Usually when you think of the "Carry On" movies you don't think of their strong storylines, in fact it would be fair to say that a typical "Carry On" movie barely has any storyline and thrives on a torrent of risque comedy. But then you watch "Carry on Teacher" and discover that it is an exceptional to the rule because like other earlier "Carry On" movies it doesn't thrive on risque jokes and whilst it is very slim it does have a storyline. Although having said that "Carry on Teacher" is a movie all about the humour and in a "St. Trinians" way is all about the pranks that a bunch of school children play on their teachers. As such "Carry on Teacher" isn't like those innuendo filled "Carry On" movies of the 60s and 70s and like the other earlier "Carry On" movies is in fact more fun in it's innocence.

Having spent 20 years teaching at Maudin Street School, stand in headmaster William Wakefield (Ted Ray) is ready for a move as he eyes up a more permanent post as headmaster at a new school. With a visit from a school inspector and a child psychologist on the cards he plans to use the time to prove that he is the man for the new job. But nothing runs smoothly when the pupils start misbehaving, lead by Robin Stevens (Richard O'Sullivan - The Young Ones) who devises one classroom prank after another to make it appear that the school is out of control.

So unlike so many of the later "Carry On" movies "Carry on Teacher" does have a storyline as we are introduced to the headmaster and teachers of Maudin Street school who are not only about to be paid a visit by a school's inspector but also a published child's psychologist. And to give it a bit more meaning this visit is important for the stand in headmaster who after 20 years of teaching at the school wants to go for the Headmasters job at a new school. It is in all honesty a slim storyline, there to be a vehicle for plenty of classroom japes but it is enough and gives all the comedy more of a meaning rather than being just one joke after another.

And along with a slightly more important storyline the humour in "Carry on Teacher" is most definitely not what you expect from a "Carry On" movie. The sexual innuendo and risqué ness doesn't really materialise and instead of it there is more innocent fun which was the trademark of these earlier "Carry On" movies. That doesn't mean there is no innuendo with not only Leslie Phillips character getting the hots for gym teacher Miss Allcock played by Joan Sims but also sees her splitting her tight shorts in a scene where she bends over. But the innuendo and risqué ness is only there in a minor role and instead we get school kids misbehaving, sawing a leg on a piano, itching powder on door knobs, alcohol in the staff room kettle and the innocence of it all makes it so much more fun. There is nothing original about the jokes but as we watch one teacher after another fall foul of a classroom jape you can't but help smile.

A Knock on effect of the humour being more general is that everyone gets there moment to shine and so whilst there are plenty of familiar faces such as Kenneth Williams, Joan Sims, Charles Hawtrey and Hattie Jacques none of them are the sole focus which often was the case in the latter "Carry On" movies. And whilst these "Carry On" regulars all provide plenty of laughs especially Joan Sims who is marvellous as Miss Allcock it is also the guests like Leslie Phillips, Rosalind Knight and Ted Ray who deliver just as many laughs. But to add to this you have the school children and watching a young Richard O'Sullivan as Stevens the leader of all this bad behaviour you can't but help enjoy his mischievous scheming.

What this all boils down to is that "Carry on Teacher" like the other earlier "Carry On" movies is great fun and in many ways superior to those more well known movies from the 60s and 70s. Whilst it is slim the actual storyline brings meaning to all the humour and with it being almost innocent in its level of comedy it is simple, good old fashioned fun. And whilst I've said it before I have to say it again, if you've only seen the sexual innuendo filled "Carry on" movies from the 60s and 70s it is definitely worth watching these earlier ones to see them at their simplest and best.