Carry On Girls (1973) was the 25th entry in this staggeringly long-running British comedy film series. Many don't seem to hold 'Girls' in much regard, but I really like it. The Carry On's were beginning to slide in popularity at this stage; whereas at one stage at least two or three Carry On films were made per year, by 1973 the production rate had slowed down to just once a year.
Charles Hawtrey (who had been disposed of after his drunken antics on the Carry On Abroad set and after continual disagreements with producer Peter Rogers over wanting his name elevated above the title which no Carry On star was ever rewarded), Kenneth Williams and the formidable Hattie Jacques are all sorely missed, but there is surprisingly enough fun, laughter and games to enjoy throughout.
In 'Carry On Girls', the typically thin plot is centered around a tacky, end-of-pier beauty contest which immediately faces opposition from the town's women's lib action group, led by Councillor Prodworthy, played marvelously by June Whitfield. Sid James organises the contest and lets the girls (which includes Margaret Noland and Wendy Richard) stay at the hotel run by his girlfriend, Chloe (Joan Sims) for free! Sid's eye soon strays onto the bubbly Barbara Windsor whom arrives on a motorbike in complete tomboy mode, yet reveals a far more glamorous, feminine side when taking part in the first promotional photo shoot.
The film's climax is where it really scores best with the beauty contest ending in complete disaster. The girls costumes are all laced with itching powder, the floor is made slippery leading the contestants to tumble down on to the stage and to top if off Councillor Prodworthy turns on the sprinklers that soaks the entire audience. This is followed by a fun go-kart chase as Sid James flees all of the enraged customers who all demanding their money back after having been soaked in the theatre. Barbara Windsor is hot on Sid's trail on a motorbike. The last scene sees Sid James and Barbara Windsor riding merrily along a motorway on Barbara's scooter. Silly but great fun.
The cast are all on top form, though any scene which Sid James and Barbara Windsor share raises a smile and a laugh with their undeniable chemistry shining through. This is really Sid and Babs film.
Yet again, Joan Sims is underused and unfairly pigeon holed into a supporting performance which she plays straight and efficiently, where as Kenneth Connor plays the town's bumbling Mayor, a blatantly incompetent and pompous figure whom causes some amusement though is mainly the butt of a joke. Playing opposite Connor, and inadvertently stealing any scene she's in, is Patsy Rolands, whom has a far meatier part in this Carry On and comes into her own. She plays the Mayor's frustrated and down-trodden wife to utter comic perfection and her character rebels in the end joining forces with June Whitfield's team of women's lib group.
Lovable giant, Bernard Bresslaw pops up as Sid James sidekick in organising the beauty contest. The scenes where he dresses in drag, deliberately to attract attention from the media in a bid to drum up publicity and generate interest in the contest, are quite hilarious! The sultry Valerie Leon plays his dowdy fiancé who reluctantly ends up joining the beauty contest in the end and is transformed into the glamorous and stunning beauty she always truly was/is. For some odd reason, however, all of Valerie Leon's lines are dubbed over by June Whitfield! Bizarre! Then there's Jack Douglas bubbling away in the background as the hotel porter, William. His nervous twitching is something of an acquired taste, and while Douglas is clearly a talented performer who fit in nicely in the 70s Carry On's, it can become tedious and just annoying at points.
All told, I definitely consider 'Carry On Girls' a classic entry in the series and a highly enjoyable one at that.
Charles Hawtrey (who had been disposed of after his drunken antics on the Carry On Abroad set and after continual disagreements with producer Peter Rogers over wanting his name elevated above the title which no Carry On star was ever rewarded), Kenneth Williams and the formidable Hattie Jacques are all sorely missed, but there is surprisingly enough fun, laughter and games to enjoy throughout.
In 'Carry On Girls', the typically thin plot is centered around a tacky, end-of-pier beauty contest which immediately faces opposition from the town's women's lib action group, led by Councillor Prodworthy, played marvelously by June Whitfield. Sid James organises the contest and lets the girls (which includes Margaret Noland and Wendy Richard) stay at the hotel run by his girlfriend, Chloe (Joan Sims) for free! Sid's eye soon strays onto the bubbly Barbara Windsor whom arrives on a motorbike in complete tomboy mode, yet reveals a far more glamorous, feminine side when taking part in the first promotional photo shoot.
The film's climax is where it really scores best with the beauty contest ending in complete disaster. The girls costumes are all laced with itching powder, the floor is made slippery leading the contestants to tumble down on to the stage and to top if off Councillor Prodworthy turns on the sprinklers that soaks the entire audience. This is followed by a fun go-kart chase as Sid James flees all of the enraged customers who all demanding their money back after having been soaked in the theatre. Barbara Windsor is hot on Sid's trail on a motorbike. The last scene sees Sid James and Barbara Windsor riding merrily along a motorway on Barbara's scooter. Silly but great fun.
The cast are all on top form, though any scene which Sid James and Barbara Windsor share raises a smile and a laugh with their undeniable chemistry shining through. This is really Sid and Babs film.
Yet again, Joan Sims is underused and unfairly pigeon holed into a supporting performance which she plays straight and efficiently, where as Kenneth Connor plays the town's bumbling Mayor, a blatantly incompetent and pompous figure whom causes some amusement though is mainly the butt of a joke. Playing opposite Connor, and inadvertently stealing any scene she's in, is Patsy Rolands, whom has a far meatier part in this Carry On and comes into her own. She plays the Mayor's frustrated and down-trodden wife to utter comic perfection and her character rebels in the end joining forces with June Whitfield's team of women's lib group.
Lovable giant, Bernard Bresslaw pops up as Sid James sidekick in organising the beauty contest. The scenes where he dresses in drag, deliberately to attract attention from the media in a bid to drum up publicity and generate interest in the contest, are quite hilarious! The sultry Valerie Leon plays his dowdy fiancé who reluctantly ends up joining the beauty contest in the end and is transformed into the glamorous and stunning beauty she always truly was/is. For some odd reason, however, all of Valerie Leon's lines are dubbed over by June Whitfield! Bizarre! Then there's Jack Douglas bubbling away in the background as the hotel porter, William. His nervous twitching is something of an acquired taste, and while Douglas is clearly a talented performer who fit in nicely in the 70s Carry On's, it can become tedious and just annoying at points.
All told, I definitely consider 'Carry On Girls' a classic entry in the series and a highly enjoyable one at that.