Carry on Spying

This could easily have been a brilliant film with the cast, unfortunately it's not, fun in parts but a bit tired throughout. Plot wise it's rubbish, and not just Carry on cheesy rubbish but actually rubbish. Bernard Cribbins was fun to watch here and this was Barbara Windsor's first Carry on film, but the lack of Sid James is telling and Jim Dale didn't have as much screen time as I would have liked. The villain spoofed on Blofield was a let down, as was the ending (and a lot of the middle) which didn't have enough action and resorted to relatively course jokes. 5/10: Ok film but one of the poorer Carry Ons

A grown man shouldn't really be discussing a 'Carry On' film, but this has always been my personal favourite; and the series soon went into a precipitous decline after the franchise was taken over by Rank in 1966. It actually rewards knowledge of classic adventure films of the forties like 'The Maltese Falcon' and 'The Third Man', both referenced by the presence of Eric Pohlmann - since he is referred to as 'The Fat Man' and was actually in 'The Third Man (not to mention having recently voiced Blofeld in 'From Russia with Love'); and has some genuinely witty dialogue (such as "Was it - THEM?" "Well it certainly wasn't - US!!" and "So you knew my father!!"). There's even a little mild satire, such as the Russian-accented cipher clerk played by Gerton (sic) Klauber squinting at an intercepted message as he reads it aloud to the head of MI5, and the sign on their table that greets our heroes in a Viennese restaurant reading 'Reserved for Party of British Agents'. Cameraman Alan Hume actually graduated to the James Bond series. The opening sequence beginning with Victor Maddern driving up to the north entrance of Pinewood Studios anticipates that of 'Get Smart!', while the finale at STENCH headquarters is well worth the wait. Embellished with atmospheric music from Eric Rogers, presided over by the memorably strange Dr. Crow and staffed by stern henchwomen dressed like Modesty Blaise, (SPOILER COMING:) it obligingly has a prominently displayed panel for blowing the place up like the lever in Frankenstein's laboratory at the end of 'Bride of Frankenstein'. Richard Wattis did three days work on this; his one and only 'Carry On'. Liz Fraser had sadly just left the series, and her replacement by Barbara Windsor (although playing a genius with a photographic memory) showed the series was coarsening. But Dilys Laye compensates by providing a memorable dragon lady.

It's agents for BOSH vs. agents for STENCH, which will give you some idea of the sophisticated wit on display in Carry-on Spying. The movie is a not particularly funny (or clever) parody of early 60's spy movies, with the best parts being Kenneth William's nasal delivery and Charles Hawtrey's brief disguise as a French bicycle racer. Less sniggering and fewer double-entendres than in later entries in the series (perhaps due to the absence of Sid James) although Barbara Windsor (Daphne Honeybutt, admittedly a great Bond-girl name) does get stripped down to her undies at one point. Lots of in-jokes for cinephiles, but generally only worth watching for fans of the Carry-on series or die-hard fans of parody.

When the evil forces of STENCH strike at a British research laboratory they get away with a top secret chemical formula. With the British agents spread thin across the world, The Chief has very few options open to him to follow up the lead into the mysterious Milchmann who led the attack. The Chief scraps the bottom of the barrel and comes up with Simkins – probably one of his worst agents. Assigning Simkins with a handful of trainee agents – Crump, Honeybutt and Bind – the ragtag band set off to meet up with Agent Carstairs in Vienna. Despite being made in the mid-sixties this Carry On film has more in common with those made early in the series (Teacher and Sergeant) more than it does with those made around the same time as it (Jack, Cruising, Cowboy). It is not just the black and white that made me think this but also the fact that the humour seems fresher and slicker than the heavy innuendo and crudity of the later films. Others have said this has more in common with Ealing than Carry On – they are wrong, but I can see what they mean because the light spy spoof is very much an early Carry On. The material isn't great though but it does produce easy and obvious comedy and those looking to just to fill a wet Sunday afternoon. The cast make a big difference even though not all the regulars are present. Williams and Hawtrey are the most fun as both play up their camp characters to good effect – they both get the best lines as well. Windsor is pretty good as she isn't just used as an object. Cribbins was pretty dull I thought but Dale was good value in a small role. Additional support from Barker, Laye and a few others all helps. Overall a Carry On like they first made them; not brilliant but light fun.

It's incredible to believe that at this early stage, CARRY ON SPYING was already the ninth in the long running series. It's the last of the black and white instalments, and it's an affectionate, often obvious spoof of the James Bond spy era. Series regulars Sid James, Kenneth Connor, Hattie Jacques and Joan Sims are all conspicuous by their absence, but Bernard Cribbins returns from CARRY ON JACK and Barbara Windsor appears in her first CARRY ON - and she's marginally less irritating than in latter entries. Kenneth Williams is the real highlight of this one, playing an extraordinarily camp character instead of the usual snobbish twit from earlier films, and he turns every line of dialogue into a highlight. It's also grand to have Charles Hawtrey in a larger role than usual, before the presence of additional regulars reduced him to little more than cameo appearances. Jokes come in the form of the requisite mistaken identities, cross dressing and other shenanigans, with Eric Barker playing the exasperated superior with aplomb and Jim Dale bagging a more prominent role. The ending, which takes place inside a lair straight out of a Bond film, is memorably silly but the preceding bit in the train is the real highlight.

