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Carry On Doctor

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Carry On Doctor
Original UK quad poster by Renato Fratini
Directed byGerald Thomas
Written byTalbot Rothwell
Produced byPeter Rogers
StarringFrankie Howerd
Sid James
Kenneth Williams
Charles Hawtrey
Jim Dale
Barbara Windsor
Hattie Jacques
Joan Sims
Anita Harris
Bernard Bresslaw
Peter Butterworth
Dilys Laye
Narrated byPatrick Allen
CinematographyAlan Hume
Edited byAlfred Roome
Music byEric Rogers
Distributed byRank Organisation (UK)
American International Pictures (USA)
Release date
March 1968
Running time
94 minutes[1][2][3]
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget£214,000

Carry On Doctor is a 1967 British comedy film, the 15th in the series of 31 Carry On films (1958–1992). It is the second in the series to have a medical theme. Frankie Howerd makes the first of his two appearances in the film series and stars alongside regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Jim Dale, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Peter Butterworth, and Bernard Bresslaw. Hattie Jacques returns for the first time since Carry On Cabby four years earlier, while Barbara Windsor returns after her debut in Carry On Spying three years earlier. Carry On Doctor marked Anita Harris's second and final appearance in the series.

Plot

Francis Bigger (Howerd) is a charlatan faith healer, convinced that "mind over matter" is more effective than medical treatment. During a lecture, he stumbles offstage and is admitted to the local hospital. In hospital, he incessantly groans and whines about being "maltreated", demanding better treatment than the other, eccentric patients. These include: bedridden layabout Charlie Roper (James) who shams illnesses to stay in hospital; Ken Biddle (Bresslaw) who makes frequent trips to the ladies' ward to flirt with his love interest, Mavis Winkle (Dilys Laye); and Mr Barron (Hawtrey) who seems to be suffering sympathy pains while his wife awaits the birth of their baby. While being treated, Bigger meets two very different doctors. Clumsy yet charming Dr Kilmore (Dale) is popular with the patients and loved from afar by the beautiful Nurse Clark (Harris) while hospital registrar Dr Tinkle (Kenneth Williams) is universally detested, as is battleaxe Matron (Jacques), who harbours an unrequited love for him.

After Bigger's arrival, novice nurse Sandra May (Windsor), arrives at the hospital with her intention to declare her (questionable) love for Tinkle, and enters his room, violating hospital rules that female staff are not permitted in the male quarters. Matron and Kilmore burst in on her declarations of love, which are cruelly rebuffed by Tinkle. Matron throws Nurse May out, and she leaves while tearfully announcing she'd rather die than live without Tinkle. Dr Tinkle fears for his position after this incident, and contrives with Matron to get rid of Kilmore and Sandra May, lest they reveal the truth.

Shortly after, Sandra May climbs on to the roof of the nurses' home to sunbathe in her bikini top. Dr Kilmore and Nurse Clark assume she is going to throw herself off the roof in despair after Tinkle's rejection. Kilmore rushes to save her and climbs on to the roof. He realises she is sunbathing and prepares to leave, but Sandra assumes to her horror he is leering over her, and shrieks in fear. Her screams attract attention and soon the entire hospital staff and townspeople flock to watch. Nurse Clark attempts to help Kilmore before he falls off, but he accidentally tears her skirt off, leaving her in her underwear and stockings. Kilmore crashes through a window to safety, but lands in a bath ... with a nurse in it, who assumes he is attacking her. His good reputation is destroyed among everyone except his patients.

Dr Kilmore is given a hearing with the hospital governor, but Matron and Tinkle deny his revelation of Sandra May's fight with Tinkle. As Sandra May has left the hospital, Kilmore has no proof to support him and is forced to resign. Nurse Clark reports the treachery of Tinkle and Matron to the patients and together they decide to exact revenge upon the pair for what they have done. The patients stage a nocturnal mutiny - their first victim is Sister Hoggett, whom the female patients overpower and leave bound and gagged in a linen cupboard, incapacitating her from alerting the orderlies. The male patients take care of Tinkle while the females take care of Matron. The ladies manage to get Matron to confess by torturing her with a towel bath, while the men get Tinkle to confess by performing an enema on him, since their previous attempt to do so by giving him an icy cold bath failed. The next day, Dr Kilmore is appointed the new hospital registrar while Tinkle is reduced to a simple doctor. Mr Barron, now fully recovered and cured, and his wife finally have their baby and Bigger and his newly wedded wife Chloe (Sims) bicker as they leave the hospital. However, on their way out, Bigger deliberately falls on the steps and injures his back again to avoid anymore difficulties with his wife and is brought back to the hospital.

Cast

Crew

  • Screenplay – Talbot Rothwell
  • Music – Eric Rogers
  • Production Manager – Jack Swinburne
  • Art Director – Cedric Dawe
  • Editor – Alfred Roome
  • Director of Photography – Alan Hume
  • Assistant Editor – Jack Gardner
  • Continuity – Joy Mercer
  • Assistant Director – Terry Clegg
  • Camera Operator – Jim Bawden
  • Make-up – Geoffrey Rodway
  • Sound Recordists – Dudley Messenger & Ken Barker
  • Hairdressing – Stella Rivers
  • Dubbing Editor – David Campling
  • Costume Designer – Yvonne Caffin
  • Title Sketches – Larry
  • Producer – Peter Rogers
  • Director – Gerald Thomas

Filming and locations

  • Filming dates – 11 September-20 October 1967

Interiors:

Exteriors:

  • Maidenhead, where the Town Hall doubled for the hospital
  • Masonic Hall, Uxbridge
  • Westbourne Street, London WC2

Reception

The film was the third biggest general release hit at the British box office in 1968, after The Jungle Book and Barbarella.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Carry On Doctor". British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  2. ^ Ross 1998, p. 72
  3. ^ Rigelsford 1996, p. 161
  4. ^ John Wayne-money-spinner The Guardian (1959-2003) [London (UK)] 31 Dec 1968: 3.

Bibliography

  • Davidson, Andy (2012). Carry On Confidential. London: Miwk. ISBN 978-1-908630-01-8.
  • Sheridan, Simon (2011). Keeping the British End Up – Four Decades of Saucy Cinema. London: Titan Books. ISBN 978-0-85768-279-6.
  • Webber, Richard (2009). 50 Years of Carry On. London: Arrow. ISBN 978-0-09-949007-4.
  • Hudis, Norman (2008). No Laughing Matter. London: Apex. ISBN 978-1-906358-15-0.
  • Keeping the British End Up: Four Decades of Saucy Cinema by Simon Sheridan (third edition) (2007) (Reynolds & Hearn Books)
  • Ross, Robert (1998) [1996]. The Carry On Companion. London: Batsford. ISBN 0-7134-8439-X. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Bright, Morris; Ross, Robert (2000). Mr Carry On – The Life & Work of Peter Rogers. London: BBC Books. ISBN 978-0-563-55183-6.
  • Rigelsford, Adrian (1996). Carry On Laughing – a celebration. London: Virgin. ISBN 1-85227-554-5. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Hibbin, Sally & Nina (1988). What a Carry On. London: Hamlyn. ISBN 978-0-600-55819-4.
  • Eastaugh, Kenneth (1978). The Carry On Book. London: David & Charles. ISBN 978-0-7153-7403-0.
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