Carry On Jack
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Carry On Jack | |
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![]() Original UK quad poster | |
Directed by | Gerald Thomas |
Written by | Talbot Rothwell |
Produced by | Peter Rogers |
Starring | Kenneth Williams Bernard Cribbins Juliet Mills Charles Hawtrey Donald Houston Cecil Parker |
Cinematography | Alan Hume |
Edited by | Archie Ludski |
Music by | Eric Rogers |
Production company | Peter Rogers Productions |
Distributed by | Anglo-Amalgamated Warner-Pathé Distributors |
Release date |
|
Running time | 91 mins |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Budget | £152,000 |
Carry On Jackis a 1964British comedyfilm, the eighth in theseries of 31Carry Onfilms(1958–1992). Most of the usualCarry Onteam are missing from this film: onlyKenneth WilliamsandCharles Hawtreyappear throughout, withJim Dalemaking a cameo appearance as asedan chaircarrier.Bernard Cribbinsmakes the first of his three appearances in a Carry On.Juliet Mills,Donald HoustonandCecil Parkermake their only Carry on appearances in this film.Carry On Jackwas the second of the series to be filmed in colour and the firstCarry Onfilm with a historical setting and period costumes.
As with its immediate predecessor, the script forCarry on Jackstarted off as a non-Carry Onfilm (originally entitledUp the Armada) and after a number of title changes was incorporated into the series.[2]The film was followed byCarry On Spying1964.
Plot[edit]
Beforedying,Admiral Horatio Nelsonsays that Britain needs a bigger navy with more men and then requests a kiss to Hardy. Meanwhile, Albert Poop-Decker has taken eight and half years and is still not qualified asmidshipman,but is promoted by theFirst Sea Lordas England needs officers. He is to join the frigateHMSVenusat Plymouth. Arriving to find the crew all celebrating as they are sailing tomorrow, he takes a sedan chair with no bottom (so he has to run), carried by a young man and his father toDirty Dick'sTavern.
Mobbed by women in the tavern as he is holding asovereignaloft (as advised by Dale), he is rescued by serving maid Sally. She wants to go to sea to find her former lodger and childhood sweetheart Roger, but landlord Ned has let her down. She finds that Poop-Decker has not reported to the ship yet and is unknown to them, so in a room upstairs she knocks him out and takes his midshipman's uniform.
Poop-Decker wakes and dons a dress to cover his long johns, and downstairs, along with cess pit cleaner Walter Sweetly, is kidnapped by apress gangrun by theVenus's First Officer Lieutenant Jonathan Howett and his bosun, Mr. Angel. They come to when at sea and are introduced to Captain Fearless. Poop-Decker makes himself known, but there is already a Midshipman Poop-Decker aboard – Sally, in disguise. Poop-Decker, as a hopeless seaman, goes on to continually upset Howett by doing the wrong thing. Sally reveals her true identity to Poop-Decker after he has been punished, and he decides to let things continue as they are. Eventually, Poop-Decker and Sally fall in love with each other.
After three months at sea and no action, the crew are restless, and when they finally see a Spanish ship, the Captain has them sail away from it. Howett and Angel hatch a plot, making it look as if the ship has been boarded by the enemy during a night raid and using Poop-Decker as an expendable dupe to get the Captain leave the ship on his own volition. Poop-Decker, Sweetly and Sally thus help the Captain into a boat, and they leave the ship. However, while leaving his cabin, the Captain gets a splinter in his foot, which later goesgangrenous.Reaching dry land, Captain Fearless reckons that they are in France and they need only to walk a short distance to reachCalais,while they are actually standing on Spanish soil. Sally and Poop-Decker spot a party of civilians and steal their clothes while they are bathing.
Now in charge of the ship, Howett and Angel sail forCádizand plan on taking it from Don Luis, the Spanish Governor. They are successful, but their plot is ruined by Poop-Decker's group, who stumble into Cádiz (believing it to beLe Havre) and recapture theVenus.Sailing back to England, they encounter a pirate ship, whose crew seizes theVenus.The Captain (Patch) turns out to be Sally's lost love Roger, but upon seeing him as a brutal rogue, she no longer wants to have anything to do with him. In order to force her compliance, Patch and Hook try to make Poop-Decker and Fearlesswalk the plank.However, Poop-Decker escapes and cuts down a sail, which covers the pirates, capturing them.
In Cádiz, the former crew of theVenusare taken to be shot, but escape with five empty Spanishmen-of-warto England for prize money and glory. They are within sight of England when they encounter theVenus.While Poop-Decker, Sally and Walter are working belowdecks on cutting off Fearless's infected leg, a fire gets out of control on deck and burns a sail, which sets off theVenus's primed cannons, hitting all five Spanish ships and thus once again thwarting Howett. Poop-Decker and his companions end up at theAdmiraltyas heroes. Fearless, who now has apeglegis promoted to Admiral and given a desk job. Poop-Decker and Sweetly are given the rank of honorary Captains, with pensions, but Poop-Decker reveals that he is going to leave the service to marry Sally.
