Carry On Camping
Carry On Camping is a 1969 British comedy film, the 17th release in the series of 31 Carry On films (1958–1992). It features series regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Terry Scott, Hattie Jacques, Barbara Windsor, Bernard Bresslaw and Peter Butterworth.
Carry On Camping | |
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Original UK quad poster by Renato Fratini | |
Directed by | Gerald Thomas |
Produced by | Peter Rogers |
Written by | Talbot Rothwell |
Starring | Sid James Kenneth Williams Charles Hawtrey Joan Sims Terry Scott Hattie Jacques Barbara Windsor Bernard Bresslaw Peter Butterworth |
Music by | Eric Rogers |
Cinematography | Ernest Steward |
Edited by | Alfred Roome |
Distributed by | The Rank Organisation |
Release date |
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Running time | 88 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Budget | £208,354 |
Plot
Sid Boggle (Sid James) and his friend Bernie Lugg (Bernard Bresslaw) are partners in a plumbing business. They take their girlfriends, prudish Joan Fussey (Joan Sims) and meek Anthea Meeks (Dilys Laye), to the cinema to see a film about a nudist camp called Paradise. Sid has the idea of the group holidaying there, reasoning that in that environment their heretofore chaste girlfriends will relax their strict moral standards. Sid easily gains Bernie's co-operation in the scheme, which they attempt to keep secret from the girls.
They travel to the campsite named Paradise. After paying the membership fees to the owner, money-grabbing farmer Josh Fiddler (Peter Butterworth), Sid realises it is not the camp seen in the film, but merely a standard family campsite. To add to their disappointment, it is no paradise but instead, a damp field; the only facilities being a very basic toilet and a washing block. They reluctantly agree to stay there after Fiddler refuses a refund and the girls approve of the place. There is further disappointment when the girls will not share a tent with the boys.
Sid and Bernie soon set their sights on a bunch of young ladies on holiday from the Chayste Place finishing school. The ringleader of the girls is blonde and bouncy Babs (Barbara Windsor). In charge of the girls is Dr. Soaper (Kenneth Williams), who is fervently pursued by his lovelorn colleague, the school's matron, Miss Haggard (Hattie Jacques). The girls soon leave for Ballsworth Youth Hostel, where Babs and her friend Fanny (Sandra Caron) change the room numbers on Dr. Soaper's and Miss Haggard's doors and convince Dr. Soaper that the female washroom, where Miss Haggard is, is the male washroom. Dr Soaper leads an outdoor aerobics session, during which Babs' bikini top flies off; he catches it.
Other campers are Peter Potter (Terry Scott), who loathes camping but must endure his jolly yet domineering wife Harriet (Betty Marsden), with her irritating laugh, and naive first-time camper Charlie Muggins (Charles Hawtrey).
Chaos ensues when a group of hippies arrive in the next field for a noisy all-night rave led by band The Flowerbuds. The campers club together and successfully drive the ravers away, but all the girls leave with them. However, there is a happy ending for Bernie and Sid when their girlfriends finally agree to move into their tent. Their joy is short-lived when Joan's mother (Amelia Bayntun) turns up, but Anthea lets loose a goat that chases Mrs Fussey away.
