Carry on Loving (1970)

Director:

Gerald Thomas

Writer:

Talbot Rothwell (screenplay)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Doing their bit for laughter!

Plot:

The Wedded Bliss computer dating agency aims to bring together the lonely hearts of Much-Snoggin-in-the-Green...

Plot Keywords:

Dating Agency | Carry On | Matchmaking | Food Fight | Underwear

Cast

Sid James	...	Sidney Bliss (as Sidney James)
Kenneth Williams	...	Percival Snooper
Charles Hawtrey	...	James Bedsop
Joan Sims	...	Esme Crowfoot
Hattie Jacques	...	Sophie Plummett
Terry Scott	...	Terence Philpot
Richard O'Callaghan	...	Bertrum Muffet
Bernard Bresslaw	...	Gripper Burke
Jacki Piper	...	Sally Martin
Imogen Hassall	...	Jenny Grubb
Julian Holloway	...	Adrian
Janet Mahoney	...	Gay
Amelia Bayntun	...	Corset Lady
Lucy Griffiths	...	Woman (scenes deleted)
Mike Grady	...	Boy Lover (as Michael Grady)

Also Known As:

Carry on Loving or It's Not What You Feel, It's the Way That You Feel It. or Two's Company but Three's Quite Good Fun Too. or Love Is a Four Letter Word or It's Just One Thing on Top of Another (UK) (long title)

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Singapore:PG | Australia:PG | UK:A (original rating) (passed with cuts) | UK:PG (video rating) (1987)

Filming Locations:

15 Park Street, Windsor, Berkshire, England, UK

Company:

Rank Organisation, The

Trivia:

The 'computer system' used by Sid and Hattie was originally built by Century 21 for use in the TV series "UFO" (1970).

Goofs:

Factual errors: The sign outside the Marriage Guidance Bureau depicts 'Citizen's', however, it should actually read Citizens'

Quotes:

Bertrum Muffet: I want a wife, like that
[indicating Hattie Jacques]
Sidney Bliss: I think we can do a bit better than that...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Holiday on the Buses (1973)

CARRY ON LOVING (Gerald Thomas, 1970) **1/2

Again, this turned out to be more enjoyable than I was anticipating – despite the essential lack of plot and the general feeling that the regulars are merely going through the paces. The premise – or, more precisely, series of sketches – revolve around Sidney James and Hattie Jacques' matrimonial agency; several people with various hang-ups turn up at their door – including marital consultant (but confirmed bachelor) Kenneth Williams, Terry Scott and inexperienced Richard O'Callaghan. The thing is that James and Jacques aren't married themselves, and he's been having a fling with Joan Sims (who's herself doted upon by pony-tailed wrestler Bernard Bresslaw)!

Many generally amusing complications arise from this situation, though a lot of time is spent with the younger generation at the expense of the series stalwarts (Peter Butterworth, for instance, only gets an unbilled – albeit great – cameo). Some of the better moments include: Scott's visit to the house of proposed soulmate Imogen Hassall, with relatives who seem to have strayed in from an episode of THE ADDAMS FAMILY TV series!; their date in her flat (she eventually has a startling make-over), which is constantly interrupted by the arrival of her ostensibly engaged flat-mates; the unexpected arousal of Williams' stuffy housekeeper Patsy Rowlands after he brings home Jacques, and then Sims turns up to seduce him (because James wants to get back with Jacques) – the scene is further complicated by the arrival of the raging Bresslaw, who's however hilariously knocked-out by the charged-up Rowlands!; the side-splitting pie-throwing finale during James and Jacques' marriage – which is definitely one of the highlights of the entire series.

P.S. Hammer Films starlet Yutte Stensgaard's scenes were deleted from the released version (reportedly, she was also in CARRY ON AGAIN DOCTOR [1969] – but I didn't recognize her in that one).