Carry On Cruising *** (1962, Sidney James, Kenneth Williams, Kenneth Connor, Liz Fraser) – Classic Movie Review 1911

With no Joan Sims, Hattie Jacques, Charles Hawtrey or Barbara Windsor, unfortunately only some of the Carry On team are aboard the SS Happy Wanderer for a Mediterranean cruise with five of the most incompetent shipmates ever to sail the seven seas in director Gerald Thomas’s slightly disappointing but still sea-worthy 1962 effort Carry On Cruising. Along with Carry on Jack (1963), this entry has the lowest number of Carry On series regulars, and none of the regular star actresses.

However, the crew does come complete with insecure skipper Sidney James (as Captain Wellington Crowther), snooty first officer Kenneth Williams (as Leonard Marjoribanks) and twitchy ship’s medical officer Kenneth Connor (as Doctor Arthur Binn), plus Liz Fraser (as Glad Trimble, in her second of four Carry On appearances, after Carry On Regardless), Dilys Laye (as ‘Flo’ Castle), Jimmy Thompson (as barman Sam Turner) and Ronnie Stevens (as a drunken passenger). And, of course, they carry on regardless.

Great though the stars are, as always, this time the show’s main hit turns though unexpectedly come from seasick chef Lance Percival (as ship’s cook Wilfred Haines, surprisingly in his only Carry On movie) and tiny twittering passenger Esma Cannon (who did four of the series). It is the first Carry On to be made in colour and the last to be scripted by Norman Hudis, with Talbot Rothwell taking over after this.

Vincent Ball, Cyril Chamberlain, Ed Devereaux, Anthony Sagar, Willoughby Goddard, Brian Rawlinson and Anton Rogers also appear.

Eric Barker (1912–1990).

Norman Hudis writes the screenplay from a story by actor Eric Barker, who does not appear in the movie. Dilys Laye had to replace a sick Joan Sims as Flo Castle at short notice. Lance Percival took over as the ship’s cook after Charles Hawtrey quit in a contract dispute with penny-pinching producer Peter Rogers.

It is the first Carry On shot in colour (Eastmancolor), with Alan Hume as director of photography. The ship, with its interiors and decks scenes, was mostly a life-size mock-up set constructed at Pinewood Studios, with all the features of a real cruise ship. Ironically, the film’s premiere was held on a real cruise ship in Southampton. Stock footage of the P&O cruise ship SS Oronsay was used in long shots. The mermaid seen on the posters does not appear in the film.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1911

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Kenneth Connor (1918–1993).

Kenneth Connor (1918–1993) plays twitchy ship’s medical officer Doctor Arthur Binn.