Carry on Cabby (1963) User Reviews

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Cabbie

[richardchatten · 7/10 · 18 November 2021]

Made in the days when Cortenas were considered exotic; this is an unusual 'Carry On' in that the humour is gentler (Sid James - fresh from a TV series called 'Taxi' - isn't yet the coarse lecher he later specialised in) and the woman more nuanced, possibly because it started life as a non-'Carry On'.

Written under the title 'Call Me a Cab' by Morecombe & Wise's old writers Sid Green & Dick Hills, this was one of the last 'Carry On's in black & white, the last to feature Cyril Chamberlain, Esma Cannon, and the lovely Liz Fraser (unless you count the unspeakable 'Carry On Behind', which I don't), the first to feature Jim Dale and Amanda Barrie and be scored by Eric Rogers (and one of the very few without Kenneth Williams).

Funny characters with a decent plot

[Hayden-86055 · 7/10 · 15 January 2021]

Carry on Cabby is quite good, there are definite strengths to the production. It's nice to see Sid James and Hattie Jacques as a wife and husband and we get Kenneth Connor, Liz Fraser and Charles Hawtrey but no Kenneth Williams this time round which was a shame but still had a strong cast.

The plot's about the women setting up a rival cabby group to the men, it's got a cool girl power message and it's one of the only Carry on films that has a definite start, middle and end instead of just sketch type things. I feel like it could have had some funnier moments but it was strong.

7/10: Good

Intelligent Movie with Funny Moments that Work Well!

[Cinema_Fan · 7/10 · 18 March 2006]

Filmed during the early 1960's and in Black and White too, this is a movie that highlights the early struggle between the sexes, the sexes that are the Husband and Wife relationship of the Hawkins. With the wonderful Hattie Jakes as the repressed and neglected wife of the taxi firm owner, Sid James.

Before the Carry On phenomenon took hold during the seventies, (this little classic coming from the writing combinations of Sidney Green and Richard Hills, the screenplay, of course, is by Talbot Rothwell). Carry On Cabby shows itself to be very funny and at the same time an intelligent movie that had not yet found its niche that had made them so ever popular.

Cabby, with its own unique style for an early effort, we are shown a more serious social topic, and in between the gags that come rolling in, which never fail to amuse, we have the very funny Charles Hawtrey as the comic relief, fantastic all the way. With the cast of great British talent as Kenneth Connor, Liz Frazer and his Carry On debut, Jim Dale. What Cabby does not have, yet, is the late Kenneth Williams.

Carry On Cabby with its issues of sex discrimination and a battle of the sexes that occurs when the women take a stand against the ignorance and proud male dominance is done in a way that will have you in a pleasant and fond appreciation of how British movies of this elk were made, in a fine and inoffensive manner that was only meant to do what it does best, entertain, delight and without fail, make you laugh.

Hail a Cab, Hail a Carry On Cab.

Timeless Classic, one of the best.

Relies on plot rather than smut

[unclepete · 17 May 2002]

This is a really heart warming flick with a cracking story. Sure, the gags are there, but they are not the forefront of the film.

James and Jacques have rarely been in finer form, and manage to construct some very poignant scenes. Amanda Barrie is absolutely drop dead gorgeous.

Perhaps most overlooked, this film has one of the loveliest scores of all the Carry Ons, and makes use of some lovely arrangements.

Definitely a must see if you like the genre.

CARRY ON CABBY (Gerald Thomas, 1963) ***

[Bunuel1976 · 7/10 · 12 January 2008]

This is another solid entry in the popular series which, again, recalls earlier classics of British comedy – such as the Ealing and Boulting Brothers films.

Kenneth Williams’ presence is missed here: apparently, he turned down the role of the shop steward (probably influenced by Peter Sellers’ similar, award-winning characterization in I’M ALL RIGHT, JACK [1959] and eventually played by Norman Chappell) because he felt the script was substandard – I disagree and, in fact, Talbot Rothwell became the series’ official writer from this point on! Joan Sims is also conspicuous by her absence (the “Carry On” stalwart’s typical role is played here by the slimmer Liz Fraser – incidentally, also a cast member of JACK).