Background[edit]
The overall plot in relation to Sally steals the idea from episode 2 of the British TV seriesSir Francis Drakemade three years earlier (1961). In this episode a girl (the daughter of a ship's gunner) stows away on Drake's ship dressed as a man.[3]
Cast[edit]
- Kenneth Williamsas Captain Fearless
- Bernard Cribbinsas Midshipman Albert Poop-Decker
- Juliet Millsas Sally
- Charles Hawtreyas Walter Sweetley
- Percy Herbertas Mr Angel
- Donald Houstonas First Officer Jonathan Howett
- Jim Daleas Carrier
- Cecil Parkeras First Sea Lord
- Patrick Cargillas Spanish Governor
- Ed Devereauxas Hook
- Peter Gilmoreas Patch (Roger)
- George Woodbridgeas Ned
- Ian Wilsonas Ancient carrier
- Jimmy Thompsonas Nelson
- Anton Rodgersas Hardy
- Michael Nightingaleas Town Crier
- Frank Forsythas Second Sea Lord
- John Brooking as Third Sea Lord
- Barrie Gosneyas Coach driver
- Jan Mazurus as Spanish Captain
- Viviane Ventura as Spanish secretary
- Marianne Stoneas Peg
- Sally Douglasas Girl at Dirty Dicks (uncredited)
- Dorinda Stevensas Girl at Dirty Dicks (uncredited)
- Jennifer Hill as Girl at Dirty Dicks (uncredited)
- Rosemary Manley as Girl at Dirty Dicks (uncredited)
- Dominique Don as Girl at Dirty Dicks (uncredited)
- Marian Collins as Girl at Dirty Dicks (uncredited)
- Jean Hamilton as Girl at Dirty Dicks (uncredited)
Crew[edit]
- Screenplay –Talbot Rothwell
- Music –Eric Rogers
- Art Director – Jack Shampan
- Director of Photography –Alan Hume
- Editor – Archie Ludski
- Associate Producer –Frank Bevis
- Assistant Director –Anthony Waye
- Camera Operator – Godfrey Godar
- Sound Editor – Christopher Lancaster
- Sound Recordist –Bill Daniels
- Unit Manager – Donald Toms
- Make-up Artists – Geoffrey Rodway & Jim Hydes
- Continuity –Penny Daniels
- Hairdressing – Olga Angelinetta
- Costume Designer – Joan Ellacott
- Technical Advisor –Ian Cox
- Producer –Peter Rogers
- Director –Gerald Thomas
Filming and locations[edit]
- Filming dates: 2 September – 26 October 1963
Interiors:
- Pinewood Studios,Buckinghamshire
Exteriors:
- Frensham Pond.The background to the scenes withHMS Venuson fire and "firing" on the other ships isKimmeridge Bay,Dorset.
Reception[edit]
Kinematograph Weeklycalled the film a "money maker" for 1964.[4]
Bibliography[edit]
- Davidson, Andy (2012).Carry On Confidential.London: Miwk.ISBN978-1908630018.
- Sheridan, Simon (2011).Keeping the British End Up – Four Decades of Saucy Cinema.London: Titan Books.ISBN978-0857682796.
- Webber, Richard (2009).50 Years of Carry On.London: Arrow.ISBN978-0099490074.
- Hudis, Norman (2008).No Laughing Matter.London: Apex.ISBN978-1906358150.
- Keeping the British End Up: Four Decades of Saucy Cinemaby Simon Sheridan (third edition) (2007) (Reynolds & Hearn Books)
- Ross, Robert (2002).The Carry On Companion.London: Batsford.ISBN978-0713487718.
- Bright, Morris; Ross, Robert (2000).Mr Carry On – The Life & Work of Peter Rogers.London: BBC Books.ISBN978-0563551836.
- Rigelsford, Adrian (1996).Carry On Laughing – a celebration.London: Virgin.ISBN1-85227-554-5.
- Hibbin, Sally & Nina (1988).What a Carry On.London: Hamlyn.ISBN978-0600558194.
- Eastaugh, Kenneth (1978).The Carry On Book.London: David & Charles.ISBN978-0715374030.
References[edit]
- ^"Carry On Jack".Art & Hue.2018.Retrieved23 November2018.
- ^Gerrard, Steven (2017)The Carry On Films,Springer, p.35
- ^Sir Francis Drake, episode 2. 1961
- ^Altria, Bill (17 December 1964)."British Films Romp Home - Fill First Five Places".Kinematograph Weekly.p. 9.
External links[edit]
- 1964 films
- 1963 films
- 1963 comedy films
- 1960s historical comedy films
- British historical comedy films
- Carry On films
- 1960s English-language films
- Films directed by Gerald Thomas
- Films set in 1805
- Films set in England
- Films set in Spain
- Films shot at Pinewood Studios
- Military humor in film
- Napoleonic Wars naval films
- British swashbuckler films
- Seafaring films
- Films produced by Peter Rogers
- Films with screenplays by Talbot Rothwell
- 1964 comedy films
- 1960s British films
- Films scored by Eric Rogers (composer)
- Cultural depictions of Horatio Nelson