Truly Dreadful Film

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

The 9th in the Carry On series, and the last to be filmed in black and white, is one of the best. It finds the gang kind of biting the hand that feeds them, Pinewood. The home of James Bond was also the home of the Carry On mob, so with Peter Rogers, Gerald Thomas and Talbot Rothwell spying an opportunity to spoof 007, they did so, whilst also revelling in the chance for some film noir dalliances, notably The Third Man.The cast is this time headed up by Kenneth Williams, Barbara Windsor (making her Carry On debut), Bernard Cribbins and Charles Hawtrey. They are four less than stellar operatives for British Intelligence tasked with retrieving a top secret formula that has been stolen by STENCH. During their mission they are helped by Carstairs (Jim Dale), and just who or what is the mysterious organisation known as SNOG? Are they friends or in league with the evil Dr. Crow?Though dotted throughout with some written innuendo, "Spying" is still in touch with the more genial comedy that was evident in the early years - particularly the black and whites. This is good honest comedy, with visual exuberance and witty repartee the order of the day. Watching it now you find it holds up very well, sure it's a bit fruity and nutty, but a freshness exists here and it lets some damn fine actors loose to show their respective skills. It also looks terrific, the noir photography by Alan Hume sparkling.A prime Carry On movie for those who prefer their Carry On's more knowingly jolly than the later bawdy entries. 9/10

I saw one or two examples of this series when they were released and found the amusing. Now that I'm a crotchety old curmudgeon I don't find them so funny, but it may not be the fault of farces like this. It just takes more to amuse me.As it stands, this isn't too bad. A trio of newly graduated spies are sent in the care of Kenneth Williams first to Vienna (nods to "The Third Man") and then to Algiers ("The Maltese Falcon" and a couple of other allusions). Surprisingly few references to the immensely popular James Bond novels and films of the period. The spying here is more old fashioned.There are a couple of laughs in it and the gang is trying hard to please, but it's rough going with such raw material. A man walking along the street steps into an open manhole and disappears with a shriek. Ha ha.Williams uses a peculiar accent and juts his jaw more than usual, as if showing off that grin full of gleaming chiclets. I can't imagine there are many people like the giddy blond, Barbara Windsor. Four people could play a hand of bridge on her bosom, which seems to defy gravity.Not the worst of the lot by any means.

Only a few regular appear in this film. Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Barbara Windsor, Jim Dale & Dilys Laye appear. Bernard Cribbins joins the first three as agents working on the right side. Jim Dale plays their contact when they arrive. Dilys Laye plays the part of the femme fatal. Kenneth Williams accent is rather annoying in this film. He has a tendency to overdue his role some times and he definitely takes it too far here. Dilys Laye is sadly underused here. I love her part in Cruising. They all get captured by the enemy in the end. There is a very well done escape that is the best part of the entire film. I still give this a seven even though none of my favorites have a big part in this outing.

After "Carry On Cabby", I expected "Carry On Spying" to descend into the campy sixties, but truthfully, this one was entertaining. Without regulars Sid James, Hattie Jacques (I suspect she was offered the villianess role) and Kenneth Conner, I expected this one to focus entirely on Williams buffoonery.He was more of a nitwit here than a snotty know-it-all, but he was given the spotlight this time.So this was Barbara Windsor! She truly was entertaining and not just because of her physique. She's not boring to watch or listen to. Obviously Bernard Cribbins was filling in the Kenneth Conner spot, and quite honestly, Cribbins (whom I only know from the Doctor Who movies with Peter Cushing) he wasn't as Jim Carrey-esque as Conner has been in the previous films.What an entertaining series this is, watching the transition from "Carry On Sergeant" to "Carry On Spying" thus far. I do look forward to what I have left to see of these films. After this, it is on to "Carry On Cleo"!