''Carry On at Your Convenience'' (also known as ''Carry On Round the Bend'' outside the UK) is a 1971

British comedy In film, television, and radio, British comedy has produced some of the most renowned characters in the world. In it, satire is one of the features of British comedy. Radio comedy in Britain has been almost exclusively hosted on the BBC. History ...

film, directed by

Gerald Thomas Gerald Thomas (10 December 1920 – 9 November 1993) was an English film director best known for the long-running ''Carry On (franchise), ''Carry On'' series'' of British film comedies. Early life Born in Kingston upon Hull, Hull, East Riding ...

and starring regulars Sid James,

Kenneth Williams Kenneth Charles Williams (22 February 1926 – 15 April 1988) was a British actor and comedian. He was best known for his comedy roles and in later life as a raconteur and diarist. He was one of the main ensemble in 26 of the 31 ''Carry ...

, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Hattie Jacques and Bernard Bresslaw and

Kenneth Cope Kenneth Charles Cope (14 April 1931 – 11 September 2024) was an English actor and scriptwriter. He was best known for his roles as Marty Hopkirk in '' Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'', Jed Stone in ''Coronation Street,'' Ray Hilton in '' ...

in the first of his two ''Carry On'' appearances. It was written by Talbot Rothwell and produced by

Peter Rogers Peter Rogers (20 February 1914 – 14 April 2009) was an English film producer. He is best known for creating the ''Carry On'' series of films. Life and career Rogers began his career as a journalist for his local paper, before graduat ...

. It was the 22nd release in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992) and the first box office failure. This has been attributed to the film's attempt at exploring the political themes of the trade union movement, portraying union activists as idle, pedantic buffoons, which apparently alienated the traditional working-class audience of the series. The film did not return full production costs until 1976 after several international and television sales.Ross, Robert. ''The Carry On Companion'', B.T. Batsford: London, 1996. p 98 It was followed by '' Carry On Matron'' in 1972.

Plot

In bathroom ceramics factory W.C. Boggs & Son, the traditionalist owner W.C. Boggs is having no end of trouble. Bolshy and lazy

union representative A union representative, union steward, or shop steward is an employee of an organization or company who represents and defends the interests of their fellow employees as a trades/labour union member and official. Rank-and-file members of the un ...

Vic Spanner continually stirs up trouble in the works, to the irritation of his co-workers and management. He calls a strike for almost any minor incident – or because he wants time off to attend a local

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

match. Sid Plummer is the site foreman bridging the gap between workers and management, shrewdly keeping the place going amid the unrest. Prissy floral-shirt-wearing product designer Charles Coote has included a bidet in his latest range of designs, but W.C. objects to the manufacture of such "dubious" items. W.C. will not change his stance even after his son, Lewis Boggs, secures a large overseas order for the bidets. It is a deal that could save the struggling firm, which W.C. has to admit is in debt to the banks. Vic's dim stooge Bernie Hulke provides bumbling assistance in both his union machinations and his attempts to woo Sid's daughter, factory canteen worker Myrtle. She is torn between Vic and Lewis Boggs, who is something of a playboy but insists he loves her. Sid's wife is Beattie, a lazy housewife who does little but fuss over her pet budgie, Joey, which refuses to talk despite her intense efforts. Their neighbour is Sid's brassy and lascivious co-worker Chloe Moore. Chloe contends with the endless strikes and with her crude husband, travelling salesman Fred, who neglects her and leaves her dissatisfied. Chloe and Sid enjoy a flirtatious relationship and are sorely tempted to stray. Unusually for Sid James, his character is a faithful husband, albeit a cheeky and borderline-lecherous one. Sid and Beattie find that Joey can correctly predict winners of horseraces – he tweets when the horse's name is read out. Sid bets on Joey's tips and achieves several large wins – including a vital £1,000 loaned to W.C. when the banks refuse a bridging loan – before Benny, Sid's bookie, fed up with having made these payouts, refuses to accept further bets, larger than £5, from him. The strikers finally return to work, but it is only to attend the annual works outing, a coach trip to

Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...

. A good time is had by all with barriers coming down between workers and management, thanks largely to that great social lubricant, alcohol. W.C. becomes intoxicated and spends the day – and, it appears, the night – with his faithful, adoring secretary, Miss Hortense Withering. Lewis Boggs manages to win Myrtle from Vic Spanner, giving his rival a beating, and the couple elope. After arriving home late after the outing and with Fred away, Chloe invites Sid in for a cup of tea. They fight their desires and ultimately decide not to have the tea, fearing that neighbours might see Sid enter Chloe's home and get the wrong idea. At the picket lines the next day, Vic gets his comeuppance – partly at the hands of his mother, who spanks him in public – and the workers and management all pull together to produce the big order to save the firm.