Sid James, however, is clearly in control – with Hattie Jacques as his female counterpart; even Kenneth Connor and Charles Hawtrey’s characters feel subsidiary here, the film being heavier on plot than the previous series outings I’ve just watched, though both get their big scene (more on this later). The narrative concerns Jacques’ elaborate way of dealing with husband James’ slacking attentions: he’s a cab-service owner and totally absorbed in his work so, unbeknownst to him, she contrives to open a rival business – but with the advantage of young and attractive women drivers! Connor is James’ sidekick (involved with Fraser, tending bar at the cab-driver’s café) who, at one point, appears in drag when he’s made to infiltrate the ‘enemy camp’ (as part of a plan by James to get at the competition); Hawtrey is an accident-prone novice driver (his ‘baptism of fire’ is unsurprisingly fraught with disaster); Jim Dale appears in his first “Carry On” as well, in a bit as an expectant father who takes cabbies James and Connor ‘on a ride’ and causes the former to miss his anniversary celebration!

While there’s some tit-for-tat routines between them (the women – knowledgeable of the fact that the men have intercepted their radio signals – deliberately give out fake addresses, while James & Co. show their force by tampering with the vehicles driven by the ladies…except that the latter still get the upper hand, because their passengers are all-too-willing to lend a helping hand!), the companies finally get together when one of Jacques’ cabs – with her, Fraser and the girls’ payroll inside – is abducted by a gang of crooks. All the various vehicles set out in co-ordinated pursuit and manage to corner the ‘stray’ cab in open-country; the final gag, then, sees Hawtrey driving James’ car into a tree – so that the boss has no alternative but to hail a cab for himself!

Dated but still better than some of the series.

[dis-6 · 7/10 · 22 September 2001]

This is an old fashioned "battle of the sexes" comedy where an unappreciated wife ( Hattie Jacques ) sets up a glamorous female-only taxi outfit in competition with the existing old-fashioned male-only taxi firm run by her workaholic husband ( Sidney James ). Of course the glamorous cabs win all the custom until the male cab business is on the rocks...

By no means the best of the series but still far far funnier than "Carry On Columbus" or "Carry On Behind" etc.

In no time at all you find that you're about as popular as a wickerwork seat in a nudist camp, and you know what sort of impression that makes on people.

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 28 April 2011]

Carry on Cabby is directed by Gerald Thomas and adapted to a screenplay by Talbot Rothwell from a story by Richard Hills & Sidney Green. It stars Sidney James, Hattie Jacques, Kenneth Connor, Charles Hawtrey, Esma Cannon and Liz Fraser. It's the 7th film of the long running Carry On film franchise. Plot finds James as Charlie Hawkins, a man so obsessed with his taxi business he severely neglects his wife Peg (Jacques). At the end of her tether, Peg sets up her own taxi company called Glam Cabs, the draw being that all the drivers are female, all are gorgeous and all are taking the trade away from Charlie's business. The men try and strike back, but these girls are not for turning.....

Aside from the fact that the cast list is missing big hitters such as Kenneth Williams, Joan Sims and Bernard Bresslaw, Carry on Cabby also stands out from the other series entries for another reason. If it feels a little different, maybe even a touch too tame for the bawdy loving crowd, then that has to do with the fact that Talbot Rothwell actually scripted it as a non series entry. It was to be a standalone picture titled Call Me A Cab, but with the series starting to gain momentum it was reworked as a Carry On movie.

The film is a breezy battle of the sexes comedy built around a more than decent plot. On a list of genuinely funny Carry On movies it most likely struggles to get in the top ten, but if we can judge it away from the series? It has a warm 60's appeal whilst throbbing with classic black and white capery. It's also one of the few Carry On film's that enjoys a pro feminist angle, whilst it's a joy to see Jacques get a decent and touching role some way away from the big bruiser character's she was known for. As the lady viewers enjoy the fun "womans" angle in the plot, the red blooded male is naturally (for a Carry On movie) catered for with plenty of woof-whistle moments (Amanda Barrie-oh my). And the robbery based finale is well constructed by genre legend Gerald Thomas.

Innuendo light, but in this case it's not a bad thing. 7/10

Anytime, anywhere.

