Carry On Dick (1974)
This is a wonderfully bawdy celebration of legendary highwayman
Dick Turpin, wallowing further in near-the-knuckle gags and
sexually aware situations, perfectly suited for this historical
salute.
This film reunites the battling antihero/quiet alter ego of Sid
James and the snooty, official but villainous figure of Kenneth
Williams as Captain Desmond Fancey, who is sent from London to
catch 'Big Dick' (even though the only clue he has is that his
quarry has a birthmark on his "diddler").
Beginning with a finely directed sequence of Turpin riding
across the countryside, the film is awash with memorable comic
turns and dozens of classic one-liners.
Joining the
nostril-flaring elegance of Williams on the law enforcing side is
a marvellous lead role from Jack Douglas - finally tackling some
major comic dialogue and playing brilliantly opposite the
established series' favourites - while Bernard Bresslaw blasts his
top and loses his clothes as the chief of the Bow Street Runners
in a flamboyant and quick-tempered performance.
 The final major representative of the law enforcing agents is
Kenneth Connor, in his smallest Carry On role as a
dithering and ancient Bow Street Runner, equally interested in
enjoying the sexual favours of the local lovelies as capturing the
dreaded Turpin.
While Sid James is the perfect loveable Dick Turpin, disguising
himself as the Reverend Flasher by day and hiding behind his black
cloak and facemask at night, he never loses that
full-of-lusty-innuendo laugh.
Sid's highway gang also includes the
bubbling and beautifully formed figure of Barbara Windsor,
flashing her breast for the last time in the series. Peter
Butterworth, muttering and mugging in a very minor role, grabbing
a few prime opportunities to shine.
The final sequence is a brilliantly orchestrated confrontation
between the endearingly crooked Sid and the self righteously
pompous Williams, with James seemingly trapped by the steely-eyed
Bresslaw, the bumbling, accident prone Douglas and the crumbling
Connor, Eventually Sid gets away with the myriad of good-natured
crimes and jolly japes, but it's the end of the trail for Sid as a
guiding light and the feel-good Rothwellian joy of Carry On.
Packed with innuendo and ripe with double meanings, this is one
of the best additions to the Carry On series.
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