A request from a British protectorate in the Middle East is met by sending Major Geoffrey Sumner, a sergeant-major, and five enlisted men, who spend most of their time trying to get into the King's harem, while an uprising rages around them.
It's a film version of the British TV service sitcom, The Army Game, with several of enlisted men from the series: Bernard Bresslaw, Michael Medwin, Alfie Bass, Charles Hawtrey, and Norman Rossington are all present from the first series, doing their signature bits. While I have never seen any of the episodes from the season -- only about a third of the series survives -- that's one of the major issues of film versions of TV series: what may be funny in half an hour, movie versions tend to move the venue from its usual location in an effort to add value, which reduces the fun, and a character that is laughworthy in small doses palls at greater lengths; for example, I found Bresslaw's nasal and foolish character palled soon enough. Michael Bentine shows up in blackface as a procurer, but displays no goonery in the show.
Many of the cast turned up in various Carry On films, and several found their strength elsewhere, but except for the few fans of the TV show yearning nostalgically for the old days, this won't win many plaudits.
It's a film version of the British TV service sitcom, The Army Game, with several of enlisted men from the series: Bernard Bresslaw, Michael Medwin, Alfie Bass, Charles Hawtrey, and Norman Rossington are all present from the first series, doing their signature bits. While I have never seen any of the episodes from the season -- only about a third of the series survives -- that's one of the major issues of film versions of TV series: what may be funny in half an hour, movie versions tend to move the venue from its usual location in an effort to add value, which reduces the fun, and a character that is laughworthy in small doses palls at greater lengths; for example, I found Bresslaw's nasal and foolish character palled soon enough. Michael Bentine shows up in blackface as a procurer, but displays no goonery in the show.
Many of the cast turned up in various Carry On films, and several found their strength elsewhere, but except for the few fans of the TV show yearning nostalgically for the old days, this won't win many plaudits.