Cast

* Sid James as Sid Plummer *

as WC Boggs * Charles Hawtrey as Charles Coote * Hattie Jacques as Beattie Plummer * Joan Sims as Chloe Moore * Bernard Bresslaw as Bernie Hulke *

as Vic Spanner * Jacki Piper as Myrtle Plummer * Richard O'Callaghan as Lewis Boggs * Patsy Rowlands as Hortense Withering * Davy Kaye as Benny *

Bill Maynard Walter Frederick George Williams (8 October 1928 – 30 March 2018), better known by his stage name Bill Maynard, was an English comedian and actor. He began working in television in the 1950s, notably starring alongside Terry Scott in '' ...

as Fred Moore * Renée Houston as Agatha Spanner *

Marianne Stone Marianne Stone (23 August 1922 – 21 December 2009) was an English character actress. She performed in films from the early 1940s to the late 1980s, typically playing working class parts such as barmaids, secretaries and landladies. Stone app ...

as Maud * Margaret Nolan as Popsy *

Geoffrey Hughes Geoffrey Hughes may refer to: * Geoff Hughes (born 1939), Australian tennis player * Geoffrey Hughes (actor) (1944–2012), English actor * Geoffrey Forrest Hughes (1895–1951), Australian aviator and pilot See also * Jeff Hughes (disambiguation) ...

as Willie * Hugh Futcher as Ernie * Simon Cain as barman * Amelia Bayntun as Mrs Spragg * Leon Greene as chef * Harry Towb as film doctor * Shirley Stelfox as bunny waitress * Larry Martyn as rifle range owner * Peter Burton as hotel manager * Julian Holloway as Roger * Anouska Hempel as new canteen girl

Crew

*Screenplay – Talbot Rothwell *Music – Eric Rogers *Production Manager – Jack Swinburne *Art Director – Lionel Couch *Editor –

Alfred Roome Alfred Wallace Roome (22 December 1908 – 19 November 1997) was an English film editor and occasional film director, director. Biography Born in London, in 1908, he first worked in the film industry as a film editor on the 1932 British comed ...

*Director of Photography – Ernest Steward *Camera Operator – James Bawden *Make-up – Geoffrey Rodway *Continuity – Rita Davidson *Assistant Director – David Bracknell *Sound Recordists – Danny Daniel & Ken Barker *Hairdresser – Stella Rivers *Costume Designer – Courtenay Elliott *Set Dresser – Peter Howitt *Assistant Art Director – William Alexander *Dubbing Editor – Brian Holland *Titles – GSE Ltd *Processor – Rank Film Laboratories *Toilets – Royal Doulton Sanitary Potteries *Assistant Editor – Jack Gardner *Producer – Peter Rogers *Director – Gerald Thomas

Filming and locations

*Filming dates – 22 March – 7 May 1971 Interiors: *

Pinewood Studios Pinewood Studios is a British film and television studio located in the village of Iver Heath, England. It is approximately west of central London. The studio has been the base for many productions over the years from large-scale films to t ...

, Buckinghamshire Exteriors: * Brighton Palace Pier. The West Pier in Brighton was used two years later for ''

Carry On Girls ''Carry On Girls'' is a 1973 British comedy film, the 25th release in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). The film features regulars Sid James, Barbara Windsor, Joan Sims, Kenneth Connor, Bernard Bresslaw and Peter Butter ...

''. * Brighton – Clarges Hotel. The same location was also used in ''Carry On Girls''. * Pinewood Studios. The studio's wood storage area was used as the exterior of W.C. Boggs' factory. * Pinewood Green, Pinewood Estate. The Plummers' house and the Moores' house. * The Red Lion, Shreding Green,

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (, abbreviated ''Bucks'') is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshir ...

* Kings Head, Albourne,

West Sussex West Sussex is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Surrey to the north, East Sussex to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Hampshire to the west. The largest settlement is Cr ...

* Cricketers Inn * Royal Naval Arms * The Seagull * The Trout Inn * The Man In Space * Odeon Cinema,

Uxbridge Uxbridge () is a suburban town in west London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon, northwest of Charing Cross. Uxbridge formed part of the parish of Hillingdon in the county of Middlesex. As part ...

, Middlesex (demolished in September 1984) * Heatherden Hall, Pinewood Studios * Black Park Country Park, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire

Production notes

After Sid James's character was criticised for leering at some girls in '' Carry On Henry'' (1971), here his character was changed to the put-upon family man similar to the character he portrayed in the TV sitcom '' Bless This House''. In the next film '' Carry On Matron'' (1972), his character was preoccupied with thieving, but made odd suggestive comments to nurses (including one played by Jacki Piper, who played his daughter in this film). James's girl-chasing persona was fully reinstated for subsequent films.

Reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 until April 1991, when it merged with '' Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those wi ...

'' wrote: "Twenty one ''Carry On...'' films have understandably exhausted the supply of lavatorial puns, and though the twenty-second does not scruple about re-using several of them, Talbot Rothwell tends generally to neglect his W.C. factory (a thinly disguised Pinewood Studios) for a series of irrelevant sketches ranging from farce (the works outing) to domestic comedy (Sid and the budgie). The result seems even more scrappily assembled than usual and, with the exception of a fairly amusing parody of sex education films, the level of humour, though noticeably cleaner than of late, is still rock bottom."

References

Bibliography

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External links

* *
''Carry On at Your Convenience'' at BFI Screenonline
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carry On At Your Convenience 1971 films At Your Convenience Films set in Brighton Films set in factories Films directed by Gerald Thomas 1971 comedy films Films shot at Pinewood Studios Films produced by Peter Rogers Films with screenplays by Talbot Rothwell 1970s English-language films 1970s British films Films scored by Eric Rogers (composer)