Displaying items by tag: Esma Cannon

WE JOINED THE NAVY

UK, 1962, 104 minutes, Colour.

Kenneth More, Lloyd Nolan, Joan O’Brien, Jeremy Lloyd, Dinsdale Landon, Derek Fowlds, Mischa Auer, John Le Mesurier, Lally Bowers, Laurence Naismith, Andrew Cruickshank, Walter Fitzgerald, Ronald Leigh-Hunt, Esma Cannon, Kenneth Griffith, Warren Mitchell, Graham Crowden, Cameos: Michael Bentine, Rodney Bewes, Dirk Bogarde, Sid James.

Directed by Wendy Toye.

British comedy at the beginning of the 1960s, broadening of humour, the period of the beginning of the Carry on series… And, glancing at the cast list, quite a number of names of popular British actors of the time and those who were emerging (and a couple of celebrity cameos, particularly Dirk Bogarde as Dr Simon Sparrow, his character in the Doctor series, where he played with Kenneth More). Sid James does a chuckling variation on his Carry on characters. Notable supporting performances from Kenneth Griffith and, especially, Warren Mitchell. And for fans of veteran actress, Esma Cannon, this is one that definitely should be seen, decked out in official royalty costume and with an accent!

There are several Americans in the cast because of the screenplay, notably Lloyd Nolan, first appearing in American films in the mid-1930s, a 50 years career, his last film Woody Allen’s Hannah and her Sisters.

Much of the screenplay now seems very corny. And there is a great deal of farce. There are interview sequences for inept candidates for the Navy. There are plenty of training sequences. But, with Kenneth More as the central character, always speaking out and being transferred to other jobs, put in command of three potential officers, Jeremy Lloyd (actor but later writer of such television series as Are You Being Served and ‘Ullo ‘Ullo), Dinsdale Landon and Derek Fowlds who came to prominence as the meek public servant in Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister.

There are sequences in the Riviera, clashes between the Brits and the Yanks, more farce about romance for Kenneth More.

Finally, an intervention in an African revolution, Kenneth Griffiths, often so meek on screen, as a yelling and ranting revolutionary, veteran Mischa Auer as two characters leading the country, extremely eccentric.

This comedy has, some humour, but a great deal of silliness as well.

NURSE ON WHEELS

UK, 1963, 85 minutes, Black-and-white.

Juliet Mills, Ronald Lewis, Joan Sims, Noel Purcell, Esma Cannon, Raymond Huntley, Athene Seyler, Norman Rossington, Ronald Howard, Joan Hickson, Renee Houston, Jim Dale, George Woodbridge.

Directed by Gerald Thomas.

A pleasant, old-fashioned British comedy. It was directed by Gerald Thomas taking some time off from making Carry on films. It was written by Norman Hudis who had written the early Carry on films but was giving way to Talbot Rothwell. And, it is very much geared towards the widest audience, only a little innuendo and a spoilt flirtation sequence.

Juliet Mills, in her early 20s, plays a district nurse, new to the district, under suspicion by the patients of the previous nurse, sometimes rude to her, offhand. She is strong-minded, rides a bike, has a driving lesson – and a later driving escapade which proves that she is far better on her bicycle. Ultimately, of course, her patients relent and she is accepted. There is also a romance with Ronald Lewis as a local farmer, sometimes curt, especially to a young man and his pregnant wife who want to park on his land, but, of course, a final reconciliation.

The film is striking for the number of character actors who take the roles generally of the locals, suspicious, hard, gradually relenting. And, there are at least half a dozen regulars from the Carry on films, Joan Sims with a very straightforward role as the vicar’s daughter, Raymond Huntley is the vicar, Jim Dale as the husband, and Joan Hickson as a housekeeper. And, especially, Esma Cannon as the nurses pleasantly dithery as the nurse’s mother.

There is a jaunty theme playing every time the nurse appears on her bike and then more frequently, possibly too often!

