Cor, Blimey! (2000) (TV)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Terry Johnson

Writer:

Terry Johnson (written by)

Release Date:

24 April 2000 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Dramatisation of the love affair between Sidney James and Barbara Windsor, played out against the backdrop of the 'Carry On' films during the 1960s and 1970s. |

Plot Keywords:

Carry On | Affair | Fling | Marriage | Actor

Cast

Jacqueline Defferary	...	Sally
Geoffrey Hutchings	...	Sid James
David McAllister	...	Gerald Thomas (as David McAlister)
Jason Round	...	Clapper Loader
Adam Godley	...	Kenneth Williams
Steve Speirs	...	Bernard Bresslaw
Hugh Walters	...	Charles Hawtrey
Samantha Spiro	...	Barbara Windsor
Alan Barnes	...	1st Assistant Director
Maria Charles	...	Charlie's Mum
Chrissie Cotterill	...	Joan Sims
Louise Delamere	...	Imogen
Alice Bailey Johnson	...	Alice
Derek Howard	...	Kenneth Connor
Richard Vanstone	...	Alf

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

New Wimbledon Theatre, The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, England, UK

Company:

Company Television

Trivia:

Based on Terry Johnston's play "Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick", performed in the Royal National Theatre in London, UK. Many members of the original cast - including the three leads Samantha Spiro, Geoffrey Hutchings and Adam Godley - reprised their original stage roles for this adaptation.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Kenneth Williams, while reviewing Carry on Spying (1964) in an early scene, suggests that he hasn't been in a state of sexual arousal since "Jim Dale went down the stairs on that hospital trolley". This scene is supposedly contemporaneous with the filming of Carry on Cleo (1964), but the scene Williams mentions of Jim Dale going down stairs was in Carry on Again Doctor (1969), filmed in 1969.

Quotes:

Barbara Windsor: I think heaven's being left alone with a Steinbeck in the edit suite. You sit in front of your life and you're allowed to re-edit it. Cut the rotten bits, loop the sex, montage the good moments. Live it over and over, a bit better every time. And eventually, make it perfect.

Movie Connections:

References Carry on Again Doctor (1969)

Still 'Carrying On' after all these years...

The British public's love affair with the 'Carry On' movies continues with this triumphant re-telling of actress Barbara Windsor's ill-fated romance with her comedy co-star Sidney James.

The film covers the period 1964-1978 and is based on Terry Johnson's hugely successful 1998 stage-play "Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick", now nicely opened up for the big screen. Utilising many of the play's original actors, including Samantha Spiro, Geoff Hutchings and Adam Godley, 'Cor Blimey!' is a real treat for any self-respecting 'Carry On' fan. In particular, Spiro excels as the younger Babs Windsor. She is uncannily accurate in looks, mannerisms and voice, so much so that when the real Windsor appears as herself in the final scene, the join between the two actresses is hardly noticeable.

Hutchings and Godley are also perfectly cast as Sid James and Kenneth Williams respectively, but viewers expecting just laughs will be a little disappointed. Aside from the leads, Williams is portrayed as a lonely unfulfilled hypochondriac and Charles Hawtrey (played by Hugh Walters) as an alcoholic mother's boy.

Always moving and sensitively acted, 'Cor Blimey!' is a touching but extremely engaging and enjoyable film. Many fans will be left with tears in their eyes by the end. Several factual inaccuracies aside, this is top notch entertainment, no messing about! Highly recommended.