Film #040 - Carry On Cowboy (1965)
Viewed February 9, 2006
The “Carry On” gang tackle the American western in Carry On Cowboy and it proves to be a very entertaining entry, if not one of the best.
The main problem is, I must admit, the accents. Kenneth Williams does allright, as does Joan Sims. But Sid James’ accent is so bad it sticks out like a sore thumb every time he opens his mouth. Most of the other actors don’t fare much better. Jim Dale, the one cast member I am sure could have done a spot-on accent if called upon, doesn’t get a chance, since his character is English!
Still, that’s just me quibbling. Carry On Cowboy doesn’t exactly re-invent the western comedy like, say, Blazing Saddles (1974), but it still does a fine job.
The plot, like all good parody, doesn’t stray that far from the plot of an actual Western (bad guy takes over town, stranger comes to town and cleans it up). The comedy comes fast and furious in this one, hardly ever letting up for very long. (That’s a good thing, since the barely there plot couldn’t keep the film moving along.)
Jim Dale truly takes on the mantle of leading man in Carry On Cowboy. He is the focus of the entire film, and proves that he has the stuff to carry the production. Sid James is strong as the villain of the piece, bringing along just enough of his “nudge nudge” charm to make the audience just a bit sympathetic towards him. Kenneth Williams gets a few good jokes, but is mostly wasted underneath a character that lets little of his personality shine through.
In the smaller roles, the quality is a bit more toch and go. Charles Hawtrey’s simple, booze-loving Indian Chief doesn’t do much to generate true laughs and Angela Douglas’ Annie Oakley is too obviously drawn to generate the sympathy necessary. Peter Butterworth is wasted in the role of “Doc”, getting little in the way of decent lines and nothing to do plot-wise.
But Jon Pertwee again presents an extremely wacky character (a Sheriff) that shows his amazing comedic skills. His part here is much larger than the one in Carry On Cleo and he takes full advantage of the greater screen time; overshadowing everyone which whom he shares the screen, including Sid James.
Carry on Cowboy is a good parody Western and even those who might not like a “Carry On” film can find fun things to enjoy. It balances the “Carry On” films’ two main areas of comedy (parody and naughtiness) very well. It’s a must-see for “Carry On” fans and highly recommended to those who like comedy Westerns in general.