Life in English country towns in the early 1960s, the NHS, the district nurse, local doctors, and a variety of local characters.

CARRY ON REGARDLESS

UK, 1961, 90 minutes, Black-and-white.

Sidney James, Kenneth Connor, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Kenneth Williams, Bill Owen, Liz Fraser, Terrence Longdon, Hattie Jacques, Esma Cannon, Sidney Tafler, Terrence Alexander, Stanley Unwin, Joan Hickson, Fenella Fielding, David Lodge.

Directed by Gerald Thomas.

The fifth film in the series, by now getting underway, and this film having most of the cast from the early films.

The screenplay was written by Norman Hudis who wrote the early screenplays before the transition to Talbot Rothwell who wrote most of the subsequent Carry on films. This one is very straightforward. Sidney James and Esma Cannon run the Helping Hand agency, ready to help out in any emergency. Meanwhile, at the labour exchange, there are a whole lot of characters looking for jobs and who descend on the agency – at one stage, in a scene at the agency, nine of the popular members of the cast are all assembled in the one room.

There is no plot as such. Rather, the film is a succession of farcical episodes, slapstick comedy, each of the new members of the agency going out on jobs and generally mucking them up. And, for a variation, in the last part of the film they go to a mixup of addresses, again with some disastrous results. And finally, their gobbledygook-speaking landlord, Stanley Unwin, interpreted by Kenneth Williams’ character who speaks 16 languages! indicates that he wants the premises renovated. Needless to say, they all help but create disasters, only to find that with all the mess that they have made, it will be all right because the landlord has decided to demolish the building.

Not so much innuendo in this particular version – though, Liz Fraser does offer an opportunity for some sex comedy. And, it is interesting to see Sid James in a fairly straightforward role. And, it is a pleasure to see most of the members of the staff as well as a number of supporting British character actors who appeared in a number of films in the series.

CARRY ON CONSTABLE

UK, 1960, 86 minutes, Black and white.

Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Eric Barker, Kenneth Connor, Charles Hawtrey, Leslie Phillips, Joan Sims, Hattie Jacques, Shirley Eaton, Cyril Chamberlain, Joan Hickson, Irene Handl, Esma Cannon, Terence Longden, Jill Adams, Victor Maddern.

Directed by Gerald Thomas.

One of the earliest of the Carry on series, two years after it began, the atmosphere of British filmmaking in 1960, popular comedy, the transition to the more permissive 1960s. In the retrospect of the later films, Carry on Constable seems comparatively innocent certainly some sexual references, some shower and bathroom scenes, some ogling by the male stars but, in comparison with later films, rather more of the light touch.

In fact, the film was written by the writer of the earlier Carry on films, Norman Hudis. Then there was a transition to Talbot Rothwell who scripted most of the Carry on films, more explicit with sexual themes, a great deal of innuendo.

This was the first Carry on film with Sid James, rather more straightforward role, sometimes sympathetic, but he was to develop into the chuckling lecherer during the 60s and 70s. But, it is pleasing to see so many of the regulars in this film, the two Kenneths and Charles Hawtrey, much more explicitly gay in this film than later, especially with the cross dressing of Kenneth Williams and Hawtrey, Hawtrey even passing passably for female.

Joan Sims and Hattie Jacques are happily present and there are a whole number of guest female stars, young like Shirley Eaton, three years before Goldfinger, and Jill Adams, and veterans like Esme Canon as a deaf old lady trying to cross the road, Irene Handl erupting about a misbehaving boy, and, especially, two scenes with Joan Hickson as an aristocratic alcoholic showing her as an excellent comedienne as well as dramatic actress, later Miss Marple.

Eric Barker, doing his usual shtick as a befuddled authority, is in charge of the police station and employing four new recruits, the two Kenneths, Charles Hawtrey and, appearing in several of the Carry on films, Leslie Phillips.

