Carry On Teacher/Carry On Constable (1962)

Classic Carry On!

Carry On Teacher was the third entry into the long-running British comedy film series and was an amusing one at that. The series was well underway having enjoyed International success with its predecessor, Carry On Nurse. This is a gentle, light-hearted comedy, distinctley reminiscent of the St. Trinians series. When a headmaster of a school decides to leave for a new post, the pupils do everything to sabotage his chances because of his firm popularity with them. Two school inspectors arrive, both with diverse ideas on discipline (Rosalind Knight and Leslie Phillips) to assess Mr. Wakefields (the headmaster - played by Ted Ray) progress with the school. And so cue all the predicatble slap stick mayhem such as the staff getting hopelessly drunk after the staffs tea is laced with alcohol, doors falling down when opened, superglue on chairs etc. Predictable yes, but good clean, old-fashioned fun that still manages to raise a smile. Amongst the cast are some of the familiar Carry On faces such as Kenneth Williams, Joan Sims, Charles Hawtrey, Hattie Jaques (playing a ferocious, no-nonsense school mistress) and Kenneth Connor playing his usual bumbling, accident-prone self which became something of his trademark throughout the series. The ending has a surprising twist of sentimentality and although this entry could hardly be anything else but a Carry On film, it still is quite untypical of some of the later entries in the series.

Carry On Constable was a turning point in the series as it marked the first apperance of Sid James. Surprisingly he doesn't play his usual rogue-like, lecherous old man role as he always did in later entries, instead playing a fair, down-to-earth, good old fashioned policeman who is continually undermined by his superior. Still his performance was a breeze of fresh air in the series. This is basically Carry On Sergeant transferred to a police station. None of it is beleavable of course, but there is certainly plenty of fun to endure and this is perharps one of the best of the black and white Carry On's. Leslie Phillips, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey and Kenneth Connor, all play the blatantly incompetent trainee police-officers who make a mockery of virtually every task they're given but all turns out good in the end of course - after all this is a Carry On film. Amongst the rest of the cast include Joan Sims as super-efficent WPC Gloria Pasworthy (who Kenneth Connor falls hopelessly in love with in the film), Hattie Jaques as a down-to-earth, understanding officer who enjoys a close friendship with Sid James and an amusing cameo from Joan Hickson playing a loveable, typically English eccentric who is forever drunk and getting arrested on drunken-disorderley charges.

Carry On Teacher and Carry On Constable features the series in its prime. Both are as corny as ever and distinctley British but the cozy, old-fashioned feel of the films have an undeniable timeless quality. Recommended. October 29, 2002

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