Carry on Sergeant (1958)

Sergeant Grimshaw wants to retire in the flush of success by winning the Star Squad prize with his very last platoon of newly called-up National Servicemen. But what a motley bunch they ... See full summary »

Director:

Gerald Thomas

Writers:

R.F. Delderfield (by), Norman Hudis (screenplay),

Stars:

William Hartnell, Shirley Eaton, Charles Hawtrey

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
William Hartnell	...	Sergeant Grimshawe
Shirley Eaton	...	Mary Sage
Eric Barker	...	Captain Potts
Dora Bryan	...	Norah
Bill Owen	...	Corporal Bill Copping
Charles Hawtrey	...	Peter Golightly
Kenneth Connor	...	Horace Strong
Kenneth Williams	...	James Bailey
Terence Longdon	...	Miles Heywood
Norman Rossington	...	Herbert Brown
Gerald Campion	...	Andy Calloway
Hattie Jacques	...	Captain Clark
Cyril Chamberlain	...	Gun Sergeant
Arnold Diamond	...	Fifth Specialist
Gordon Tanner	...	First Specialist

Storyline

Sergeant Grimshaw wants to retire in the flush of success by winning the Star Squad prize with his very last platoon of newly called-up National Servicemen. But what a motley bunch they turn out to be, and it's up to Grimshaw to put the no-hopers through their paces.

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Plot Keywords:

sergeant | military | corporal | carry on | military spoof | 

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Taglines:

The same hilarious gang that brought you 'Carry on Nurse'

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Genres:

Comedy | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

August 1958 (UK)

Also Known As:

4 kothonia sti legeona ton xenon

Filming Locations:

Harefield, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

£73,000 (estimated)

Gross:

£500,000 (UK)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Peter Rogers Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first film in the "Carry On..." series. A further thirty were produced until 1992.

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Goofs

When Captain Potts pins the chart to the training progress board, the board has the intake as No.29 but when the prize giving is announced near the end of the film it is announced as the prize giving for the 60th intake

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Quotes

[Charlie has managed to reasemble a Bren machine gun, despite being distracted during the demonstration]
Gun Sergeant: Looks like you *were* listening.
Charlie Sage: I wasn't listening.
[Jerks his head towards the Bren]
Charlie Sage: I used to work in the factory where they make these things!

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Connections

Referenced in The History Boys (2006)

User Reviews

Has a certain charm

The first in the hugely-successful "Carry On..." series of films, "Sergeant" certainly doesn't stand out as anything particularly remarkable.

Many of the familiar faces are there right from the start (Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Hattie Jacques, Kenneth Connor) playing much the same characters as they would later make their own.

However, "Sergeant" is a reasonably gentle affair with none of the smut and sauce that would later be the series hallmark. William Hartnell puts in a great pre-Dr. Who turn as a bluff old Army sergeant given the task of turning his platoon of mis-matched incompetents into winning material.

Of course, in true "Carry On" style there is a series of fairly amusing set-pieces before the, not entirely unexpected, happy ending.

In all, "Sergeant" is mild mannered, harmless British comedy with some nice turns from Dora Bryan, Kenneth Connor and a young Bob Monkhouse. Surprising that this, probably the least offensive in the series, eventually launched a string of cheap, saucy slapstick.