No Wonder it didn't Carry On
In the hope of resurrecting her sex life with her husband Emile (Kenneth Williams - Carry on Dick), the French Ambassador, Emmannuelle Prevert (Suzanne Danielle) boards Concorde and heads for London, along the way joining the mile high club with the sexually inept Theodore (Larry Dann). But after being reunited with her husband it seems that all he is interested in is pumping iron forcing Emmannuelle to try and satisfy her ravenous sexual appetite with any Tom, Dick and Harry she can find be it political figures or entire football teams. But it seems that Theordore can't get Emmannuelle out of his mind and starts stalking her, going to the press about her sexual conquests when his love isn't requited.
It would be fair to say that during the 70s the "Carry on" movies basically nose dived into oblivion as they lost touch with what made them a cheeky and amusing British Institution. "Carry on Emmannuelle" is a prime example of what went wrong with the series and for a long time was the last of the "Carry on" movies till in 1992 they tried and failed to reinvigorate the franchise. Basically other than a handful of familiar faces there is nothing "Carry on" about "Carry on Emmannuelle", the sexual innuendo is replaced by smut, the characters are dull and un-amusing and basically any move which relies on Kenneth Williams baring his butt to get a laugh is in desperate need of a miracle.
The stink of desperation actually starts before you even sit down to watch "Carry on Emmannuelle" as it is obviously drawing on the sexual exploits of "Emmannuelle" the movie. But "Carry on Emmannuelle" isn't sexy, isn't saucy, isn't really risque or full of sexual innuendo; instead it is dull and unimaginative. The whole storyline of Emmannuelle, the randy wife of the French Ambassador, trying to satisfy her lustful desires elsewhere is beyond stupid and basically consists of Emmannuelle luring various men into bed. That is really it and even the sub plot of Theodore, a man she seduces on Concorde, ending up stalking her is as dull and pointless as the main storyline.
Now to be fair you don't watch a "Carry on" movie for a great storyline but for the cheeky, naughtiness of the humour. But that use of comedy, the cheeky sexual innuendo has most definitely gone walk abouts replaced by obvious sex jokes. It is by no means clever and rarely funny, in fact I could count the number of times "Carry on Emmannuelle" made me laugh on one hand and that's not good for a comedy. This lack of comedy combined with plenty of nudity as it tries to parody the soft porn of "Emmannuelle" and you have a very misguided movie let alone a "Carry on" one.
Things don't get any better with the performances especially as the few regulars such as Joan Sims, Kenneth Connor and Peter Butterworth end up demoted to bit parts and Kenneth Williams being nothing more than a supporting character. This means that "Carry on Emmannuelle" ends up all about Suzanne Danielle as the randy Emmannuelle Prevert and to be frank all Danielle does is walk around flirt, disrobe and look sexy which she does rather well. The various men she beds and that includes Larry Dann as Theodore are ultimately unimportant.
What this all boils down to is that "Carry on Emmannuelle" is regarded as the worst of the "Carry On" movies and it really is. Everything which was good and entertaining about the "Carry on" movies is missing, replaced by unintelligent smut. As such I have to say if the only "Carry on" movie you have seen is "Carry on Emmannuelle" don't think that they are all this bad as those from the 60s were both clever and amusing.
Tags: Carry On Movies
