Brilliant and touching

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Though variable in quality and quite dated, Carry On Loving hit contemporary times perfectly in this mildly risqué offering. Here the team are entering into the spirit of more liberal times, something director Gerald Thomas and producer Peter Rogers intended to loosely draw upon.Carry On Loving is similar in content to an earlier addition in the series, 'Regardless' (1960), with a series of sketches, all connected a to a fraudulent dating agency, run by Sid James and Hattie Jacques. Their characters, Sid and Sophie Bliss, are a couple who pretend they're married as a ploy to make their shoddy dating agency look more genuine than it actually is. They have a wide variation of clients on their database such as a bachelor who just so happens to be a marriage guidance councilor who is seeking a girlfriend, and a young, naieve man who's desperate to lose his virginity. Some may argue that the formula of the Carry On's was beginning to wear a little thin at this stage, but despite a few nondescript scenes where the pace becomes a little tedious on occasions, it is overall highly entertaining, ending with a fun cake fight scene where the cast are all gathered together in one big mass ceremony finale that, despite its lack of originality, makes for a classic ending.Some of the regulars on show in this offering are looking a little older now, while some are unfairly restricted to minor supporting turns. Sid James is basically Sid James, beefing up his usual masculine charms on any woman that takes his fancy (mainly Joan Sims), while Hattie Jacques, who always brought a sense of grace with her inimitable characterisations, plays his pretend wife, Sophie, and shares some sparkling scenes with both Sid James and Kenneth Williams.Joan Sims is unfairly pigeon-holed in a supporting though effective role as the amorous spinster, Esme Crowfoot, who lives in the constant shadow of her fierce partner, known as Gripper Burke (as he's a wrestler). Joan Sims shares some fun scenes with Sid James and has one hysterical one with Kenneth Williams towards the climax of the film.Kenneth Williams is another stalwart of the series who is (surprisingly) restricted to a supporting role as the typically pompous yet inefficient marriage guidance councilor, Percival Snooper. His superior demands for him to become married after a series of complaints from his clients who all believe he knows nothing about married life (which is evidently true). He quickly succumbs to the advances of the formidable Hattie Jacques.Charles Hawtrey turns up as a private investigator, hot on the trail of Sid James following Hattie Jacques suspicions of his shady relationship with Joan Sims. While he is as amusing as always he is also given limited screen time and doesn't feel like a real participant in the film, having very little interaction with any of his fellow Carry On colleagues.Terry Scott, who had appeared in various Carry On entries, plays Terence Philpott, an accident-prone man with a youthful innocence, resurrecting a role that was seemingly tailor-made for Jim Dale. He gets to play some great scenes opposite Imogen Hassall whom is wonderfully transformed from dowdy into a luscious beauty. The scenes they share when Terry Scott goes to visit her for the first time at her family's stately home are of significant comic value and Joan Hickson turns up in a fantastic cameo here, playing the stern, no-nonsense mother. There's also the fun sequence of the two trying to enjoy a quiet night in together but are continually disturbed by the rest of his girlfriends flatmates and their trivial domestic matters.Jaki Piper, who had previously starred in 'Up The Jungle', plays a model who, through a comic misunderstanding, ends up meeting and falling in love with the dopey and accident-prone Richard O' Callaghan. Their is some nice scenes between the two as their romance steadily builds up.Other Carry On players that show up include Bernard Bresslaw as the manic wrestler, Gripper Burke, and also a great role here for Patsy Rolands who sparkles in all of her few number of scenes as the dowdy housekeeper of Percival Snooper (Kenneth Williams). Feeling threatened that her job will come to an end after Percival announces to her that he will be marrying Sophie Bliss, she hilariously does her very best to split the two up after it becomes blatantly obvious that she is in fact in love with him herself. The transformation of her from dowdy to glam is fantastically played by Patsy Rolands in possibly her best role in a Carry On film.Though by no means is this one of the best, but Carry On Loving, overall, is still definitely worth a look and really captures a certain era (the dawn of the swinging seventies) impeccably well. It's just a shame that this film is so underrated. Ian Phillips

