I love the Carry On movies but this entry is awful. Esma Cannon is there and as always has some fine moments but her character is over drawn and there is not much any one can do with a really awful script.At times the things Esma C is asked to do by the director is almost humilating. The scene when she falls into the pool made me cringe. This is set on a cruise ship so there should have been many comedic possibilities but it is a creepy boring cruise for this viewer. Pity as I looked forward to the first one in colour.What I found odd is that a cruise ship has lots of great opportunities for gags but it is all so pedestrian, it could have been set any where. The slap stick of Kenneth Connor makes you cringe. Next one was Cabby and it was in b/w and ten times better. The pace of the movie is slow and laboured.I will try it again but as a huge fan of the series I hated this one.Sid James looks as though he would rather be else where and Kenneth Williams is wasted. Kenneth Connor is awful, at times you feel so annoyed with him you want to fast forward or better still push him over board.. He gives the worse performance of all.By the way, he plays a doctor on this ship. Interesting how times changed. That doctor would be struck off for sexual harassement today. You really miss Hawtrey, Sims and Hatti Jaques. Lance Percival is awful as a cook. He is no stand in for Hawtrey and he gives a wooden unfunny performance. It simply is not funny. I loved Dilys Laye in this film. Her drunk scene is great fun. I liked the gym routine with the gym instructor.There is no warmth in the film and the slap stick is just childish and forced. This one is very contrived and the slap stick is simply embarrassing. Its looks like it was made for kids. Maybe thats why I think I liked it when I was a kid. The other Carry ons seem to have stood the test of time but not this one. It sure puts you off travel by sea. When a laugh is needed do a prat fall. Its pretty horrible. Australian audiences however will love seeing English actor Ronnie Stevens. He is the best thing in the film and plays a drunk. He came here and starred in Australia's most loved sketch show The Mavis Bramston Show. He is the best thing in the movie although there is not much for him to do. Pity he never got the break he deserved. At least Australia saw his talent. What a pity we don't see more of this great performer. Its trite and sadly boring movie.Cabby on the other hand is a delight, it was next!
Review of Carry on Cruising
