Carry On... Up the Khyber

'Carry On Up The Khyber' sees many of the usual Carry On favourites, this time in colonial India. Sid James plays Sir Sidney Ruff Diamond, head of the Third Foot and Mouth regiment located close to the Khyber Pass, whilst Kenneth Williams takes on the role of the Khasi of Kalabar, who is beginning to believe that the British might not be as invincible as previously thought.

'Carry On Up The Khyber' is a welcome change for the series as it is one of the few that's not based in the UK, but that's the only change you'll get because this film is laden with the usual Carry On double entendres and gags.

For many years, this wasn't one of my favourite Carry Ons but I've realised that it's actually one of the best. It largely benefits from being able to ridicule two cultures, namely British and Indian, and because it's set in colonial times, it allows Peter Rogers to successfully satirize the old fashioned Victorian attitudes as well as the more pertinent attitudes of the late 1960s when this was filmed.

There's no way a film like this would be made today but the humour is actually quite harmless, even endearing at times, and there are some clever one-liners too. It's a fallacy that Carry Ons were purely unintelligent, bawdy humour aimed at the brainless masses.

The amount of dryness in Up The Khyber is enough to give a man a thirst but it works particularly well. Excellent performances all round, particularly Sid James and Joan Sims, who bounce of each other so well, and Terry Scott, who was born to play Sergeant Major McNutt. Roy Castle too. I'm surprised he wasn't in more of the films.

Definitely worth a watch, whether you're new to the series or whether you've got them all on video.

This film defines British comedy. The jokes, puns, and characters are all classic carry on. I'd say this is the best of the series, and atcually the most accomplished plot-wise. The 'dining room attack' scene, I think, is one of the best moments in film history, and should be seen. Highly recommended.

As with glass, you can see straight through this movie, for what it is. Hilarious and witty, as is the talent of this huge Classic British Comedy Team.

Come on, you know deep down, they couldn't resist making a movie that rhymed with "Khyber Pass".

What a wonderful awry of comical satire and self-ridicule that Khyber Pass is. This, 1968, typical nostalgia trip from the Great Carry On team has bought us the usual Cast. We see Sidney James, as Sir Sidney-Rough Diamond and the beautiful Joan Sims as his torturous wife, Lady Joan Rough-Diamond, the very intelligent Kenneth Williams as the Rhandi Lal, the Khasi of Kalabar. Here, personally, I think that this is Bernard Bresslaw's, as Bungdit Din, best performance, his last Carry On was 1975's Carry On Behind, he passed away in June 1993, aged 59.

Without wanting to give too much away here, for you have to see Up the Khyber to appreciate the delivery of the script, ad libbing and comic simplicity that is Up the Khyber, which, excuse the pun here, carries itself off very well. Too much forewarning will only dilute the movies hilarious gags.

Not seeing Up the Khyber for many years, it was really a pleasant surprise, forgetting just how funny it is, and the combination, and their delivery, of the names of the characters. Lets face it; the absurd and totally ridiculous names of these characters are what truly make this movie.

This movie contains one of the most obvious (non) location doubles that I have ever seen. Since when has the real Khyber Pass in India looked like the green rolling hills of Wales, I mean, it's a five bar gate along a rocky green path running up Mount Snowdonia, they even put a tiny wooden sign on top, saying, "Please shut the gate". The Extras, seen at the Khyber Pass, who are dressed as local "natives" look like locals that have been paid to wear Turbans for the day, and the make up department haven't even applied make up. If it were not so funny, then it just would not be the Carry On it is. You just know too, that they must have had a great laugh trying to pull this one off. Pure admiration.

This movie shouldn't be passed over; it really is one of the best, where as Carry On Screaming was the better Produced, this is better scripted.

There is Glass and there are Diamonds, this is a Diamond of a movie.

Priceless.

1895. The British colonisation of Indian continues despite the threat posed by the Khasi of Kalabar and his loyal army of Burpers. Rebellion seems imminent when it is discovered that the feared 3rd Foot in Mouth Regiment (The Devils in Skirts) actually wear underwear under their kilts. When the Khasi receives proof of this he starts an uprising among Bungdit Din's Burgers against the British forces under Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond. However Captain Keene leads a small group of men deep into Indian in an attempt to stop the approaching massacre.

If you hate the Carry On films with a passion then chances are you will hate this one as well. However for fans or those who enjoy the sense of humour when it works, then it is likely that you will love this film as it is one of the best of the series. The plot is very un-PC by today's standards (imagine having so many white actors playing Indians today?) but this isn't really important here. The plot is actually quite well developed for a carry on film and acts as a suitable framework for the jokes, allowing it to feel like a film rather than just a series of sketches and innuendo held together by the thinnest of threads.

The plot certainly helps but it is the strength of the script that makes this such an enjoyable film (if you can call a script full of innuendo `strong'). The film has so many really enjoyable lines that it is impossible to list them all; of course, if you don't like their breed of innuendo then you shan't like this but I do and this is as good and as honed as they got it. Lines such as `rank stupidity', `Fakir. Off', `and up yours' and `I wouldn't trust him an inch' are all well scripted and display a higher class of innuendo (if you know what I mean): even character names are good if not subtle; Ginger Hale, Bungdit Din, Jelhi, Busti and Khasi to name a few. It helps of course that the cast are so talented at this type of comedy and deliver their lines with perfect timing and perfect facial expressions and reactions. James and Williams lead the cast and are easily the best two in the whole film - they have the best lines, the best reactions and the best timing. The rest of the Carry On regulars are all very assured and delivered the material with the ability of pro's; Hawtrey, Scott, Sims, Bresslaw, Butterworth and Douglas are all very good and it is true that this is almost a who's who of British comedy of the time. Roy Castle is good but he is very much a straightman in the piece.

Overall, this is the film that those new to the Carry On series should seek out as it is one of the films where they had the best material (plot and script) as well as a full cast of very talented British comedians. It is still based on innuendo and silly gags but it is funny and enjoyable.

Probably the best of the Carry-Ons. Genuinely funny performances from all the actors and a classic script.

Watch Carry on up the Khyber and then watch Zulu. Two films about the British made in the 1960's both of them perfect in their own way.