[BA_Harrison · 7/10 · 14 February 2015]

Sid James plays Charlie Hawkins, workaholic owner of Speedee Taxis, the only cab firm in town. After repeatedly ignoring his long-suffering wife Peg (Hattie Jacques) in favour of picking up fares, Charlie finds himself unexpectedly facing competition from his miffed spouse, who secretly sets up rival taxi company GlamCabs, featuring all female drivers.

From the above synopsis, one might think that this film intends to strike a blow or two for feminism, but this being a Carry On film from the early sixties, it quickly becomes apparent that fighting for sexual equality isn't the film's primary motive. With GlamCabs only employing women with an hour-glass figure and a cracking sets of pins, the film's 'battle of the sexes' plot is actually a thinly veiled excuse to fill the screen with cracking crumpet.

Not that I'm complaining: the leggy lovelies, whose number include the fabulous Amanda Barrie (who would go on to star as Queen Cleopatra in Carry On Cleo), not only provide viewers with quality eye-candy (especially in the scene where Kenneth Connor, disguised as a woman, is ushered into the ladies changing room), but also plenty of laughs as they use their impressive womanly attributes to steal Hawkin's business.

6.5 out of 10, rounded up to 7 for IMDb.

A battle-of-the-sexes comedy, that only Carry On can do

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 11 October 2009]

I really liked this Carry On entry. This is considered as Hattie Jaques's personal favourite of the Carry Ons and it isn't hard to see why. She seems to be having a ball as the neglected wife of cab driver Charlie Hawkins, who is played to perfection by the one and only Sidney James. Carry On Cabby has a very irreverent screenplay, that will leave you in tears of laughter, but what made this particular Carry On stand out for me was that the plot was one of the strongest plot lines in Carry On history. As for the other performances, Jim Dale is hilarious in a small role, and Kenneth Connor is his usual charming self. Charles Hawtrey is solid in his role too. The photography was skillfully done, and the music score was great. My only complaints are its length and its rather slow beginning, other than that, pretty darn good if you ask me. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Competent Saturday afternoon filler

[dsewizzrd-1 · 6/10 · 9 September 2012]

Most of the usual crew including Hattie Jacques and Sidney James star in this early black and white Carry On film. Sidney runs a cab business when his wife decides to run a rival cab business ("Glam Cabs" - "I'm Free") with a fleet of bright, shiny, perky new units (the cars are new and all).

Rather than waiting a few weeks for the gearboxes of the Mark I Cortinas to disintegrate, Sidney attempts to foil the opposition with a series of hopeless plans.

Wisely, the producers decided to use the lovely old Model 10s for the more challenging scenes.

Product placements – Firestone tyres, Ford, Daily Express and Woodbines (cigarettes).

All Change!, And A New Dawn For The Carry On's

[MartynGryphon · 10/10 · 19 May 2007]

I have no hesitation in stating that Carry On Cabby as THE best of the early 'Carry On' movies, and if pushed I would say that it ranked as one of the best films of the entire series.

I think the main reason why this movie is one of the standouts of the series, was that both Composer Eric Rogers and writer Talbot Rothwell had joined the team, and it was Rothwell's unique brand of humour, that became synonymous with the bawdy risqué type of humour that was to become a trademark of all the future movies, (until 1974's Carry On Dick of course, which became notable for being the final Carry On film for Talbot Rothwell, Sid James, Barbara Windsor and Hattie Jacques). Rogers's music also had a comedy trademark all it's own, with Rogers regularly relying on the bassoon or oboe to good effect when trying to highlight comedic situations.

Jim Dale also appears in his first Carry On film, in a small but hilarious role as an expectant father that turns Sid James's cab into a temporary maternity ward. Dale soon became a mainstay of the team throughout the remainder of the 1960's, usually cast as the male romantic lead previously reserved for either Kenneth Connor or Leslie Phillips.

In 'Cabby' Sid James plays the manager of a local cab firm, who has trouble keeping a healthy balance between his beloved Taxi's and his home life, much to the chagrin of his neglected wife played brilliantly by Hattie Jacques, in what is regarded as her finest Carry On performance and certainly her own personal favourite. In order to teach him a lesson in love, she uses his money to covertly set up her own rival cab firm to pinch his customers, using only sexy female drivers as bait in what is destined to become not only a battle of the taxi's, but a real battle of the sexes.

