DVD
The Carry On Collection (2007)
Carry On Nurse (1959)

Starring: Kenneth Connor, Charles Hawtrey, Hattie Jacques, Joan Sims, Terence Longdon, Shirley Eaton, Bill Owen and Leslie Phillips
Optimum Classic
RRP: £12.99
OPTD0716
Certificate: PG
Available 29 January 2007


The
Carry On that caused a national sensation when a daffodil replaced a thermometer - you know where! The Carry On team have picked up their stethoscopes and bed pans for a strong dose of hospital humour. Hattie Jacques is the infamous matron, doing battle with the patients in the second of the world famous Carry On series...

Carry On Nurse (1959) was the second Carry On film in the series - following hot on the heels of Carry on Sergeant.

Haven Hospital is ruled with an iron fist by Matron, and tied up with more red tape than the civil service. The patients, who include boxer Bernie Bishop, Oliver Reckitt and the gambling Colonel, decide they can't stand anymore punishment and hatch a plan to run the hospital the way they want.

Apparently this movie was the most financially successful in the Carry On series. Like Sergeant, a lot of the humour is derived from the absurd situations, rather than the actors camping it up pantomime style as they would in years to come. There's something about this that makes the franchise feel more sophisticated (if one can accuse the humour in these films of being "sophisticated").

Kenneth Williams isn't playing the nostril flaring camp character that we've come to know and love. In this movie he actually gets to show what a serious actor he was capable of being. And all of the other characters are more believable than they would go to be in future instalments.

Extras include an audio commentary with Shirley Eaton, Terence Longdon and Carry On historian Robert Ross; stills gallery; trailer and trivia notes.

It was a surprise to learn (thanks to the audio commentary) that this movie also featured the first appearance of Bernard Bresslaw (who would later go on to appear in many Carry On films). Apparently there is a shot of Terence Longdon's feet and these were actually Bresslaw's feet. Possible not the best way to start your career in the Carry On franchise, but an interesting fact all the same.

While many fans of the later movies may not find this film to their liking, It's still one of the best of the series to my mind, and is certainly worth adding to your collection.

Darren Rea

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