Hijinks on the High Seas: Day #004 - Carry On Jack (1963)
Viewed January 4, 2006
Carry On Jack is the eighth in the classic “Carry On” series of British comedies. Known for their wacky humor and bawdy jokes, the “Carry On” series ran from 1958 to 1978 and spanned 29 films (plus one more in 1992). The main draw of the series was the regular cast that populated the films, all playing different characters in each film. I’ve been watching the “Carry On” films in order and I can honestly say that it is the lack of these regular performers that hurts Carry On Jack the most.
Carry On Jack stars Bernard Cribbins and he makes a fine comedic lead, but he can’t match the manic performances of “Carry On” stalwarts Kenneth Connor or Sid James. Likewise, Juliet Mills is quite lovely and sympathetic as the young maid who disguises herself as a man to go to sea, but she lacks the oomph that Joan Sims would have brought to the part or the raw sex appeal of Barbara Windsor. This is not to say that they aren’t good, far from it. It’s just that if you name a film a “Carry On”, there are certain expectations and in the area of wackiness and bawdiness, Carry On Jack simply doesn’t deliver. The only full-fledged regulars in major parts are Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey, but they get precious little screen time.
Where the film does excel is in the story. The plot of Carry On Jack is stronger than most “Carry On” films except the film immediately preceding, Carry On Cabby (1963) and the original film in the series, Carry On Sergeant (1958). It’s a bit predicatable, but nothing seems arbitrary; it all fits.
Carry On Jack also looks pretty good, only ocassionally suffering from somewhat cheap sets and a smattering of “obviously not on location” shots. The period costumes are impressively authentic, a first for the series and something that would become quite common in the “Carry Ons”.
I did find Carry On Jack to be pretty funny, but, again, not as laugh out loud funny as many of the previous films in the series.
So, Carry On Jack is a pretty decent comedy in and of itself, but it’s completely unrepresentative of the “Carry On” films in general, despite pointing towards the direction the series would take. If you are looking for a fun movie, Carry On Jack is a fine choice. But if you want something more bawdy, look to other “Carry On” films.