Amanda Barrie, is cast as one of these 'cabbies in corsets' and on the strength of this performance, I'm sure it came as no surprise to anyone, that she was to be cast as the title character in 'Carry On Cleo', the following year.

Charles Hawtrey turns up as a well meaning but seriously inept and accident prone new recruit to Sid's fleet of drivers, while Kenneth Connor plays Sid's trusty and loyal right hand man. However, in this movie, Connor has his own love life to sort out in the form of Liz Fraser and while both are great in their roles, they do seem a bit mismatched, so I feel that maybe Dilys Laye, (Connor's Love interest in the previous movie 'Carry On Cruising'), would have been more suitable in the part.

Bill Owen also gives a fine performance in what would be his final appearance in the Carry On series. Ironically, soon after completing 'Cabby', Bill Owen and Sid James would virtually reprise their roles in a BBC sitcom called 'Taxi!' playing, cab drivers yet again.

The only thing missing from 'Cabby', is Kenneth Williams, who's absence is very noticeable as this was the first of only a handful of Carry On films in which he would not appear.

Like Watch Your Stern, (made three years previously and starred a myriad of Carry On 'regulars'), Carry On Cabby was not originally slated to be a part of the Carry On series, and was filmed under the working title of 'Call Me A Cab', however, to add some appeal at the box office, it was decided at the last minute to add the 'Carry On' Moniker and make it an official entry. Eric Rogers's music remained unchanged, however, so that's why the films theme tune, if sung, fit's perfectly to the words 'Call Me A Cab', (which incidentally is also Sid's final line in the movie).

For 'Carry On Cabby', Talbot Rothwell had merely adapted a previously written screenplay by Sid Green and Dick Hills (then best known as writers for Morecambe & Wise). It wasn't until the subsequent movies that Rothwell had full creative control of the screenplays which heralded a change of direction for the series, which makes Carry On Cabby, In my opinion, the last of the early Carry On's.

Carry On Cabby may have been the end of the beginning, but it certainly wasn't the beginning of the end.

Enjoy.

Cabbies who look like playboy bunnies

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 19 December 2014]

Sid James joins the Carry On troupe in this film and in Carry On Cabby he makes a smashing debut as the workaholic owner of a taxi cab fleet. Among the other problems he has are some of the new drivers he has to train among them Carry On perennials Kenneth Connor and Charles Hawtrey.

Of course James is proud of the business he's built and he even takes a turn behind wheel himself. A lot of people would think that an accomplishment and bosses who aren't afraid to get in the mix with their employees are usually popular. But Sid is getting less and less popular on the home front.

Hattie Jacques is Mrs. James and she's feeling ignored at home as James thinks of nothing but the business. In the end she organizes her own fleet of cabs with shapely young female cabbies who look like playboy bunnies without the ears. As she says they have assets to exploit their male counterparts do not.

Charles Hawtrey was getting a bit risqué and flamboyant in playing a most stereotypical gay cabdriver. He comes to work in form fitting leather jacket on a motorcycle. This was probably very close to the truth in Hawtrey's life whom everyone knew and he didn't deny was gay.

Funniest moments in the film is a long drawn out affair with James and Hawtrey driving expectant father Jim Dale and his very pregnant wife who keeps them out all night with a few false labors. It's about then that Jacques decides to take a stand.

Sad to say I've dealt with a few cabbies in real life who might have been trained at this cab company.

