was trying to whisper to us, as her reason for not wanting the dressing-room next to Kenneth Williams...

If you're a Carry On fan then you'll love this documentary. Lots of unseen footage. Discussion about every film in chronological order. Reunions. Laughs and memories for the whole time of the program. In fact, if you're a Carry On fan, this is a must watch.