Carry on Sergeant (1958)

A subtle start to the Carry on series

Somehow I had managed to miss this over the last 50 years. So to see it in 2008, having seen many of the later Carry On films was something of a surprise. The nudge nudge element, I suppose best represented by Sid James, is mostly missing, and the film in black and white still mainly looks as though it was made just after the end of the second world war.

Its humour is more restrained than the later films. In many ways this is a good thing, because when Kenneth Connor and Kenneth Williams do appear the link to the later Carry On films falls into place. The fact that both Connor and Williams are both recruits in the Army tells you all you need to know.

The cast all give fine performances, and its well written and directed. I also wondered whether this was an influence on the writers of the UK TV series Dads Army. Kenneth Connor's character in particular had many of the traits that Corporal Jones would use ten years later. Whilst this may not be as good as Carry on up the Kyber its still a much better film than you might expect. April 15, 2008

The Very First Carry On Movie

When Carry On Sergeant hit cinemas in 1958 nobody could have predicted how long the series was actually going to run. The very first Carry On film saw Peter Rogers as the producer and Gerald Thomas as the director (together they made all 31 Carry on films). A low budget farce, the film doesn't entireley encapsulate the feel of a typical Carry On film though gave mere hints of what was to come over the next 20 odd years. An army based comedy where strict, no-nonsense drill sergeant, William Hartnell (who was not a bit unlike his ferocious character in real life) attempts to train a bunch of eccentric, accident-prone young men into soldiers fit for fighting the war. Of course when you have the likes of Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey and Kenneth Connor amongst the cast you pretty much can guess what happens. Several slap-stick mishaps raise a chuckle with the flamboyantly camp characterisations of Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey causing the most amusement. The film does hold a surprisingly refreshing sentimental ending which was not untypical of 1950's British comedies. Amongst the rest of the cast is the delightful Hattie Jaques who is given a supporting role, Bob Monkhouse in his first and only Carry On (who also receives top billing), Leslie Phillips and the glamorous Shirley Eaton (a one-time Bond girl) who provides the sexual charisma that would later more famously be provided by Barbara Windsor. An entertaining first entry in the series. May 10, 2006

Broad, Cheery and Un-P.C. Fun

A group of misfits undergo Army basic training under the eye of an irascible but ultimately goodhearted sergeant. No, it isn't Stripes. It's Britain in the Fifties, and this was the first of a string of Carry On movies that numbered well over 20 and lasted, I think, until the Seventies. Charles Hawtrey, Hattie Jacques, Kenneth Williams, Kenneth Connor and several others made a pretty good living appearing in the series.

And the movie's not bad. Corny, with broad humor, good spirits, and with a nice, sentimental ending. It's the last platoon the sergeant will train before he retires. Will they win the outstanding squad cup after the final parade? Plus it has all the instantly recognizable cliche characters...the unconsummated newly wed (with his bride who gets a job on base), the nervous hypochondriac, the stumble-foot innocent, the hip guitar player. All very un-P.C.

Nice jobs by William Hartnell who plays the sergeant and by Eric Barker who plays the officer in charge who doesn't have the firmest grip on reality. Not least, the movie opens and closes with a really first-rate, rousing march. April 16, 2006

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