HOLIDAY ON THE BUSES was the last of the Hammer-produced film trilogy, following on from ON THE BUSES and MUTINY ON THE BUSES. Sadly, the law of decreasing returns is much in evidence for this lacklustre conclusion to the series, which relocates the action to a Pontins holiday camp in a bid to mix things up a bit.
It doesn't work. The humour here is even weaker than before, with Stan and Jack getting into the usual round of difficulties while chasing a bit of skirt, and finding themselves up against the stalwart villain of the series, Stephen Lewis's Inspector Blake. Comic veterans Wilfrid Brambell and Kate Williams are brought in to add some comedy value, but it all feels too little, too late.
Indeed, much of the running time is filled with obvious gags and some lamentable slapstick humour, all of it obvious and well signposted. There's also far too much reliance on Lewis's mugging for effect, and by now it's becoming irritating. The film isn't actually THAT bad - it's comparable to contemporary CARRY ON films of the period - but there's an undeniable feeling that the joke was wearing thin by this stage and it's no surprise that no more films followed.
It doesn't work. The humour here is even weaker than before, with Stan and Jack getting into the usual round of difficulties while chasing a bit of skirt, and finding themselves up against the stalwart villain of the series, Stephen Lewis's Inspector Blake. Comic veterans Wilfrid Brambell and Kate Williams are brought in to add some comedy value, but it all feels too little, too late.
Indeed, much of the running time is filled with obvious gags and some lamentable slapstick humour, all of it obvious and well signposted. There's also far too much reliance on Lewis's mugging for effect, and by now it's becoming irritating. The film isn't actually THAT bad - it's comparable to contemporary CARRY ON films of the period - but there's an undeniable feeling that the joke was wearing thin by this stage and it's no surprise that no more films followed.