Isn’t love a strange concept? One minute you could love one person, and the next minute you could love someone else. Now in the olden days you would call a person like this (who was fickle with love) something like ‘a scrubber’, ‘a slag’, or ‘a bit of a tart’. Nowadays though, I would call them Director: Terry Johnson; or Actors: Geoffrey Hutchings and Samantha Spiro. Particularly for 108 minutes in 2000.Cor Blimey!
THE STORY:
Now the actors in the ‘Carry On’ film troupe are what I would call ‘a mixed bunch’ really. Kenneth Williams (Adam Godley) is an academic poofter. Bernard Bresslaw (Steve Speirs) is a lumbering gent. And Charles Hawtrey (Hugh Walters) is an alcoholic dandy.
However, with actors like Sidney James (Geoffrey Hutchings) and Barbara Windsor (Samantha Spiro) on the other hand, well, they do seem to have a lot in common you know. For example, they're both married – him to a comfy wife, her to a gangster husband. They both have a distinctive laugh – his is a gregarious cackle, hers is a petite titter. Plus they both have personable attributes too – him with his avuncular appearance, her with her big tits.
So what do you think happens when dirty old Sid tries to make a pass at young and pretty Bab’s, huh?
Thankfully, at first, nothing much – because Bab’s just takes this as something that Sid enjoys doing to all the young girls whom catches his eye. Though, as time ticks on, the feelings between these two co-stars seems to grow, and grow, and grow – and things start to change between them.
Granted, Bab’s presumes that Sid’s infatuation with her is nothing more than idol fancy, and just emolliates his emotions with a warm embrace here and a jovial sigh there. Still, Sid wants a lot more that just that, he wants to get her in the sack, and goes so far as to give her a kiss on the lips.
In turn, Bab’s is taken back by Sid’s overt action, and she tries to keep him at arms length as best as she can for quite a few years.
But then, I am afraid to say, that on one fateful night in Brighton, Bab’s gives Sid what he has always been dreaming of – one quick bunk-up – which results in a right ‘carry on’ I can tell you.
Sid continues to pine for Bab’s you see, and even contemplate leaving his wife for her. Nevertheless, Bab’s does not feel the same way about him – she loves him for another reason, a more associative one by nature.
Well, I suppose that is why what next transpires is very maudlin affair indeed. As Sid takes a fall – Kenneth shows us his ball – Bab’s becomes real – and comedy has a new appeal.
Is there a doctor in the house?
THE REVIEW:
‘Cor, Blimey’ is what I would call
a ‘blindin’ dramatization of a fictionalised account between two comedic actors
of yesteryear. Please note, for those of you reading this who are not from London
Anyway, as I was saying, I know
that certain historical accuracies have been perverted within the course of
this drama, such as events being recounted in un-chronological order (the
‘Carry On Doctor’ reference), and actors being established too soon before
their time (Bernard Bresslaw was not in ‘Carry On Spying’, it was Bernard
Cribbins). Still, you have to remember that this film was based on a play by
Terry Johnston
Though, why am I defending this
film so much you might be wondering? Well, for a number of reasons really: (1) I really
loved Adam Godley imitation of Kenneth Williams. OK, I know that he does not
look one hundred percent like him. But that is not to say that his mannerisms
and his overall behavior was not spot on, perfect even. (2) The cameo appearances
in this film brought me to tears. First, there was Windsor Davis cameo – which was a
nice nod and a wink to the ‘old guard’. But – my God – when Barbra Windsor
herself replaced her acting sibling at the end of this film – BANG – the
pathos, the majesty, and the message behind this film touched a nerve within
me, and, as I said before, booo-hoo-city. (3) The period settings for this film
were really well presented. Heck, it was as if time really did turn back
in places. (4) Just like Adam Godley, Geoffrey Hutchings and Samantha Spiro do
not look exactly like there respective others – Sidney James and Barbara
Windsor . Still, they did pull off the essence of these people, going so far as
to suspend belief for the majority of this movie. (5) The re-imagining of the
‘Carry On’ filming process was a joy to watch. And at times it did come
across as ‘behind the scenes’ footage. (6) This film is genuinely funny – the
quick one liners, the personality, bloody everything, in my book the comedy is
as fresh today as it ever was. And (7) I liked how the initial part of this film
did appear like a pastiche to a seventies ‘Carry On’ film. A very nice take on
a original, and very pertinent too.
Well, as you can probably guess by
now, I thought that ‘Cor, Blimey’ was blin... errr... a f*cking good film, just like 'Frankie Howerd - Rather You Than Me'. However, if it did have any flaws to it, it would have to be that I would have liked to
have seen more of the supporting players, as well as the respective families of
Sid and Bab’s represented too.
Err?
Whilst saying that though, as this film came from a play, this 'change' would most probably make this flick into something completely different – and I would not
want that, right Ken?
Err – thanks for that Ken – carry
on.
THE RATING: A
COR, BLIMEY!
Reviewed by David Andrews
on
March 01, 2012
Rating:
Reviewed by David Andrews
on
March 01, 2012
Rating:
