Thanks for the memories!

Sadly Over-hyped

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

I have to be completely honest in saying first that I fell asleep somewhere in the middle, so I cannot give a full opinion about the film until I see it in full. Basically The SS Happy Wanderer is ready to set sail, but Captain Wellington Crowther (Sid James) has only just found out that loads of staff members have been replaced at such short notice. New members include First Officer Leonard Marjoribanks (Kenneth Williams), Doctor Arthur Binn (Kenneth Connor, cook Wilfred Haines (Lance Percival) and barman Sam Turner (Jimmy Thompson), so the Captain not only has to put up with their incompetence, but the passengers aboard turn out to have strange qualities too. Also starring Liz Fraser as Glad Trimble, Dilys Laye as Florence 'Flo' Castle, Esma Cannon as Bridget Madderley, Ronnie Stevens as Drunk Passenger, Vincent Ball as Jenkins and Cyril Chamberlain as steward Tom Tree. That's pretty much all can say about the film until I see it again in full, but I will say it has only three regulars, all male, but where are Charles Hawtrey, Jim Dale, Hattie Jacques, Barbara Windsor and Joans Sims when you want them? Okay!

I love the Carry On movies but this entry is awful. Esma Cannon is there and as always has some fine moments but her character is over drawn and there is not much any one can do with a really awful script.At times the things Esma C is asked to do by the director is almost humilating. The scene when she falls into the pool made me cringe. This is set on a cruise ship so there should have been many comedic possibilities but it is a creepy boring cruise for this viewer. Pity as I looked forward to the first one in colour.What I found odd is that a cruise ship has lots of great opportunities for gags but it is all so pedestrian, it could have been set any where. The slap stick of Kenneth Connor makes you cringe. Next one was Cabby and it was in b/w and ten times better. The pace of the movie is slow and laboured.I will try it again but as a huge fan of the series I hated this one.Sid James looks as though he would rather be else where and Kenneth Williams is wasted. Kenneth Connor is awful, at times you feel so annoyed with him you want to fast forward or better still push him over board.. He gives the worse performance of all.By the way, he plays a doctor on this ship. Interesting how times changed. That doctor would be struck off for sexual harassement today. You really miss Hawtrey, Sims and Hatti Jaques. Lance Percival is awful as a cook. He is no stand in for Hawtrey and he gives a wooden unfunny performance. It simply is not funny. I loved Dilys Laye in this film. Her drunk scene is great fun. I liked the gym routine with the gym instructor.There is no warmth in the film and the slap stick is just childish and forced. This one is very contrived and the slap stick is simply embarrassing. Its looks like it was made for kids. Maybe thats why I think I liked it when I was a kid. The other Carry ons seem to have stood the test of time but not this one. It sure puts you off travel by sea. When a laugh is needed do a prat fall. Its pretty horrible. Australian audiences however will love seeing English actor Ronnie Stevens. He is the best thing in the film and plays a drunk. He came here and starred in Australia's most loved sketch show The Mavis Bramston Show. He is the best thing in the movie although there is not much for him to do. Pity he never got the break he deserved. At least Australia saw his talent. What a pity we don't see more of this great performer. Its trite and sadly boring movie.Cabby on the other hand is a delight, it was next!

Although missing some of the regular cast members (Joan Sims and Charles Hawtrey), this Carry On is one of the better ones in the series. The script is sharp with some great gags deftly delivered by the ensemble. Sid James plays the experienced Captain of a cruise liner in charge of a crew with some inexperienced new recruits. This is the perfect setup for a series of disasters and the film duly delivers. Cruising is one of the earlier Carry Ons (first in colour) and maybe because of this, everyone seems fresh and on top of their game. The editing complements the script and the cast seem to have an energy which sometimes flags later in the series. The newer cast members keep the mix interesting and stand out performances from the wonderful Esma Cannon, Kenneth Williams (shower scene !) and Sid James combine to produce one of the definitive Carry Ons.

Before the 'Carry On' series had busty Barbara Windsor and more than a subtle touch of the bawdy about it, this funny example took to sea with some of the regulars (the crumpled Sid James, the priceless Kenneth Williams, and boggle-eyed Kenneth Connor). With the wonderful Esma Cannon getting tiddled in the bar, and Lance Percival as a disgustingly inventive cook, it couldn't miss.The best bits by a long way include Connor's clumsy courtship of Liz Fraser; alongside Williams' stilted and self-righteous officer, all nostrils and hardly-hidden indignation. Very funny, as most of the 'Carry Ons' were.