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
Original UK quad poster by Renato Fratini
Directed byGerald Thomas
Produced byPeter Rogers
Written byTalbot Rothwell
StarringSid James
Kenneth Williams
Charles Hawtrey
Joan Sims
Terry Scott
Hattie Jacques
Barbara Windsor
Bernard Bresslaw
Peter Butterworth
Dilys Laye
Julian Holloway
Betty Marsden
Music byEric Rogers
CinematographyErnest Steward
Edited byAlfred Roome
Distributed byThe Rank Organisation
Release date
  • 29 May 1969 (1969-05-29)
Running time
88 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
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

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:

Exteriors:

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
  1. "The World's Top Twenty Films." Sunday Times [London, England] 27 Sept. 1970: 27. The Sunday Times Digital Archive. accessed 5 Apr. 2014
  2. "Carry On Camping voted best film of series". The Daily Mirror. 29 July 2008. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  3. "Carry On Camping (1969)".
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