Carry On Cabby

[jboothmillard · 5/10 · 21 March 2011]

This was the seventh film in the famous line of British comedy films, this seemingly the best of the black and white ones, I didn't really read any reviews like that before, I just wanted to see it because I had seen many of the others. Basically Speedee Taxis run by workaholic owner Charlie Hawkins (Sid James) is a successful business, but it is causing him to neglect his wife Peggy (Hattie Jacques). On the day of their fifteenth wedding anniversary he manages to remember a thoughtful present, but when she wants to go out for a meal he blows it, with extra delay from expectant father Jeremy (Jim Dale) and his heavily pregnant wife. Peggy is so mad with him that she decides to give him a taste of his own medicine by taking all his savings out of the bank to create her own rival taxi service called GlamCabs, an all attractive women drivers service. She is lying to Charlie that she has got a new job, and he soon finds out about the new rival taxi business, but he has no idea that his wife is the owner, and Flo Sims (Esma Cannon), another neglected wife, is the office manager. While trying to compete with his new unknown rival, becoming successful because of men wanting to ogle at the sexy girl, Charlie also struggles to keep order with some of his drivers, including the accident prone Terry 'Pintpot' Tankard (Charles Hawtrey), and of course bankruptcy. Soon enough Peggy is feeling guilty for what she is doing to her husband, and after a failed attempted sabotage he does find out the identity of the rival company owner and starts drinking. Then on one of their runs Peggy and Flo have two robbers with guns get in the taxi and want them to drive them to get away, luckily they put the radio on to get Charlie and all the Speedee Taxis on their case. In the end after a big chase and the bad guys captured by all the surrounding cabs, Peggy and Charlie kiss and make up, and celebrate the news that she is pregnant. Also starring Kenneth Connor as Ted Watson, Liz Fraser as Sally, Bill Owen as Smiley Sims, Milo O'Shea as Len, Judith Furse as Battleaxe and Amanda Barrie as Anthea. The cast as always are all great fun, especially Hawtrey as the hapless and silly taxi driver who causes chaos, the film has a bit more innuendo and sexuality than seen before, this obviously develops more later, and it is a fun story, a good comedy. Carry On films were number 39 on The 100 Greatest Pop Culture Icons. Worth watching!

OK entry but best was yet to come

[vancleef1980 · 9 February 2011]

Cabby is generally regarded as one of the best of the series and it was to be said it is a very good film. Hattie Jacques has probably her finest part and her and Sid James always made a good team. That said even though this was Talbot Rothwell's first Carry on script and there are some bawdy lines and very funny situations it still has that Norman Hudis feel to it. Now i was never a fan of the Hudis Carry on's i feel they were no different to any other harmless stiff upper lip British comedy film's that were being made at the time despite their somewhat high reputation. This was a decent warm up for Rothwell and after a couple of silly follow ups Jack and Spying he really hit home with the hilarious and brilliant Cleo (the first great Carry on film). Cabby is harmless fun with great support from Hawtrey and Connor, but much better was to come.

Carry on Cabby

[CinemaSerf · 6/10 · 26 July 2023]

This is another of my favourite "Carry On" films. Poor old "Charlie" (Sid James) has built up a successful business with his wife "Peggy" (Hattie Jacques) but his dedication to cabbing is causing him to neglect her and she is getting narked. When the boys threaten to walk out if he uses "Flo" (Esma Cannon) as a driver, the last straw breaks the camel's back and she decides to start her own company - using only woman drivers. Needless to say, this is a roaring success and "Charlie" suddenly finds his fares drying up and he must find a solution... Although a few of the regulars still feature here, this is essentially an enjoyable duel between the two and it's fun. I always had a soft spot for the Una O'Connor/Mildred Natwick style of characters and Cannon fills that role nicely here as the story ebbs and flows before it culminates in a co-ordinated taxi chase and a niftyile exercised motorised pincer movement. It takes a swipe at sexism and the daft excesses of trade unionism, whilst reminding us that there is more to life than running a successful enterprise.

A social snapshot

[richard-616-356000 · 7/10 · 12 April 2023]

I write this exactly 60 years on from this film being made. The version of the UK it portrays is long gone, manners and behaviours have changed significantly and the monocultural nature is now morphing into something altogether new. In that respect the film is a nice view of a slightly idealised version of what life was like for ordinary people back then. As such one can enjoy it and, be amused, as it's as much historical relic as old fashioned comedy. The characters are the usual mix of caricatures, stereotypes and archetypes, each instantly recognisable, places are middle England and there is very subtle social commentary on the ex forces types being down at heel and needing a leg up.

The world of equality and sixties swinging was fast heading over the hill. This and many other films of the era marked the beginning of the end of the post war society and the emergence of the modern era that fought its way out of the shadows during the 70s.

