Karl Hughes I'm a dissenting voice in the crowd as I actually rather like this late entry in the Carry On series. In fact, I'd probably have it in my top 5 Carry Ons.There were so many reasons why this entry should have been below par. The previous film in the series, Dick, saw the last appearances of Sid James, Barbara Windsor and Hatties Jacques (we'd already just lost Charles Hawtrey) and importantly this film was the first in a very long time not to have been scripted by master of the double-entendre, Talbot Rothwell. There were only three Carry Ons after this one, and they were all seriously bad. On paper, this is the film where it should have gone wrong, but instead what we have is a likable film full of Carry On humour. It feels like a natural sequel to Carry On Camping. It's a roughly 50:50 cast split between Carry On regulars (Williams, Sims, Bresslaw and Connor) and newcomers (Davies, Posta, Lavendar), and there's a guest star thrown in, Elke Sommer. I've never been a great fan of guests in Carry Ons as they inevitably don't 'fit in' with the crew (like them or loathe them, Ted Ray, Harry H Corbett, Phil Silvers and Frankie Howerd all kind of stood-out as not quite being in the Carry On mould). Elke, playing a Russian archaeologist, adds greatly to this film, and she gets quite a lot of the funny lines, mostly from her misinterpretation of English words.Although I very much like this film it isn't without its faults. The plot is thinner than usual and the ending is poor (there isn't really a story to conclude at all). I'm not a prude, but there are blatant breasts on display; the Carry Ons always seemed better when they were more innocent. Technically the film is shoddy, with an awful lot of dialogue having been added after filming - at several points the cast speak without even having to move their lips! But there's plenty to enjoy here, cameos from Marianne Stone and David Lodge, a larger role than usual for Patsy Rowlands, music by Eric Rogers, and the English love of life in caravans and under canvas.Heartily recommended, the last great Carry On.

ShadeGrenade In 1974, the 'Confessions' films ( starring Robin Askwith as randy 'Timmy Lea') arrived, and were doing much the same sort of thing as the 'Carry On' pictures, only with nudity. Peter Rogers' pictures tried to compete - with disastrous results. 'Behind' was probably the last to stay within the parameters of the series. It is set on a rundown caravan site somewhere in England. Holidaymakers from all walks of life converge; they include Bernard Bresslaw's henpecked 'Arthur', his nagging wife 'Linda' ( Patsy Rowlands ), and her domineering mother 'Daphne' ( Joan Sims ), who has brought along her annoying minah bird ( voiced by director Gerald Thomas ). There's also the Baxters ( Ian Lavender and Adrienne Posta ), and their hungry Great Dane. Jack Douglas and Windsor Davies ( the latter in a role written originally for Sid James ) are ostensibly there for the fishing, but who are really there for the f#####g! A team of archaeologists led by Kenneth Williams 'Professor Roland Crump' and Elke Sommer's 'Professor Anna Vooshka' also arrive on the scene to excavate some nearby Roman ruins. Added to this motley collection is Kenneth Connor's randy old site owner 'Major Leep' and Peter Butterworth as his manager 'Barnes' ( who is 'Joshua Fiddler' of 'Carry On Camping' in all but name ).Dave Freeman inherited the writing duties following the retirement ( due to nervous exhaustion ) of Talbot Rothwell. He had previously written the big screen version of 'Bless This House'. 'Behind' is not vintage 'Carry On', but has its moments, and compared to the three pictures which followed - 'England', 'Emmannuelle', and 'Columbus' - looks like a masterpiece. 'Carry On Camping' appears to have been the main inspiration, but alas it lacks a strong gag to fix it in the memory, like Babs Windsor's flying bra in the earlier picture. It marked Liz Fraser's return to the series after a fourteen-year absence ( her last one was 'Carry On Regardless' ). Its not a very big role, but its nice to have her back. Sommer's 'Vooska' is delightful, with a command of the English language that rivals Inspector Clouseau's French. She greets people with 'how are your doings?' instead of 'how are you doing?', and confuses 'cramped' with 'crumpet'. Williams is suitably flustered as the lucky chappie she gets to share a caravan with. Carol Hawkins ( of 'The Fenn Street Gang' ) and future 'Loose Woman' Sherrie Hewson play a couple of sexy girls who unwisely pitch their tent next to Jack and Windsor's caravan. Sid James and Babs Windsor are missed; both were touring in plays at the time of filming. George Layton's doctor looks and sounds uncannily like 'Dr.Paul Collier', his character from L.W.T.'s 'Doctor' series.Much of the humour is smutty and predictable, but in a 'Carry On', that's to be expected. The climax has a stripper ( Jenny Cox ) turning up at the site instead of the planned singer, and an unexpected rainstorm leads to flooding and caravans sinking into the ground.Things To Look Out For - a brief appearance by Diana Darvey, whose curvaceous figure graced several Benny Hill shows.Funniest moment - trying to retrieve a beach-ball from a bonfire, Fred ( Windsor Davies ) attracts the attention of Barnes ( Peter Butterworth ). "My ball's burning!", he explains. Barnes replies: "Don't stand so close to the fire!".A few months after 'Behind' went on general release, Sid James died, an event which symbolically heralded the beginning of the end of the much-loved comedy franchise.

