Carry On Regardless (1961)
This
is a mixed-up collection of Carry On delights with a
totally meaningless title for a totally plotless array of brief
comic situations and familiar character players.
As the title suggests, this film is devoid of any real thematic
focus, and wanders aimlessly but memorably through a myriad
scenarios in which anything can happen.
Bert Handy (Sid James) runs the Helping Hands Odd Job Agency,
and he’s recruiting new staff. But the people he gets from the
Employment Exchange are inexperienced, and end up confused and
bewildered as they mix up their respective tasks, as do the people
they are supposed to help.
Kenneth Connor bumbles around nervously as women make advances
(a particularly lush Fenella Fielding), Kenneth Williams stomps
through the working-class masses with his nose in the air, Joan
Sims has the frumpy female gags thrown at her as her sexy figure
and Charles Hawtrey minces about in the background with a constant
smile and a wickedly sparkling glint in his eye.
The element of stability in the film is in the office sequences
where boss Sid James and flustered assistant Esma Cannon dish out
the various odd-ball assignments and try and tie the whole into a
seamless comedy of community and innuendo. Hugely welcome
performers wander through the proceedings as the seven 'Helping
Hands' eagerly try and complete their assignments.
All is fine and dandy as the problems are resolved and the job
of cleaning one of Stanley Unwin's properties creates a whiz bang,
dust covered, gloriously messy climax which ends the only way it
can - Kenneth W translating Unwin's last words as "carry on
regardless".
|