Fun movie

[Panamint · 7/10 · 24 January 2015]

Fun movie, as rapid-fire setups keep "Carry on Cabby" moving along at a fast clip. Just keep watching- a lot is thrown at you fast, so you can't help but get caught up in it. It is sometimes boorish but never crude and is funny in spots. Sidney James and Hattie Jacques were excellent comic actors (as opposed to "comedians") and are very watchable as Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins. Ms. Jacques was an abundantly proportioned, graceful woman with abundant talent to match. Sidney James never gave a bad performance in drama or comedy- he was seemingly adept at everything acting-wise.

Many of the Carry-on movie regulars are here and manage to keep the action going, enjoyably for the most part as they are well-directed in this outing.

While filmed in black-and-white and maybe a bit dated-looking, the overall Carry-on concept is timeless. And I am ready for a ride in a Glamcab ("just flash your headlamps at them!")

Miles of fun without having to tip!

[adamjohns-42575 · 7/10 · 25 April 2020]

All the Carry On's are a joy to watch and this one certainly doesn't disappoint. Very well cast and a great deal of laughs. A battle of the sexes for any generation.

a pro feminist carry on

[petersj-2 · 8/10 · 30 August 2008]

Well almost! There is a real battle of the sexes in this carry on and if you don't mind the expression the women come out on top. This is not a very funny carry on, in fact quite the contrary. There are moments that are actually quite touching. THe marriage between Hatti and husband Sid is a troubled one and its nece to see real character development. Its actually quite poignant. Hatti is playing for truth rather than being cast as the fat funny lady.The climax of the movie when all the cabs start chasing the bad guys who are abducting Hatti Jacques and Liz Frazer is actually very exciting. Those taxis and other "relics" of the time look wonderfully nostalgic. The interior sets look cute too and its all in glorious black and white. The music is wonderful and the script is character driven but still has a strong story line. Although it may not be very funny it is extremely entertaining and its a fine movie. The script is excellent and the characters are beautifully developed. This is a good story. We are given a break from the fabulous Kenneth Williams but there is plenty of talent. Great to see Hatti Jacques get more to do and she gives a brilliant performance. The ever reliable Liz Fraser does great work too. Sid James is wonderful in this role and its easy to see why he became so popular. Jim Dale in a small role is great and later its interesting that he became so sexy. Charles Hawtry is in fine form and the normally annoying Kenneth Connor gives his best under stated performance without the annoying mannerisms that detracted from many of the carry on movies. Esma Cannon plays it quite straight for a change and as always still steals every scene she is in. The real star of this is Hatti Jacques who really makes this fine movie a totally enjoyable experience.

The 6th proper Carry On film disappointgly reverts to b&w but DOES have some plot this time

[danieljfarthing · 6/10 · 14 August 2023]

The 6th proper 'Carry On', 1963's "Carry On Cabby", wasn't gonna be in the iconic Brit-com series at first. Its working title was 'Call Me A Cab' and its writer was Talbot Rothwell (not Norman Hudis) who wrote plot over slapstick. Sid James & Kenneth Moore (the only star of all first six 'Carry Ons' (as Kenneth Williams missed this one)) run a cab firm (with Charles Hawtrey, Bill Owen et al) so busily that their ignored ladies Hattie Jacques & Liz Fraser start a rival firm (with Esma Cannon, Amanda Barrie et al)... and shenanigans ensue (with btw series debutant Jim Dale in support). Tho director Gerald Thomas disappointingly reverts to b&w, the firmer plot is a most welcome upgrade.

Carrying On Inappropriately...

[Xstal · 1/10 · 29 December 2023]

Carrying On Inappropriately with Carry on Cabby.

A series of films carried on, with perpetual double entendre, loved to finger an organ, unleash melons to gorge on, baps, flaps, jugs, bazookas went ding dong.

Though it's not quite so funny today, Fanny plays with her balls in new ways, Dick's choppers been cut, Kitty's curtains are shut, the clams gone from splayed to being spayed.

What an awful sequence of films these were, revisited today, they demonstrate just how out of touch and offensive the so called humour of yesteryear was, and how a generation of inappropriate behaviour was considered acceptable.

