Carry on Again Doctor (1969) starring Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Jim Dale, Joan Sims, Barbara Windsor, Hattie Jacques, Patsy Rowlands, Peter Butterworth, Pat Coombs, Patricia Hayes directed by Gerald Thomas Movie Review

Carry on Again Doctor (1969)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Barbara Windsor, Jim Dale and Hattie Jacques in Carry on Again Doctor (1969)

The Doctor Prescribes Nookey

Handsome young Dr. Jimmy Nookey (Jim Dale - Carry on Follow That Camel) finds himself constantly getting into bother, so much so that he is sent from the hospital to work at a medical mission on a remote island. But it is whilst he is on the island that he is shown a magical elixir by hospital porter Gladstone Screwer (Sid James - Carry on Camping), an elixir which makes the weight drop off women in days. Spotting an opportunity to make not only a fortune but also a name for himself he returns to London to set up a clinic. But his peers Dr. Frederick Carver (Kenneth Williams - Carry on Up the Khyber) and Dr Ernest Stoppidge (Charles Hawtrey - Carry on Don't Lose Your Head) are less than impressed and set out to discredit him.

"Carry on Again Doctor" is the exception to the rule when it comes to the "Carry On" movies because whilst many of those which were made in the second half of the 60s and 70s were little more than a series of set piece gags this one actually has a storyline. Of course it's not the most impressive of storylines and compared to the earlier "Carry On" movies is quite weak but it at least means that all the comedy is built around something rather than the other way around. And as for that comedy, well it is exactly what you would expect from a "Carry On" movie, which is sexual innuendo, risque gags and Barbara Windsor in various revealing outfits, most notably the barely there heart bikini. It is all good fun and whilst not a patch on the earlier "Carry on Doctor" manages to provide plenty of typical "Carry On" laughs.

Joan Sims as Ellen Moore in Carry on Again Doctor (1969)

So as already mentioned "Carry on Again Doctor" does actually possess a storyline even if it is in all seriousness quite weak. And so we have handsome young Dr Nookey who keeps on getting into trouble with women whilst getting his heart broken by a patient being sent to work in far away mission where he comes across a wonder slimming elixir which he then returns to make his fortune with, much to the annoyance of rival doctors Frederick Carver and Doctor Ernest Stoppidge. Well I did say it was weak and in a way it's what you pretty much expect from a "Carry On" movie but where as many of the later "Carry On" movies ended up being just a series of gags at least the humour in "Carry on Again Doctor" is built around the storyline. And because of this, because the storyline has a point and is there to drive the humour it makes it feel at the least a little like a movie rather than a series of scenes.

As for that humour well it's totally stereotypical "Carry On" with plenty of sexual innuendo and risque gags which often revolve around Barbara Windsor's shapely figure. But it's not just cheap gags and there are some nice moments of humour as Dr. Nookey finds himself getting into one spot of bother after another. Plus there is the wonderful Charles Hawtrey who in order to try and discredit Nookey dresses up as a woman providing plenty of funny scenes especially as he comes under the attention of randy Gladstone Screwer played by Sid James.

And mentioning Sid James it is also nice that "Carry on Again Doctor" is not a movie built around his character but Jim Dale as Dr. Jimmy Nookey. Dale is brilliant as playing the handsome young doctor who gets into trouble as well as getting flustered and also despite "Carry on Again Doctor" not being a serious movie actually delivers a bit of comical heart break when Goldie Locks breaks his heart. Talking of Goldie Locks there is of course Barbara Windsor who whilst seeming to have been cast because of her shapely figure and ability to pull off a shiny heart shaped bikini does deliver plenty of laughs. As is the case with all of the "Carry On" regulars who crop us such as Sid James, Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey plus there is the wonderful Hattie Jacques who delivers another wonderful performance as Matron.

What this all boils down to is that yes "Carry on Again Doctor" is a stereotypical "Carry On" movie but unlike others which came during the second half of their impressive run it actually has a storyline which drives the comedy. Plus is has Jim Dale leading the frivolity and he does an excellent job as the amusingly named Dr. Nookey.

Tags: Carry On Movies


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