CARRY ON LOVING is a surprisingly enjoyable Carry On movie given that the entire script is given over to sexual innuendos and the lowbrow. Sure, there are a few slapstick moments dotted here and there through the film, but this is noticeably more sexualised than all of the other Carry Ons made previously.The film has a contemporary setting, with Sid James and Hattie Jacques the owners of a wedding agency who aim to set up various hopefuls in wedded bliss. There are shades of CARRY ON REGARDLESS here with the agency setting, but this is very much a film of its era and the 1970s look and feel is priceless. Cast-wise, James and Jacques are solid and enjoyable, but it's the minor players who really shine in this one.I'm not usually a fan of Terry Scott but his set piece scene in Joan Hickson's house is the highlight here. Imogen Hassall's transformation from prim and proper to alluring sex-pot is highly memorable too - what an incredible-looking actress! Charles Hawtrey bags the second funniest moment with his incident in the gents. Peter Butterworth is limited to a one-scene cameo but makes the very best of it, while Bernard Bresslaw has a wonderful larger-than-life role as a wrestler. It's just a shame that Kenneth Williams had little to do and that Richard O'Callaghan is such a poor replacement for Jim Dale; but then you can't win 'em all.

As a child of the 70s I was practically raised on Carry Ons, the films being perfect TV scheduling for rainy Sunday afternoons in particular. And yet, despite my familiarity with the series, I have no recollection of seeing Carry On Loving before now. It could be that programmers deemed it too saucy for daytime viewing, but I reckon the obvious answer is that it simply wasn't considered all that funny, especially in comparison with perennial favourites like Screaming, Camping and Up the Jungle.'Loving' stars Sid James and Hattie Jacques as Sidney Bliss and Sophie Plummet, proprietors of The Wedded Bliss marriage bureau, who bring people together with the aid of a high-tech computer system (or so the customers are led to believe). Much hilarity ensues as the result of mismatched couples—or at least that's the idea; sadly, the thin plot, unmemorable characters and mediocre gags go to make this one of the poorer Carry Ons.Still, even a weak Carry On has its moments: this one features the very lovely Jacki Piper (June from 'Up The Jungle) stripping down to her undies a couple of times, sees inexperienced introvert Jenny Grubb (Imogen Hassall) transformed into a super sexy model much to the delight of randy suitor Terence Philpot (Terry Scott), and wraps things up with a fun food fight, cream pies and cakes being flung with much gusto.5.5 out of 10, rounded up to 6 for the cracking crumpet. Phwoarr!

With the famous British sex based comedy series heading into the 1970's naturally things were going to get a little ruder, due to things like Emmanuelle and more pornography available, but luckily this film is bearable and not grim viewing. Basically the Wedded Bliss dating agency is specialised in bringing together lonely single people that want to find that special someone and obviously get married very quickly. Owner Sidney Bliss (Sid James) is recently having complications with his work partner and fake business wife Sophie Plummett (Hattie Jacques) becoming very paranoid and argumentative, but he is determined to keep things going. We obviously see the strange people who are visiting the dating agency looking for love and more, these include seamstress Esme Crowfoot (Joan Sims), confirmed bachelor and marriage councillor Percival Snooper (Kenneth Williams), timid and nervous Bertrum Muffet (Richard O'Callaghan) and Terence Philpot (Terry Scott). Bertrum manages to get a blind date but confuses his actual date partner with model Sally Martin (Jacki Piper), Terry manages to find a beautiful big breasted mate with Jenny Grubb (Imogen Hassall) but cannot get the moment to seduce her, and Esme finds herself a partner but has to keep him from original boxer boyfriend Gripper Burke (Bernard Bresslaw). While all this is going Sidney is unaware that Sophie may still have feelings for him, but with her angry nature she hires private eye James Bedsop (Charles Hawtrey) to follow him and his activities. In the end all the happy couples, including a reformed Sidney and Sophie, are brought together for a celebratory dinner, filled with loads of cream cakes, and some arguing turns into a mass food fight. As always the cast play the parts we have become used to, it's a little annoying Barbara Windsor isn't featuring, but you can forgive it because of all the actually surprisingly funny sexualised antics, and close to the mark innuendos and double-entendre jokes we adore, I can slightly see why the critics give it two stars out of five, but personally I think it is a fun and near worthwhile comedy. Okay!