Carry On Abroad (1972)
 Carry
On Abroad (or 'What a package') concerns saucy carry-ons in
the Spanish resort of Elsbels.
Vic Flange (Sid James) plans to bunk off on a package holiday
with buxom Sadie Tomkins (Barbara Windsor). Much to his chagrin his wife
finds out and insists on coming along.
When the coach party of holidaymakers arrive at the resort,
they find the Hotel still hasn't been finished and the weather is
awful. There is also something very strange about the staff - They
all look very similar.
To top it all off, the weather seems to be having an adverse
affect on the Hotel's foundations...
They don't come much better than this celebration of the cheap
package holiday, all the 1970's Carry On regulars line up
as Kenneth Williams is given the unenviable task of ensuring a
fun-packed holiday while Charles Hawtrey giggles and drinks away
from the main group while desperately trying to play leap-frog
with the young ladies.
Barbara Windsor is the ultimate sex-bomb, struggling to force
her lacy underwear into her case, Bernard Bresslaw is meek and
mild as the devout monk who sees the light when modernised and
humanised by the delectable Carol Hawkins.
Joan Sims, as Sid's
long-suffering and mildly nagging wife, finds a sort of romantic
understanding with typical military Officer-type and all-round
coward Kenneth Connor.
Of particular note is Peter Butterworth`s hilarious performance
as the frantic Spanish hotelier ("Room Servicings, Bloodings
Brown Bristols soups, Chippings"), which with his deliciously
over-bearing, explosive and fiery wife, Hattie Jacques, provides
arguably the series' most concentrated cascade of funny moments.
It is simply corny joke following one-liner, following outrageous
comment, following sight gag: laughs all the way and a timely jibe
at the ever-increasing popularity for economic holidays abroad.
A combination of comic situations, sexual revelations and a
collapsing hotel leads to the end of holiday party that is quickly
livened up by Sid's injection of a potent sex drug.
The party goes
with a swing, Hattie Jacques does her Spanish bull impersonation,
Charlie Hawtrey talks with glee about his hamsters and everybody
couples off.
The final joyous scene, with all the holiday-makers surging
into Sid's pub for a reunion, filling the drinks with elixir and
locking the doors for an all-night party, leaves the audience in
the company of comic friends having a great time, and forms the
most satisfying close to any Carry On.
|