A whole lot of farcical situations in the office and a succession of muddled police activity with special sequences for each of the four, their own kind of comedy which was to develop during the success of films.

Popular and easy humour, easy to watch.

CARRY ON CABBY

UK, 1963, 91 minutes, Black-and-white.

Sidney James, Hattie Jacques, Kenneth Connor, Charles Hawtrey, Esma Cannon, Liz Fraser, Bill Owen, Milo O'Shea, Judith Furse, René Houston, Jim Dale, Amanda Barrie, Norman Chappell.

Directed by Gerald Thomas.

Not originally intended as a Carry on comedy. It was Called Me a Cab, written by Sid Green and Dick Hills, writers for the comedy team of Morecombe and Wise. But, with the popularity of the Carry on series, regular writer, Talbot Rothwell adapted it.

This means there are two different features for this Carry on comedy. There is far more plot and character development and interaction. And, the film relies far less on sexual references and jokes and innuendo. In fact, Sid James, apart from being a workaholic taxi driver and neglecting his wife, is quite respectable.

The film also acknowledges support from the taxi companies in London. And, with many variations on the theme, it shows how significant taxis can be.

Sid James loves driving taxis, worked with his partner, played in his usual way by Kenneth Connor (who does have to dress up as a female taxi driver at one stage). And Sid James is married to Hattie Jacques. The comment is that she thinks this is the best of her Carry on films – and, she is at her best, creating a character, a greater range of emotions than a stern matron! Charles Hawtrey does his usual simple-minded shtick. But, there is the advantage of Milo O’Shea as a taxidriver in an early role, veteran Esma Cannon, Liz Fraser, and introducing to the series, Jim Dale as a frantic father and Amanda Barrie.

When Sid James is caught up in taxi problems and neglects his wife’s anniversary celebrations, she decides to set up a rival company, not letting him know. She buys many taxis, gets glamorous drivers, is able to steal his clientele, with digs at ogling males. So, plenty of shenanigans. But, when the Glam firm is so successful, Sid James has to use his wits to bring down the company.

So, a lot of comedy, some slapstick, some tense situations, and the good idea of having some robbers hijack Hattie Jacques’s car and everybody then in on the act to track the robbers with the whole taxi fleet.

Enjoyable, British filmmaking in the 1960s, and the most PG rated of all the Carry on films!

CARRY ON CRUISING

UK, 1962, 89 minutes, Colour.

Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Kenneth Connor, Liz Fraser, Dilys Laye, Esma Cannon, Lance Percival, Jimmy Thompson, Ronnie Stevens, Vincent Ball, Ed Devereaux, Anton Rodgers.

Directed by Gerald Thomas.

Beginning in the later 1950s and continuing into the 1980s, the Carry on franchise was very popular, some films quite hilarious, some rather pedestrian, and the rest somewhere in the middle. This one is rather mild, pleasantly in the middle, so to speak.

A number of the regulars are present but many absent including Joan Sims, Hattie Jacques, Charles Hawtrey, Jim Dale.

But, Sid James is present as the captain, in a wayalways the same, but always reliable and his performance fitting his character whether the captain of this cruise or Marc Anthony in Carry on, Cleo. And the two Kenneths are also present, Kenneth Connor as the ship’s captain, wanting romance, and showing his skill at doing impersonations. And Kenneth Williams does his usual with a wink and a nod and his familiar screwing up of his face.

There is some comedy with Esma Cannon, Australian actress long time in England and in several of the Carry on films. Two other Australians who worked in their early careers in the UK but then returned home to long Australian careers are Vincent Ball as the athletics instructor and Ed Devereaux as one of the officers.

This time the leading ladies are Liz Fraser and Dilys Laye – more straightforward in their romance and humour rather than innuendo.

A lot of slapstick as usual, a lot of puns and play on words, some of them very obvious but enjoyable nonetheless.

A carry on slightly entertainment.