CARRY ON UP THE KHYBER has much in common with previous CARRY ON outings such as CARRY ON FOLLOW THAT CAMEL: the humour is broad, the cast all play similar characters, and the shot-in-the-UK locations have a special nostalgic charm all to themselves. This might well be the last of the great historical movies made by the team, as their fortunes (and budgets) started to wane soon afterwards.
Still, it's best to enjoy it while it lasts, and there's plenty to enjoy here, not least an on-form cast giving it the best of their abilities. Sid James is back (after being incapacitated in CARRY ON DOCTOR) on his top, woman-hunting form, and Kenneth Williams once more makes for a hilarious bad guy. There's also an extended role for the great, underrated Peter Butterworth, who I think gives the funniest performance in the whole film, particularly at the end.
By this stage, the jokes are almost entirely sexual or rely on references to various body parts for effect. Still, they come at a ferocious pace and you can't beat the smutty innuendo which is used at just the right level without being too explicit. Everything flows naturally and the cast work together well. Also, CARRY ON UP THE KHYBER has the best climax of any CARRY ON film: the wonderful dinner party sequence, which takes the mickey out of the famed British stiff upper lip to glorious effect.
Still, it's best to enjoy it while it lasts, and there's plenty to enjoy here, not least an on-form cast giving it the best of their abilities. Sid James is back (after being incapacitated in CARRY ON DOCTOR) on his top, woman-hunting form, and Kenneth Williams once more makes for a hilarious bad guy. There's also an extended role for the great, underrated Peter Butterworth, who I think gives the funniest performance in the whole film, particularly at the end.
By this stage, the jokes are almost entirely sexual or rely on references to various body parts for effect. Still, they come at a ferocious pace and you can't beat the smutty innuendo which is used at just the right level without being too explicit. Everything flows naturally and the cast work together well. Also, CARRY ON UP THE KHYBER has the best climax of any CARRY ON film: the wonderful dinner party sequence, which takes the mickey out of the famed British stiff upper lip to glorious effect.