Carry On Spying was the one where the Carry On team mocked the James Bond movies and also Barbara Windsor's Carry On debut. After a top secret formula is stolen by organisation STENCH, a group of agents are sent to investigate, resulting in many chaotic and funny situations. The investigation takes them over the world and back to their workplace... As well as Babs Windsor, this also stars the excellent Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey and Jim Dale who are joined by Bernard Cribbins and Eric Barker. Not so many of the regular team in this one. Have a good laugh at Carry On Spying. Brilliant and very funny. Rating: 3 stars out of 5.

I remembered enjoying this when I saw it as a child in the 1970s but feared that it wouldn't be as good watching it as an adult; thankfully I was wrong! Many Carry On regulars such as Sid James and Hattie Jakes are missing from this spy spoof, it does however include Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Bernard Cribbins and Barbara Windsor in her first Carry On film. Williams plays a bumbling British agent Desmond Simpkins who is sent to retrieve a stolen formula from the evil STENCH. On this mission three trainees who are almost as incompetent as he is accompany him. Their mission will take them to Vienna, Algiers and finally to STENCH's underground lair where they finally confront the evil Dr. Crow. This outing for the Carry On team nicely spoofed the spy genre made popular by James Bond; the core story could have come from a real spy thriller only this time it was played for laughs rather than thrills. The agents incompetence led to several laughs; often when they accidentally preventing a competent agent retrieving the formula. Barbara Windsor put in a fine debut performance and looked rather appealing disguised as a harem girl; unfortunately the same can't be said of Bernard Cribbins! The final scenes in the underground lair were pretty silly but when I was a child they were the ones that amused me most. If you are a fan of the Carry Ons this is a must see and if you like spy films it should give you a few laughs as it gently sends up the genre.

This is one of the funnier efforts by the team. Its obviously a send up of other movies of the genre and is shot in glorious black and white which sometimes I prefer. Black and white seems to suit the carry on movies. Life may indeed be in colour but these movies were never a depiction of life. The campery of Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey is as funny as ever. There are those two wonderfully reliable old British actors Eric Barker and the fabulous Richard Wattis as his assistant. It would be hard to find better actors to play the chief and his off sider. I loved the performance of Judith Furse.. hilariously butch.Bernard Cribbins is a great talent and he brings so much more to the series than the annoying Kenneth Connor did. This might have been the first with the great Barbara Windsor and what a spectacular career she had. She actually steals the film and I found myself roaring with laughter. Its a very good carry on but above all the introduction of one of Britains finest stars Magnificent Barbara Windsor. Barbara Windsor was much more than the sexy little bomb shell that added so much to these films and many others. She was a brilliant comedienne and I hope she gets the recognition she richly deserved. Her timing is brilliant. Yes its all very corny but all great comedy is corny. Its rather fun seeing their idea of modern technology,those mobile phones are fun. Wonder what they would think of what we use today. I love the cheap effects of the movie such as the car wash, rather not explain but its hilarious. Its great fun seeing one of Australias most loved exports, John Bluthall in the early stages of a great career.

After "Carry On Cabby", I expected "Carry On Spying" to descend into the campy sixties, but truthfully, this one was entertaining. Without regulars Sid James, Hattie Jacques (I suspect she was offered the villianess role) and Kenneth Conner, I expected this one to focus entirely on Williams buffoonery. He was more of a nitwit here than a snotty know-it-all, but he was given the spotlight this time. So this was Barbara Windsor! She truly was entertaining and not just because of her physique. She's not boring to watch or listen to. Obviously Bernard Cribbins was filling in the Kenneth Conner spot, and quite honestly, Cribbins (whom I only know from the Doctor Who movies with Peter Cushing) he wasn't as Jim Carrey-esque as Conner has been in the previous films. What an entertaining series this is, watching the transition from "Carry On Sergeant" to "Carry On Spying" thus far. I do look forward to what I have left to see of these films. After this, it is on to "Carry On Cleo"!

I cannot believe at the time of writing this review this film has an average of 6.2, this is a 9 surely. Over 50 years on this remains a hilarious James Bond spoof. Banned from using characters from the James Bond franchise, Gerald Thomas creates Agent Charlie bind, 00-0. Kenneth Williams leads a team of British spies who must take on the STENCH criminals and capture the stolen formula of Professor Stark, who was blown up by the Milk man at the start. Spying stands out from the other early Carry on films by being very camp, Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey are on fine form. Barbara Windsor has just finished playing Gloria in the Rag Trade, she makes a great start to her legendary Carry on career, by playing Daphne Honeybutt, although it would be 3 years before she'd return as Sandra May in Carry on Doctor. Dilys Laye is gorgeous in this film and is uncredited for singing The Magic of love, but it was actually her voice. A real feel good film, and one that will make all the family smile.