Carry On Cleo **** (1964, Sidney James, Joan Sims, Amanda Barrie, Jim Dale, Kenneth Williams, Kenneth Connor) – Classic Film Review 1133

In 1964, the Carry On team make one of their very best, most loved movies, hilariously spoofing Elizabeth Taylor’s film Cleopatra, using the sets they abandoned at Pinewood studios when filming moved to Cinecitta in Rome. Indeed the tenth film in the franchise is arguably the best Carry On of all.

It is Amanda Barrie’s most brilliant moment in the movies, hysterical as a delightfully scatter-brained, suburban Cleopatra. It is her second and last Carry On. After this triumph, which parallels Fenella Fielding’s in Carry On Screaming, there was weirdly no more Carry On work for either star. Kenneth Williams is at his most hysterically outrageous as Julius Caesar (‘infamy, infamy, they’ve all got it in for me’) betrayed by his cockney mate Mark Anthony (Sid James). And Kenneth Connor is delightful as the ancient Briton who invents the square wheel.

Joan Sims, Charles Hawtrey and Jim Dale also have their priceless moments. E V H Emmett, Julie Stevens, Victor Maddern, Sheila Hancock, Tom Clegg, Jon Pertwee, Peter Gilmore, Warren Mitchell, Wanda Ventham and Michael Ward also co-star.

The irreplaceable Joan Sims is returning to the series here as Calpurnia for the first time since Carry On Regardless three years earlier and afterwards appeared in every Carry On up to Carry On Emmannuelle in 1978, making her the most prolific actress in the series. She said: ‘My long-held view that whether you’re up or you’re down, there’s only one way to react to whatever life throws at you. Carry on.’

Amanda Barrie came out as bisexual in her autobiography, It’s Not a Rehearsal. Her current partner is journalist and crime writer Hilary Bonner. They live together in Somerset and London.

Its original poster was reproduced by the Royal Mail on stamps to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Carry On series in June 2008, along with Carry On Sergeant and Carry On Screaming! You can buy it for £1.40 on ebay.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1133

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com