Carry on Loving

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).