Carry on Loving (1970)

The Wedded Bliss computer dating agency aims to bring together the lonely hearts of Much-Snoggin-in-the-Green. Its owner, Sidney Bliss, has enough complications in his own love life, but ... See full summary »

Director:

Gerald Thomas

Writer:

Talbot Rothwell (screenplay)

Stars:

Sidney James, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sidney James	...	Sidney Bliss
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)

Storyline

The Wedded Bliss computer dating agency aims to bring together the lonely hearts of Much-Snoggin-in-the-Green. Its owner, Sidney Bliss, has enough complications in his own love life, but still produces a pamphlet called "The Wit to Woo". The strange collection of hopefuls lead to some outlandish matches, and jealousies are bound to lead to trouble.

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Plot Keywords:

carry on | hot | sex scene | sexy | model | 

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Taglines:

Doing their bit for laughter!

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Details

Official Sites:

Carry On Line

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 November 1970 (UK)

Also Known As:

Ist ja irre - Liebe, Liebe usw.

Filming Locations:

Artherton Court, Meadow Lane, Eton, Windsor, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Rank Organisation, Peter Rogers Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor) (uncredited)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

First use of an intentional expletive in the series, "arse." This is in line with the ruder, cruder humor in use in the series since the Sexual Revolution; other examples including a greater number of single entendres in this film compared to the earlier films.

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Goofs

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

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Quotes

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

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Crazy Credits

Closing credits: AND SO THEY WERE MARRIED AND FOUGHT HAPPILY EVER AFTER.

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Alternate Versions

Despite the stronger subject matter the UK cinema version suffered only mild BBFC cuts with the removal of the dialogue lines "You can't do much with your little finger" (from an exchange between Sid and Terry) and "You know, putting it in, the meat" (which lost the last two words) from Jenny's description of her job as a sausage packer to Sally. Video and DVD versions feature the same print and the cuts may no longer survive.

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Connections

Edited into What a Carry On: Episode #1.8 (1986)

User Reviews

Ignorance actually is, in this case, Bliss!

As the 1970s began, the Carry On team would continue undaunted by a new decade and a changing of the times, they instead embraced it with innuendo laden open arms - for better and worse as would prove to be the case.

"Loving" finds Sid James and Hattie Jaques as a boyfriend and girlfriend couple operating under false pretences as a wedded bliss couple running a computer dating agency. The central theme is that of a number of hapless and lovelorn singletons who hope to get fixed up by the "Bliss Agency", only to find disaster after disaster, mismatch after mismatch, befalling those hoping for Cupid/Eros' arrows to strike.

It's all very plot less, a sort of rerun of Carry On Regardless but with the amiable vignettes of that film replaced here with more knowingly bawdy and sexy scenarios. Terry Scott and James have fun as randy old devils, each thrust into a number of awkward situations via angry girlfriends & boyfriends, Kenny Williams gets the best part of the screenplay as a marriage guidance counsellor - and confirmed bachelor - hopelessly out of his depth when push comes to shove (ooh-err), while Jacki Piper and Imogen Hassall positively steam up the screen with underwear and push-up-bra revelations.

The 70s would prove to be a troublesome decade for the series, and this does feel like the start of the slide, which is annoying since the rather cheeky and funny Carry On Up the Jungle was also released this same year. There is some value in "Loving", it has Sid and Hattie as a warring couple, which is always fun to be part of, while Williams and Scott throw themselves into their roles - just as Bernard Bresslaw steals scenes as a hulking wrestler miffed at Joan Sims' being the apple of Sid James' eye! But it feels forced and although it has some moments for fans to enjoy, the high points of Carry On Up the Kyber and the box office gold of Carry On Camping would ultimately prove to be nostalgic glances back to the series' better days. 6/10