Top Ten Carry on Movies

In 1958 director Gerald Thomas and producer Peter Rogers brought together a group of British comedians and gave us a comedy about a retiring drill sergeant who tries to drum in to shape one last bunch of lackadaisical National Service recruits. That movie was "Carry on Sergeant" and thanks to its success Thomas & Rogers went on to helm one of cinema's longest running franchises with 29 movies plus a compilation movie made over the following 20 years. And then 14 years after the "Carry On" movies had run their course they came back with another as a new bunch of comedians and some of the old cast gave us the sadly disappointing "Carry on Columbus". What many people don't realise is that there could have been more as not only did they have ideas for another 8 movies including one about a spaceman but right up until he passed away in 2009 Peter Rogers was interested in making another "Carry on" movie. So in tribute to the ever popular "Carry on" movies here is The Movie Scene's Top Ten Carry on Movies:

10 - Carry on Cleo (1964)

Carry on Cleo (1964)

Inventor Hengist Pod (Kenneth Connor) and his friend Horsa (Jim Dale) are captured by the invading Romans and are taken back to Rome where they are sold as slaves. But when they accidentally get into a fight, a case of mistaken identity leads to the less than macho Hengist becoming Julius Caesar's (Kenneth Williams) personal bodyguard. All is well until Hengist, Caesar and his trusted general Mark Anthony (Sid James) visit Cleopatra (Amanda Barrie) where Hengist ends up in the firing line of some nefarious plans between Cleopatra and Mark Anthony... full review

9 - Carry on Spying (1964)

Carry on Spying (1964)

When a top secret formula is stolen by the Milchmann (Victor Maddern), an agent of STENCH (the Society for the Total Extinction of Non-Conforming Humans), Agent Simkins (Kenneth Williams) and three trainees are given the mission of finding the Milchmann and getting the formula back. Sent to Vienna this inept bunch of special agents cause more trouble than good but somehow between them they come up trumps when they get the formula back. But will they get back to Britain with it or will nefarious leader of STENCH, Dr Crow (Judith Furse) stop them... full review

8 - Carry on Cruising (1962)

Carry on Cruising (1962)

Having been at the helm of the SS Happy Wandered for 10 years Captain Wellington Crowther (Sid James) has not only built a reliable crew who always sail with him but one more successful cruise and he is sure to get the promotion he has longer for. Unfortunately for him his usual staff are unavailable for the cruise and he finds himself saddled with 5 new members of staff who despite trying to impress keep on getting things wrong. That is not the only thing causing Captain Crowther a headache as the passengers on this cruise are just as much trouble... full review

7 - Carry on Screaming! (1966)

Carry on Screaming! (1966)

When Albert Potter's (Jim Dale) girlfriend suddenly goes missing he finds himself assisting Detective Sergeant Sidney Bung (Harry H. Corbett) and Constable Slobotham (Peter Butterworth) in their investigations as they are already looking into a series of other cases where women have some how vanished. All their evidence points them to the creepy home of Doctor Orlando Watt (Kenneth Williams) and his vampish sister Valeria (Fenella Fielding) who unbeknown to the detectives have been sending out their slave Oddbod (Tom Clegg) to abduct women so they can turn them into mannequins. But with the creepy goings on being a little to scary and the vampish charms of Valeria distracting Detective Bung it seems like they may get away with their crimes... full review

6 - Carry on Teacher (1959)

Carry on Teacher (1959)

For over 20 years William Wakefield (Ted Ray) has taught at Maudin Street School and having been working as acting headmaster has an eye on a more permanent post as headmaster at a new school. With a visit from a school inspector and a child psychologist due any day he plans to use the visit to demonstrate that he is the man for the new position. But to his horror nothing goes to plan when the pupils start misbehaving, lead by Robin Stevens (Richard O'Sullivan) who devises one classroom prank after another to make it seem that the school and its students are out of control... full review

5 - Carry on Cabby (1963)

Carry on Cabby (1963)

Charlie Hawkins (Sid James) runs his own cab firm and he loves it, in fact he loves being at the office or working in a cab that his wife Peggy (Hattie Jacques) feels like she is constantly playing second fiddle. Frustrated by her husbands continual lack of love and affection Peggy decides she will teach Charlie lesson and sets up her own cab company called Glamcabs completely in secret. Having employed attractive young women in short skirts to drive the cabs she is soon dealing with a flourishing business but that means Charlie is losing business and starts to sabotage Glamcabs completely unaware that he is he is trying to destroy Peggy's business... full review

4 - Carry on Constable (1960)

Carry on Constable (1960)

With sickness causing a shortage of policemen Sergeant Wilkins (Sid James) finds himself lumbered with three wet behind the ears Policemen straight from the police academy. Along with Special Constable Gorse (Charles Hawtrey) these new recruits try to do what they are told but can't help but make one mistake after another much to Sergeant Wilkins annoyance as his superior, Inspector Mills (Eric Barker) would love to transfer Wilkins out... full review

3 - Carry on Nurse (1959)

Carry on Nurse (1959)

At Have Hospital there is no one more formidable than Matron (Hattie Jacques) whose daily walk through makes the nurses and some of the patients cower in fear. But the men's ward which currently hosts the educated Oliver Reckitt (Kenneth Williams) and ladies man Jack Bell (Leslie Phillips) are not so bothered about Matron as they are too busy keeping the nurses on their toes with the escapades. And what escapades they are when one night they manage to get blotto on some smuggled in booze and make their way down to the operating room to do a bit of DIY surgery... full review

2 - Carry on Sergeant (1958)

Carry on Sergeant (1958)

After a life in the military Sergeant Grimshawe (William Hartnell) knows that retirement is just around the corner and he plans end his career with another success. That success involves a bet that even he won't be able to whip into shape the sorry excuse for a rabble who have received their National Service call up orders. And they are a right bunch of no hopers from an elitist who is lazy, a hypochondriac who spends more time in sick bay than in the barracks to Charlie Sage (Bob Monkhouse) who having just got married found himself being whisked off before he even got to go on holiday and is desperate to have his wedding night... full review

1 - Carry on Cowboy (1966)

Carry on Cowboy (1966)

Stodge City is in trouble as The Rumpo Kid (Sid James) has killed Sheriff Albert Earp (Jon Pertwee) and with the aid of his squeeze, busty saloon owner Belle Armitage (Joan Sims) having taken control of the town. Desperate Judge Burke (Kenneth Williams) writes to the Governor pleading for him to send a new lawman to rid them of Rumpo and when Marshal P. Knutt (Jim Dale) arrives the judge thinks he is the new marshal not that his name is Marshal and in truth he is a sewer engineer, Despite a complete lack of experience Marshal accepts the position who with some guidance of the sweet Annie Oakley (Angela Douglas) sets about dealing with The Rumpo Kid and cleaning up Stodge City... full review