Cast
- Sid James as Sid Boggle
- Kenneth Williams as Doctor Kenneth Soaper
- Joan Sims as Joan Fussey
- Charles Hawtrey as Charlie Muggins
- Terry Scott as Peter Potter
- Barbara Windsor as Babs
- Bernard Bresslaw as Bernie Lugg
- Hattie Jacques as Miss Haggard
- Peter Butterworth as Joshua Fiddler
- Julian Holloway as Jim Tanner
- Dilys Laye as Anthea Meeks
- Betty Marsden as Harriet Potter
- Sandra Caron as Fanny
- Trisha Noble as Sally
- Amelia Bayntun as Mrs Fussey
- Brian Oulton as Mr Short, the camping store manager
- Patricia Franklin as Farmer's daughter
- Derek Francis as Farmer
- Michael Nightingale as Man in cinema
- George Moon as Man at campsite
- Walter Henry as Man in cinema
- Valerie Shute as Pat
- Elizabeth Knight as Jane
- Georgina Moon as Joy
- Vivien Lloyd as Verna
- Jennifer Pyle as Hilda
- Lesley Duff as Norma
- Jackie Pool as Betty
- Anna Karen as Hefty girl
- Sally Kemp as Girl with cow
- Valerie Leon as Miss Dobbin, the camping store assistant
- Angela Grant as Schoolgirl (uncredited)
- Peter Cockburn as Film Commentator (uncredited)
- Gilly Grant as Sally G-string (uncredited)
- Michael Low as Lusty youth (uncredited)
- Mike Lucas as Lusty youth (uncredited)
- Alf Mangan as Camper (uncredited)
- David Seaforth as Camper (uncredited)
Crew
- Screenplay – Talbot Rothwell
- Music – Eric Rogers
- Production Manager – Jack Swinburne
- Art Director – Lionel Couch
- Editor – Alfred Roome
- Director of Photography – Ernest Steward
- Assistant Editor – Jack Gardner
- Camera Operator – James Bawden
- Assistant Director – Jack Causey
- Continuity – Doreen Dernley
- Sound Recordists – Bill Daniels & Ken Barker
- Make-up – Geoffrey Rodway
- Hairdresser – Stella Rivers
- Costume Designer – Yvonne Caffin
- Dubbing Editor – Colin Miller
- Title Sketches – Larry
- Producer – Peter Rogers
- Director – Gerald Thomas
Filming and locations
- Filming dates – 7 October–22 November 1968
Interiors:
- Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire
Exteriors:
- Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire. The studios' orchard doubled for Paradise Camp. Chayste Place school is the management block at Pinewood Studios, better known as Heatherden Hall and featured in Carry On Nurse, Carry On Up the Khyber, Carry On Again Doctor, Carry On at Your Convenience, Carry On Behind and Carry On England.
- Pinewood Green, Iver Heath housing estate, Buckinghamshire
- Everyman Cinema, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire
- Maidenhead High Street
- Black Park, Buckinghamshire
Reception
The film was the most popular movie at the UK box office in 1969.[1] It was voted the nation's favourite Carry On film in a survey conducted by the Daily Mirror in 2008.[2] On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 40% based on 5 reviews.[3]
Bibliography
- Davidson, Andy (2012). Carry On Confidential. London: Miwk. ISBN 978-1-908630-01-8.
- Sheridan, Simon (2011). Keeping the British End Up – Four Decades of Saucy Cinema. London: Titan Books. ISBN 978-0-85768-279-6.
- Webber, Richard (2009). 50 Years of Carry On. London: Arrow. ISBN 978-0-09-949007-4.
- Hudis, Norman (2008). No Laughing Matter. London: Apex. ISBN 978-1-906358-15-0.
- Keeping the British End Up: Four Decades of Saucy Cinema by Simon Sheridan (third edition) (2007) (Reynolds & Hearn Books)
- Ross, Robert (2002). The Carry On Companion. London: Batsford. ISBN 978-0-7134-8771-8.
- Bright, Morris; Ross, Robert (2000). Mr Carry On – The Life & Work of Peter Rogers. London: BBC Books. ISBN 978-0-563-55183-6.
- Rigelsford, Adrian (1996). Carry On Laughing – a celebration. London: Virgin. ISBN 1-85227-554-5.
- Hibbin, Sally & Nina (1988). What a Carry On. London: Hamlyn. ISBN 978-0-600-55819-4.
- Eastaugh, Kenneth (1978). The Carry On Book. London: David & Charles. ISBN 978-0-7153-7403-0.
References
- "The World's Top Twenty Films." Sunday Times [London, England] 27 Sept. 1970: 27. The Sunday Times Digital Archive. accessed 5 April 2014
- "Carry On Camping voted best film of series". Daily Mirror. 29 July 2008. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
- "Carry On Camping (1969)".
External links
- Carry On Camping at IMDb
- Carry On Camping at Rotten Tomatoes
- Carry On Camping Location Guide at The Whippit Inn
- Carry on Camping at BFI Screenonline