Follow That Camel (1967)

A bogus legionnaire proves his mettle during an Arab attack.

Director:

Gerald Thomas

Writer:

Talbot Rothwell (screenplay)

Stars:

Phil Silvers, Kenneth Williams, Jim Dale

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Phil Silvers	...	Sgt. Nocker
Kenneth Williams	...	Commandant Maximilian Burger
Jim Dale	...	Bertram Oliphant 'Bo' West
Charles Hawtrey	...	Capt. Le Pice
Joan Sims	...	Zig-Zig
Angela Douglas	...	Lady Jane Ponsonby
Peter Butterworth	...	Simpson
Bernard Bresslaw	...	Sheikh Abdul Abulbul
Anita Harris	...	Corktip
John Bluthal	...	Cpl. Clotski
William Mervyn	...	Sir Cyril Ponsonby
Peter Gilmore	...	Capt. Humphrey Bagshaw
Julian Holloway	...	Ticket Collector
Larry Taylor	...	Riff
William Hurndell	...	Raff

Storyline

Bertram Oliphant West (also known as Bo West) wants to clear his unjustly smeared reputation. He joins the Foreign Legion, with Simpson his manservant in tow. But the fort they get posted to is full of eccentric legionnaires, and there is trouble brewing with the locals too. Unbeknown to Bo, his lady love has followed him in disguise...

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Plot Keywords:

carry on | legionnaire | foreign legion | fourteenth part | imperative in title | 

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Taglines:

You'll laugh up a (sand) storm when the "Carry-On" Gang invade the Sa(her)a

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 December 1967 (Austria)

Also Known As:

Carry On in the Legion

Filming Locations:

Camber Sands, Camber, East Sussex, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

£230,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Peter Rogers Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

For most of the filming Jim Dale and Peter Butterworth were not speaking to one another, even though they had the majority of scenes together.

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Goofs

A group of legionnaires are seen approaching the camera. Their shadows are to their left on the right side of the screen. They are next seen with their backs to the camera. Their shadows are now to their right on the right side of the screen.

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Quotes

Sgt. Nocker: Hold it baby. How about giving us the Dance of the Two Veils?
Corktip: You mean seven veils.
Sgt. Nocker: Why bother with preliminaries?

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Connections

Featured in Carry on Forever: Episode #1.3 (2015)

User Reviews

Lacks really sharp material but the domineering force that is Phil Silvers makes it worth seeing

Falsely accused of foul play during a cricket match, Bo West decides the only way to find his honour again is to join the foreign legion and, with his butler, sets off to join up. On their way they meet Sgt Nocker – sleeping in a bordello just a few hours before he pretends to have been on a dangerous mission. Using this information, West and Simpson get an easy ride – however everything changes when all three of them are captured by Sheikh Abdul Abulbul. Things become more urgent when Bo discovers that his lover, Jane Ponsonby has traveled to the region to find him and has herself been captured by Abulbul.

Quite rightly, this film is on this database without its 'carry on' rider, as this was not an official Carry On film but rather one that bore enough similarity to the series to allow it to be shanghaied into the group. While it doesn't stand out as being the best of the series it is still pretty enjoyable. The plot spoofs Beau Guest very loosely and it delivers the usual smutty puns and Carry On style laughs even if the material is not as sharp as it should have been. The main reason I liked the film as much as I did was down to one main factor – Phil Silvers.

Silvers dominates the film and he gets the majority of the laughs with what is essentially a foreign legion version of his own Bilko. If anything his presence unbalances the film as the rest of the cast, talented as they are, are all in his shadow. Dale is amusing in his usual stuttering role as the slightly daffy English ponce and he is ably supported by Butterworth in a small role. Williams plays his role very well, while Hawtrey does his usual effeminate performance to good effect. Douglas is OK but Sims has far to little to do. Bresslaw, as always, has the 'ethnic' role and he has quite a few good lines along the way but the film does lack the all round cast that quite a few of the Carry On films have. The support features a tent full of gorgeous women who, rather frighteningly, include the presence of one Anita Harris – so much for wholesome!

Overall this is not one of the better Carry On films but it is still amusing and quite enjoyable, mainly due to the Bilko-esque delivery from Phil Silvers who pretty much dominates the film, certainly stealing every scene he is in. The material is not the sharpest and I missed the presence of some of the other Carry On regulars but generally this had enough in the way of laughs to justify watching if you're a Carry On fan.