Carry On Loving
| Carry On Loving | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Gerald Thomas |
| Written by | Talbot Rothwell |
| Produced by | Peter Rogers |
| Starring | Sid James Kenneth Williams Charles Hawtrey Joan Sims Hattie Jacques Terry Scott Richard O'Callaghan Bernard Bresslaw Jacki Piper Imogen Hassall |
| Cinematography | Ernest Steward |
| Edited by | Alfred Roome |
| Music by | Eric Rogers |
| Distributed by | The Rank Organisation |
Release date | September 1970 |
Running time | 88 mins |
| Country | Template:Film UK |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £215,000 |
Carry On Loving is the twentieth Carry On film, and was released in 1970. It features series regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Hattie Jacques, Terry Scott and Bernard Bresslaw alongside newcomers Richard O'Callaghan (in his first Carry On) and Jacki Piper (in her second). Carry On Loving featured Imogen Hassall in her only Carry On role. Compared to earlier films in the series it features more open bawdiness rather than evasive innuendo. There are fictitious locations named for their sexual innuendo, including 'Much-Snogging-On-The-Green', 'Rogerham Mansions' and 'Dunham Road'.
Plot
Various events involve a dating agency run by Sid Bliss (Sid James) and his longtime girlfriend Sophie Plummett (Hattie Jacques). Their "Wedded Bliss" agency purports to bring together lonely hearts using computer-matching technology, but couples are actually paired up at random by Sophie. Bliss consistently avoids marrying Sophie, enthusiastically pursuing Esme Crowfoot(Joan Sims), a seamstress and client who consistently rejects his advances.
Percival Snooper (Kenneth Williams) becomes a client to find a wife for business reasons: as a confirmed bachelor, he's inept at his job as a marriage counselor due to lack of personal experience. James Bedsop (Charles Hawtrey) is a private detective Sophie hires to spy on Sid's after-hours activities when he supposedly "vets" the female clients, including Esme.
Timid Bertrum Muffet (Richard O'Callaghan) winds up with model Sally Martin (Jacki Piper) after the agency muddles his directions to a blind date. Client Terry Philpotts (Terry Scott) suffers several failures in his dealings with the agency including a disastrous meeting with prim, sheltered Jenny Grubb (Imogen Hassall). Jenny moves in with Sally, undergoes a makeover, and becomes a model. Terry later finds romance with the "new" Jenny.
Percival's association with Sophie provokes his jealous housekeeper, dowdy Miss Dempsey (Patsy Rowlands), to reveal her seductive side. Esme's estranged lover, volatile wrestler Gripper Burke (Bernard Bresslaw), returns to cause havoc in a mistaken-identity case.
Peter Butterworth appears in a 1-minute cameo as a Bluebeard-esque character jokingly referred to as Dr. Crippen. He approaches Sid Bliss in order to find his third wife. His first wife died eating poisoned mushrooms, the second suffered a fractured skull because "she wouldn't eat the mushrooms."
Cast and Crew
- Sid James as Sidney Bliss
- Kenneth Williams as Percival Snooper
- Charles Hawtrey as James Bedsop
- Hattie Jacques as Sophie Bliss
- Joan Sims as Esme Crowfoot
- Bernard Bresslaw as Gripper Burke
- Terry Scott as Terry Philpott
- Jacki Piper as Sally Martin
- Richard O'Callaghan as Bertrum Muffet
- Imogen Hassall as Jenny Grubb
- Patsy Rowlands as Miss Dempsey
- Peter Butterworth as Sinister client
- Joan Hickson as Mrs Grubb
- Julian Holloway as Adrian
- Janet Mahoney as Gay
- Ann Way as Victoria Grubb
- Bill Maynard as Mr Dreery
- Amelia Bayntun as Corset lady
- Gordon Richardson as Ernest Grubb
- Tom Clegg as Trainer
- Lucy Griffiths as Woman
- Valerie Shute as Girl lover
- Mike Grady as Boy lover
- Anthony Sagar as Man in hospital
- Harry Shacklock as Lavatory attendant
- Derek Francis as Bishop
- Alexandra Dane as Emily
- Philip Stone as Robinson
- Sonny Farrar as Violinist
- Patricia Franklin as Mrs Dreery
- Hilda Barry as Grandma Grubb
- Josie Bradley as Pianist
- Bart Allison as Grandpa Grubb
- Anna Karen as Wife
- Dorothea Phillips as Beatrice Grubb
- Lauri Lupino Lane as Husband
- Bill Pertwee as Barman
- Colin Vancao as Wilberforce Grubb
- Gavin Reed as Window dresser
- Joe Cornelius as Second
- Len Lowe as Maitre d'hotel
- Fred Griffiths as Taxi driver
- Ronnie Brodie as Henry
- Kenny Lynch as Bus conductor
- Robert Russell as Policeman
- Screenplay - Talbot Rothwell
- Music - Eric Rogers
- Production Manager - Jack Swinburne
- Art Director - Lionel Couch
- Editor - Alfred Roome
- Director of Photography - Ernest Steward
- Assistant Editor - Jack Gardner
- Make-up - Geoffrey Rodway
- Continuity - Josephine Knowles
- Camera Operator - James Bawden
- Assistant Director - David Bracknell
- Hairdresser - Stella Rivers
- Sound Recordists - JWN Daniel & Ken Barker
- Costume Designer - Courtenay Elliott
- Assistant Art Director - William Alexander
- Set Dresser - Peter Howitt
- Dubbing Editor - Marcel Durham
- Titles & Opticals - GSE Ltd
- Processor - Rank Film Laboratories
- Producer - Peter Rogers
- Director - Gerald Thomas
Filming and Locations
- Filming dates – 6 April-15 May 1970
Interiors:
- Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire
Exteriors:
- The streets of Windsor, Berkshire. The corner of Park Street and Sheet Street doubled for the Wedded Bliss Agency. This was previously used for the Helping Hands Agency in Carry On Regardless a decade earlier.