Jackson Booth-Millard I can agree with the critics, this film certainly started the downfall and eventually end of the Carry On franchise, followed by England, Emmannuelle, and ending with Columbus, all getting one out of five stars, deservedly. It is basically another Carry On Camping, with caravans. So Professors Anna Vooshka (Elke Sommer) and Roland Crump (Kenneth Williams) visit the archaeological site for artifacts, randy site owner Major Leep (Kenneth Connor) tries to keep most things in order, husband Arthur Upmore (Bernard Bresslaw) and Linda (Patsy Rowlands) are trying to enjoy themselves, but have snobbish mother Daphne Barnes (Joan Sims) nagging, butcher Fred Ramsden (Windsor Davies) and Ernie Bragg (Jack Douglas) are misbehaving without their wives to see, and Henry Barnes (Peter Butterworth) is the odd-job man, oh, and Joe Baxter (Dad's Army's Ian Lavender) is about too. Also starring Liz Fraser as Sylvia Ramsden, Adrienne Posta as Norma Baxter, Patricia Franklin as Vera Bragg, Donald Hewlett as The Dean and Carol Hawkins as Sandra. Sid James didn't want to, Barbara Windsor was away, and Charles Hawtrey quit the Carry Ons after Abroad, so no wonder it was doomed to be a repeat of Camping. The most innuendos, and not all funny ones it should be said, come from Sommer and Williams, mainly because of Sommer's weird Russian accent, it's just not as funny as it tries to be, and there's worse to come, trust me. Adequate!

naseby In spite of Sid James and Barbara Windsor missing, Bernie Bresslaw, Peter Butterworth, Kenneth Connor, Joan Sims and Kenny Williams powered this, the last of the best 'Carry Ons', as when 'England' came after it, the series never recovered. Aided strangely, but welcome, by the talented German actress, Elke Sommer playing a sexy Russian archaeologist. It's much like 'Camping' but with added features of Ms Sommer's character of Professor Vooshka, bawdily going through the usual motions with some standard but effective gags. Prof. Vooshka was ripe for getting her English mixed up among the campers - when stating her caravan was filthy and looking for a brush to clean it: "I am lookings for scrubbers - I am keeping how you say, a dirty caravan!" much to the chagrin of Bernie Bresslaw! The latter unfortunately, is at odds with his battleaxe mother-in-law along with him, (Joan Sims) and his wife played by Patsy Rowlands.Good to see Ian Lavender as another camper with his wife, dotty Adrienne Posta, doting on the beast of a pet dog 'Ollie'.The assistant archaeologists are getting the girls (Sherrie Hewson and Carol Hawkins), instead of the usual middle-aged 'crumpet-chasers' played by Windsor Davies and Jack Douglas.Peter Butterworth is the minging aide to Major Leap (Kenneth Connor) who owns the campsite. Butterworth actually turns out to be the long-estranged husband to Joan Sims who rekindle their love a little after Butterworth informs her he's a reformed character after being away from her for ten years. He buys her affection somewhat by telling her he's saved hard over the years - £20,000 in that time - after winning £19,950 on the football pools only a few months' ago! Kenneth Williams plays a straight-laced assistant archaeologist to Prof. Vooshka, trying to correct her English, mostly, when it happens to be sexually imparted. "Hitting it off," says Prof. Vooshka, "is like 'HAVING it off', no?" Williams is constantly hampered, even thinking he's dying when he knocks his head and sees blood (Actually tomato sauce which poured out of a bottle on to his nut!). Right from the start of the film, he's showing a film of an archaeological dig, only oblivious whilst reading the narrative with it, that it's been substituted with a film of a stripper. "The lower reaches of the area, tend to be be swampy"!.The campsite is the focus of course and the archaeologists are examining the site for Roman remains - all the campers find it when their caravans fall down holes caused by the Romans' mining operations!Quite a good one from the gang and as I've said, it was definitely the last of the best and enjoyable in the true fashion of 'Carry On' films.