The Worst Film Ever

So much average

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

It's fair to say Carry on Matron isn't perhaps as original as Doctor or Nurse, but there are some genuinely hilarious moments in this film, the duo of Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey are the making of the film, their scenes together are comedy gold. Each time I watch the pair talking about 'Hamlet' it truly cheers me up. It is fair to say that some of the material has been recycled but it's still great fun. Hattie Jacques is brilliant in the title role, I do find it a little sad she'd now been type cast as the battleaxe Matron, especially when you see how fabulous she was in Cabby. Kenneth Cope is odd in the part somehow but just about gets away with it, but poor Bernard Bresslaw, he was idiotic in this, a better actor then the part. It is one of the better latter day Carry on films, lots of laughs, and a comedy master class from Kenneth Williams. I am struck by the quality of the production values, it looks and sounds great. I find this a truly feel good film.

Of all the Carry On movies this one is my favourite The cast is excellent and the plot is silly but fun. Kenneth Williams is brilliant as the hypochondriac Sir Bernard Cutting. Hattie Jacques and Kenneth have a really good screen interaction happening in this movie. Although the main plot is about the intended theft of the pill by Sid James's character Sid Carter and his gang there are also sub plots like the romance between Sir Bernard and matron. Joan Sims plays a character called Mrs Tidy who eats the hospital out of house and home having false alarms galore while her long suffering husband camps in the hospital waiting room. Sid James's son who goes undercover as a female nurse falls for his room mate Barbara Windsor and ends up delivering a baby. It is also nice to see Wendy Richard (aka Miss Brahms from Are You Being Served) in a small role as wait for it......Miss Willing (an unwed mother).

Although it's visiting mostly familiar territory,"Carry on Matron" manages to bring a certain degree of freshness to what might have been a weary rake - over of old hospital gags already well mined by the Carry On team. Somehow Mr Williams and Miss Jacques manage to imbue their expertly played dialogues with all the enthusiasm of an ingenue in her first West End role on a night when the producer is in.Even the most dire pun is polished with evident relish and delivered with aplomb and every appearance of spontaneity - their art skilfully hidden behind a facade of silliness. These two fine actors provide virtually all the enjoyment to be had from the movie.Mr Sid James is relatively subdued as the leader of the gang aiming to steal a consignment of contraceptive pills from the Finisham Maternity Hospital.Only whilst posing as "Dr Zhivago" does he have the opportunity to unleash his rather strange talents.Mr Kenneth Cope as his son makes a rather winsome nurse but is not bold enough to be comfortable in this style of comedy.Mr Bernard Bresslaw,on the other hand,has boldness enough for both of them - which is not necessarily a good thing. The received wisdom is that "Carry On" movies did not travel well into the era of Fiona Richmond,Robin Askwith and Mary Millington,and generally I agree with it.But "Carry on Matron" has a defiant innocence that appeals far more than the knowing soft porn that was soon to evolve as BBFC began to lose its grip - an event not universally welcomed.

A gang of thieves plan to make their fortune by stealing a shipment of contraceptive pills from Finisham maternity hospital and make one of them disguised and infiltrated the hospital.The last excursion into the often-used hospital territory, and one with bright moments and performances, though it goes over the top in a very laborious way.