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Carry On Matron [1972]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Hattie Jacques finally got to the play the title role in 1972 when Carry On Matron immortalised the character she had developed during several previous outings, most notably in Carry On Doctor. And she seized it with gusto. This is no one-dimensional performance, but a very human portrait of a woman doing her best to retain her authority in the face of mounting chaos--a raid planned by Sid James to steal the hospital's supply of contraceptive pills. Certainly, she's obsessed with regular bowel movements--this wouldn't be a Carry On film otherwise--but she remains a majestic figure of dignity with a touch of human warmth. Occasionally, too, a real hint of irony peeks through the slapstick and the innuendo.

Surely scriptwriter Talbot Rothwell had his tongue lodged firmly in his cheek when he gave Barbara Windsor--then married to Ronnie Knight--the line, "I don't fancy being a gangster's moll!" Terry Scott makes a guest appearance and Sid James is at his most conniving and lecherous. Theatre impresario Bill Kenwright has a cameo role and there's an early appearance from Wendy Richard as a prototype Pauline Fowler. But it's the female stalwarts who shine. Joan Sims and Hattie Jacques were truly comic actresses of the highest order. --Piers Ford


masterful
Review date: 2007-03-22 Rating: 8 out of 10

carry on matron is a 1972 classic with a great cast and indeed a great story all set in the familiar territory of the hospital,it is easier to say which member of the legends isnt in this as so many are and the only exception of the legends would be peter butterworth and jim dale and this is also one of the few movies to feature the three leading ladies of joan sims,hattie jeacques and babs windsor,they were also in carry on abroad
for thoise who wish to know,i think they were in one or two more as well.
The story centres on criminal mastermind sid james who believes his next fortune lies in a maternity hospital,but how can he get access to what he is looking for,he does it by enlisting the help of his son cyril,played by kenneth cope,who does a good job,as an undercover nurse so he dresses as a woman.There is plenty of great scenes here,most of all kenny williams wanting to seduce hattie jacques to prove that he is a man,and the performance of terry scott as a doctor who loves the ladies and fancies the nurse that cyril is pretending to be.
The film marked a different sid james character,one that wasnt a filthy beast as he was called in a different film by joan sims,here he plays it straight down the middle ,some fans went insane at that during the time of this release,hence sid returned as the legendary leering womaniser in the next carry on,carry on abroad.

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Reviews


Hilarious Medical Caper
Review date: 2006-05-03 Rating: 8 out of 10

The medical Carry On's had always been a popular phenomenon in the series. Carry On Nurse (1959) topped the U.S box office charts and ran in some cinemas for over two and a half years. Carry On Doctor (1967) was virtually an updated re-make of that classic and this became a huge hit too. Carry On Again Doctor (1969) is my own personal favourite medical Carry On and was another enormous success too.

In the 1970's ideas were beginning to wear thin so producer, Peter Rogers and director, Gerald Thomas decided a return to the hospital, which had always proved a popular staple in the series, was what the series needed to give it an injection of life needed after the failure of Carry On At Your Convienience (1971).

Carry On Matron (1971) was made when the series was nearing its peak. The storyline actually had more of (dare I say it) structure to it than previous medical titles in the series.

Sid (Sid James) and his reluctant bunch of petty crooks (Kenneth Cope, Bernard Bresslaw and Bill Maynard) plan to rob a maternity ward of fertiity pills which are worth millions abroad. They send in Kenneth Cope in drag posing as a nurse. His identity is soon discovered by Nurse Ball (Barbara Windsor) and very soon they become lovers. Its all the usual predictable gags and corny old British jokes but there is something about the cozy little world of the Carry On's that remains refreshingly timeless.

The formidable, Hattie Jaques takes the title role as Matron, who plays this more gently than the usual ferocious steretype as seen in Nurse and Doctor. She soon falls in love with Dr. Bernard Cutting (Kenneth Williams) and eventually the pair marry. The on-off affair of Kenneth Williams and Hattie Jaques emerged through various entries in the Carry On's and finally it was concluded in this entry when they finally made it to the altar. Kenneth Williams and Hattie Jaques share some classic scenes together in this entry.