Carrying On Inappropriately with Carry on Cabby.

Very funny with a little bit of social commentary

[GusF · 10/10 · 10 May 2015]

In spite of the absence of Kenneth Williams (for the first of only four times out of the 30 films made during his lifetime), this is my favourite "Carry On" films. It has a stronger plot than any of the six previous films and comes close to being a comedy-drama at times. It's more realistic than the other films and even has a little bit of social commentary in it, which is the last thing that I would expect in a "Carry On" film.

Sid James and Hattie Jacques make great leads, playing their roles relatively straight. I liked the fact that Jacques was afford such a big role, her first that amounted to more than a cameo since "Carry On Constable". Kenneth Connor, one of only two actors to appear in all of the first seven films, is also very good in an unusually straight role. Returning from his temporary sabbatical, Charles Hawtrey is effortlessly hilarious as Pintpot and gets the lion's share of the best lines. He provides much of the film's humour.

The funniest sequence in the film is probably Charlie and Pintpot driving a heavily pregnant woman and her husband to a hospital and back several times due to multiple false alarms. It has a great supporting cast including Esma Cannon (though she isn't as funny as in "Carry On Cruising"), Milo O'Shea (in his only "Carry On" appearance) and Amanda Barrie. Like Williams, however, Joan Sims is very noticeable by her absence.

Taxi!

[comedyfan71 · 6/10 · 25 April 2024]

Sid James's taxi company is threatened when his wife's new all-female firm sets itself up in business and starts to steal his customers. This probably has one of the best stories in the series as the gags actually tie in with the plot unlike many later entries which have very thin plots. I guess you could say there is a small bit of social commentary in here too, in a way.

Sid James and Hattie Jaques are great as the leads while Charles Hawtrey is often very funny in his role. There's not much more to say other than I didn't find it as funny as I was hoping. It was amusing throughout but had very few laugh-out-loud moments for me. Not a bad film though.

Improved, Simply By Plot Alone

[richard.fuller1 · 18 June 2004]

This one had more going for it storywise, but the laughs were still sparse, amazingly sparse.

A solid story, but cab-driving? He's ignoring me for a cab, his wife says. What a plot.

Fortunately, Hattie Jacques was closer to the front. She is looking a bit more feminine here. I do enjoy her monstrous authority figures, but it was charming to see her here as a bit more docile creature.

Totally absent now was Kenneth Williams.

I suppose Sid James had some sort of everyman about England appeal to him. He was a bit more to listen to here, and Kenneth Conner had more to work with than his usual mugging in the previous Carry Ons. The drag scene was very interesting, as he was caught with undressing women. Would have been too rich had Hawtrey been in drag too with Conner.

Charlie Hawtrey is present, but really wasted.

The cabs themselves were a marvel to observe, with me being an American, they were totally foreign to me with those missing doors.

Even with automobiles, the outdoor shots here still didn't match Carry On Constable's street scenes.

It's fun to watch old movies, English or otherwise, and note signs, buildings, architecture and so on in the background.

The men vs. women aspect of this movie was easy to ignore. The wife didn't so much want to challenge the husband, but challenge his cab.

The final chase would have been much more fascinating on a street and not an empty field, but I suspect that had something to do with budget. Pity actually, as that field ruins the effect. Would have been much more memorable after all these years with a good solid pavement or buildings behind those automobiles.

A return to black and white! How odd. This one actually might have been richer had it been in color.

Well, on to the next Carry On: Carry On Spying!

Funny scenes Make For A Watchable Movie,

[lesleyharris30 · 6/10 · 13 August 2012]

Carry On Cabby is a funny movie,its not great,its not gold,but its watchable and does have some very funny scenes.I've seen many Carry On films,and I don't think there fantastic,expect for Carry On Screaming which is both scary and hilarious,and Carry On Cabby is not the best Carry On.I recently saw Carry On Spying,which I will admit,I found Carry On Cabby more enjoyable.One thing that really annoyed me however was the music,which was basically the exact same tune going on constantly.

A local man cant stop with his cab business,which he seems to enjoy more than spending time with his wife.His wife decides to run a rival business when he forgets there anniversary.