Carry On Cruising

Carry On Cruising
Original UK quad poster
Directed by Gerald Thomas
Ralph Thomas (uncredited)
Produced by Peter Rogers
Written by Norman Hudis
Starring Sid James
Kenneth Williams
Kenneth Connor
Liz Fraser
Dilys Laye
Esma Cannon
Lance Percival
Music by Bruce Montgomery
Douglas Gamley
Cinematography Alan Hume
Edited by John Shirley
Distributed by Anglo-Amalgamated
Release date
 13 April 1962
Running time
 89 min.
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Budget £140,000

Carry On Cruising is the sixth in the series of Carry On films to be made and was released in 1962. It was based on an original story by Eric Barker. P&O – Orient Lines were thanked in the credits. Regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams and Kenneth Connor appear in the movie whereas Joan Sims and Charles Hawtrey do not. Sims took ill shortly before filming began and was replaced by Dilys Laye, making her Carry On debut, at four days' notice. Hawtrey was dropped for demanding star billing, but returned for the next entry, making this the only entry during Hawtrey's 23-film run which he missed. Sims returned two years later in Carry On Cleo. Liz Fraser notches up the second of her four appearances here. Lance Percival makes his only appearance in the series in Carry On Cruising, playing the ship's chef, the role originally designated for Hawtrey.

Plot

Captain Crowther (Sid James) has five of his crew replaced at short notice before a new cruise voyage begins. Not only does he get the five most incompetent crew men ever to sail the seven seas, but the passengers turn out to be a rather strange bunch too.

The SS Happy Wanderer is the cruise ship and after this voyage, Crowther hopes to get a job as captain on a transatlantic ship, promising the crew members their jobs will be safe under the new captain. Starting off from England, the Happy Wanderer calls at unnamed ports in Spain, Italy and North Africa before going home again.

Single ladies Gladys (Liz Fraser) and Flo (Dilys Laye) take the cruise, with Flo hoping to find a husband. Bridget (Esma Cannon) is her usual dotty and entertaining self, and one unnamed passenger (Ronnie Stevens) never disembarks but always goes straight to the bar to drink, to forget an unidentified woman. The crew and passengers settle in as the ship leaves port and head chef Wilfred Haines (Lance Percival) finds out he is seasick. Mario Fabrizi makes a quick appearance as one of the cooks under Haines. Ed Devereaux, best known for the part of Matt Hammond in the Australian TV series 'Skippy', appears as a Young Officer.

Gladys and Flo fall for the PT instructor Mr Jenkins but nothing comes of it, especially when Flo turns out to be hopeless in the gym. Meanwhile, the new men try to impress Crowther but disaster follows disaster with him getting knocked out and covered in food at a party.

Meanwhile, ship's doctor Dr. Binn (Kenneth Connor) has fallen for Flo, but she wants nothing to do with him so he serenades her with a song after leaving Italy (Bella Marie, sung by Roberto Carinali), which she does not hear as she is asleep. Gladys, who has heard the song, realises that Flo is in love with Binn and with the help of First Officer Marjoribanks (Kenneth Williams) arranges a plot for Binn and Flo to get together. It works and the confident Binn finally confesses his feelings to a gobsmacked Flo, who returns his affections.

Crowther lets the five newcomers know that they have improved since the cruise began, simply by doing their jobs and not by trying to impress him. They learn that the Captain has been in charge of the Happy Wanderer for ten years and decide to hold a surprise party for him, with the passengers. Haines bakes him a many-flavoured cake and the barman cables the former barman for the recipe of the Captain's favourite drink, the Aberdeen Angus.

The party goes well and Crowther gets his telegram telling him he has the captaincy of the new ship. He turns it down as he recognises it does not have the personal touch of a cruise ship, and prefers the company of his own crew.

Cast

Crew

  • Screenplay – Norman Hudis
  • Story – Eric Barker
  • Music – Bruce Montgomery & Douglas Gamley
  • Director of Photography – Alan Hume
  • Art Director – Carmen Dillon
  • Editor – John Shirley
  • Production Manager – Bill Hill
  • Camera Operator – Dudley Lovell
  • Assistant Director – Jack Causey
  • Sound Editors – Arthur Ridout & Archie Ludski
  • Sound Recordists – Robert T MacPhee & Bill Daniels
  • Continuity – Penny Daniels
  • Make-up – George Blackler & Geoffrey Rodway
  • Hairdressing – Biddy Crystal
  • Costume Designer – Joan Ellacott
  • Casting Director – Betty White
  • Beachwear – Silhouette (lingerie)
  • Producer – Peter Rogers
  • Director – Gerald Thomas

Filming and locations

  • Filming dates – 8 January-16 February 1962

Interiors:

Reception

The film was the 12th most popular movie at the British box office in 1962.[1]

Bibliography

  • Davidson, Andy (2012). Carry On Confidential. London: Miwk. ISBN 978-1908630018.
  • Sheridan, Simon (2011). Keeping the British End Up – Four Decades of Saucy Cinema. London: Titan Books. ISBN 978-0857682796.
  • Webber, Richard (2009). 50 Years of Carry On. London: Arrow. ISBN 978-0099490074.
  • Hudis, Norman (2008). No Laughing Matter. London: Apex. ISBN 978-1906358150.
  • 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 978-0713487718.
  • Bright, Morris; Ross, Robert (2000). Mr Carry On – The Life & Work of Peter Rogers. London: BBC Books. ISBN 978-0563551836.
  • 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 978-0600558194.
  • Eastaugh, Kenneth (1978). The Carry On Book. London: David & Charles. ISBN 978-0715374030.

References

  1. ↑ "Money-Making Films of 1962." The Times [London, England] 4 January 1963: 4. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 11 July 2012.
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