Kenneth Williams is another hilariously over the top, flamboyant and pompous figure whose blatant paranoya causes much amusement in the film as he fears he may be turning into a woman and so sets out to woo Hattie Jaques in order to prove his "manhood". Classic stuff!

Joan Sims turns up in a lovely cameo here playing an over-expectant mother who spends all her time eating constantly in bed and refuses point black to induce labour. Kenneth Connor plays the impatient father to be who spends most of the film pacing up and down in the waiting room shouting orders and being his usual bundle of nerves.

Terry Scott plays the ever-randy doctor, a part that was similar to the characteur JimDale used to play in the previous two medical titles. He pursues Kenneth Cope relentlessly not realising that he is infact a man and not the nurse hes posing as.

The overly effeminate Charles Hawtrey breezes in throughout the film and is as hilarious as ever. His comic partnership with Kenneth Williams is priceless.

The rest of the cast all get their moments with Sid James playing his usual rogue-like self, Barbara Windsor being as bubbly and loveable as ever, Bernard Bresslaw again as Sid James dopey sidekick, Patsy Rolands taking a minor supporting role as Kenneth Williams secretary and Jaki Piper playing a young nurse.

Carry On Matron is consistently funny and develops well to a fun climax. The scene where the ambulance crashes through into the hospital is actually quite amusing despite its silliness. If you're a fan of this genre of comedy, you'll love it.



Funniest carry on film!
Review date: 2004-01-03 Rating: 10 out of 10

This is the 23rd carry on in the collection, and is definately the funniest one. It includes each and every one of our favourite carry on stars, including Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Barbara Windsor, Charles Hawtry, Joan Sims, Kenneth Connor, Bernard Breslaw and the brilliant Hattie Jaques who has her biggest part in this movie as the Matron.
The story of this one is about a bunch of crooks (led by Sid James) who are after the stash of birth control pills in a Maternity Hospital, so they can go abroad and sell them for a fortune. Sid James sends in his son, dressed up as a nurse, to go in and get them. When the son, Syrel, goes into the hospital he is entering a mad house. Sir Bernard Cutting, the "head chopper" is having trouble prooving to himself that he's a man, Dr Prod, the "taxi dermis" is trying to strip every young nurse in the building, Mrs Tidy, the one with the "bottomless stomach" has been waiting 10 months to have her baby and her husband is trying to run a train station and visit his wife at the same time, and the Matron is trying to keep all this madness under control.
Without a doubt the most hilarious of all carry ons, particularly because of Kenneth Williams and Hattie Jaques and the scenes they have together. Great comedic chemistry.

The best carry on of all!
Review date: 2000-09-24 Rating: 10 out of 10

This is definately the funniest, and best of all carry on films. Sid James plays a leader of a group of robbers who are determined to steal some pills from a hospital, and so they send in somebody to dress up as a nurse and have a look around. When this fake nurse goes in he finds a sex mad doctor (terri Scott), a hypercondriac (kenneth Williams), a beautiful young nurse that he can't take his eyes off (Barbara Windsor), a psychologist who would rather talk about his crazy wife than treat patients (Charles Hawtry) and a Matron who tries her best to keep everything in the hospital under control. But it's very hard with the collegues she's got! This is the best carry on of all because it has pratically all of the carry on cast, and it is pact with hilarious jokes, especially by Kenneth Williams.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Kenneth Williams
Charles Hawtrey
Sid James
Hattie Jacques
Joan Sims

Creators:
Kenneth Williams (Primary Contributor)
Sid James (Primary Contributor)
Ernest Steward (Cinematographer)
Alfred Roome (Editor)
Peter Rogers (Producer)
Talbot Rothwell (Writer)

Director(s):

Recording label: ITV DVD
Manufacturer: ITV DVD
EAN: 5037115033536
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL, Special Edition, Widescreen,
Release date: 2003-07-07
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 85 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1972-05
Language: English (Original Language)

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