IanPhillips Following the hilarious medical caper Carry On Again Doctor (1969) (one of my own personal favourites in the series), the merry old Carry On gang retreated to another historical theme for what was the last Carry On film of the swinging sixties (which was the decade that the series was in its prime), Carry On Up The Jungle (released in early 1970). Although some don't hold 'Up The Jungle' in high regard, I personally really like it. True, it's not as inventive as the likes of 'Up The Khyber' or 'Cleo', but viewed on its own merits, it is still a worthwhile and enjoyable film. Carry On Up The Jungle predictably runs through all of the familiar gags and double entendres that we've heard several times before in other Carry On films, but it's the lovable performances of main players that ignite 'Up The Jungle' into such a wonderful film (not to mention spot-on direction from Gerald Thomas, aided by the always excellent production skills of Peter Rogers). Yes, it's cheap and cheerful, but it does what it sets out to do: to entertain and make you laugh.In his second and final Carry On, Frankie Howard gets top billing, starring alongside regulars' Sid James, Joan Sims, Kenneth Connor (making a return after a six year break), Bernard Bresslaw, Terry Scott and Charles Hawtrey. The gang find themselves "carrying on" through the darkest parts of Africa, each character having their own reasons for joining this expedition: Professor Indigo Tinkle (Frankie Howard) and Claude Chumley (Kenneth Connor) are in search of the rare oozalum bird; Bill Boozey (Sid James) is a relentless hunter, simply along for the fun and adventures it would seem, while the glamorous Lady Evelyn Bagley (Joan Sims) is in search of her long lost son that she lost over twenty years ago in the jungle where she and her husband had been honeymooning. June (Jaki Piper, a delightful addition to the cast in her first Carry On) is along for the ride as Lady Bagley's faithful assistant, where as Upsidasi (Bernard Bresslaw) leads the gang through the jungle (the entire film was in fact filmed at Pinewood studios as the Carry On films were renowned for their cheap and cheerful shoestring budgets - even so, it all sort of adds to the fun and the cast make you believe they are in a real jungle).Along their madcap safari adventures they encounter a Tarzan-type figure, Jungle Boy (Terry Scott) who, in a hilarious twist to the (rather thin) plot is revealed to be none other than Lady Bagley's long-lost son. Jungle Boy also quickly succumbs to the-not-as-innocent-as-she-seems June and they rapidly become lovers. The romantic scenes between the lovely Jaki Piper and great comedic skill of Terry Scott are played out beautifully.The gang eventually find themselves kidnapped by cannibals (known as the "Noshers" - yes, the humour isn't so subtle) and as it appears as though they are all about to be dropped into a cauldron full of boiling hot water ready for the blood-thirsty tribe to eat, they are rescued by an all-female tribe headed by the formidable Leda (Valerie Leon). After what seemed a lucky escape, they then find themselves being held captive by them as the men of the group are forced to attend mating ceremonies with some of the more unattractive women of the tribe.Leader of this all-female tribe, known as the Lubba Dubby's, is Tonka The Great (Charles Hawtrey) who in yet another laughably obvious twist to the plot, turns out to be Lady Bagley's (Joan Sims) long-lost husband whom she had presumed was dead years ago thinking he'd been eaten by a crocodile during their honeymoon (it turns out he'd been languishing in the company of the Lubba Dubby's for all those years). Eventually they escape before Professor Ingio Tinkle (Frankie Howard) and Claude Chumley (Kenneth Connor) find their prized oozalum bird (only to have it stolen again) and they all return to civilisation.'Up Pompei' star Frankie Howard as Professor Indigo Tinkle breezes into the whole Carry On phenomenon as though he'd always been part of the gang, where as head of the Carry On family, Sid James, beefs up his usually likable, roguish, womanising character to great effect as the appropriately named Bill Boozey.Joan Sims shines as Lady Eveleyn Bagley in one of her most lengthy roles in the series, while the effeminate and ever-eccentric Charles Hawtrey is just simply hilarious as the mincing Tonka The Great. Terry Scott takes on the role as Jungle Boy (which had actually been written with Jim Dale) which he makes his own, while Kenneth Connor plays the jittery, bumbling Claude Chumley in his own inimitable style. Completing the cast are Bernard Bresslaw who is amusing as the blacked up Upsidasi (very politically incorrect nowadays, but remember this was 1969), Jaki Piper playing June delightfully and finally Valerie Leon as the formidable Leda of the Lubbi Dubby's, in her best Carry On role. Though Carry On Up The Jungle (1969) is missing Hattie Jacques, Barbara Windsor and Kenneth Williams, the film manages to stay afloat and emerges as yet another classic in the series. Some scenes are a little slow and tedious but over-all Carry On Up The Jungle is an enjoyable comedy that's most definitely worth a look and will undoubtedly satisfy any lover of the genre. Recommended! Ian Phillips

crossbow0106 Kind of a take on Tarzan films, this film stars a truncated version of the Carry On group, but it has Sid James, Joan Sims, Charles Hawtrey, Kenneth Connor, Bernard Bresslaw, Frankie Howerd and Jacki Piper, so thats fine. Its basically the adventures of an African safari and the crazy things which happen, such as mingling with the animals, tribesmen and each other. The only person I would have liked to see is Kenneth Williams, as they could have written a part for someone scared of his own shadow and he would have been perfect for it. That said, the film is full of the usual innuendos that the Carry On films all have and this one is fun. Not the best in the series but still worth watching.

chuffnobbler The jokes keep coming, in true Carry On fashion, and most of them stand the test of time, even after all these years.Loads of great moments. Joan Sims's performance as Lady Bagley is particularly memorable in the sequence where she gets a snake up her dress. Plenty of Carry On knob-gags, a wonderful mating ritual (Tonka! Tonka! Stick it up your honka!), and lots of lovely ladies.Frankie Howerd is on fine form, camping it up like nobody's business. Sid guffaws his way through the proceedings and, more than halfway through, there's a whole new lease of life with the sudden and unexpected appearance of Charlie Hawtrey. Even Terry Scott's aggravating and not-particularly-funny Jungle Boy doesn't grate too much, as the whole film is full of such energy and fun that he barely even registers.One of the very best of the Carry Ons. Some people may not feel this is a glowing compliment!

bob the moo Speaking to an audience of keen bird watchers, Professor Ingio Tinkle tells the story of his latest exhibition into the African jungle. Part of a party led by adventurer Bill Boosey, Tinkle and his colleagues (including Lady Bagley and her maid) are on their quest to find the Oozalum bird when they come under threat from a ruthless tribe and their guides refuse to continue with them. However things become more complicated when the group are discovered by a man of the jungle who was raised by monkeys and has never seen other men (or women!) before.As one would expect with a Carry On film, this is full of innuendo, sexist and occasionally racist humour with a very vague plot to set it all within. Needless to say this film continues the trend and it isn't long before the plot (something about finding the Oozalum bird) is lost in a sea of bed swapping, mistaken partners and innuendo. For fans it is funny but it is nowhere near the best of the series as none of it is really that clever – most of the gags are obvious and, although amusing, few made me laugh out loud and they didn't feel like there was any inspiration behind them. Modern audiences may find the sexist stuff a bit uncomfortable but to be honest, what did you expect from a Carry On film? There is a touch of racism although this too can be forgiven as a product of the period – although it is not as direct as you'd think, instead it is implied by the rubber lipped tribesmen and the fact that only white people are allowed to speak (the main 'black' character is Bresslaw!) or by having the women tribe be mostly white or light skinned – because 1970's audiences weren't ready for the sight of a white man having sex with a black woman (even implied). However the one racial joke I thought was clever was Sid James wondering why the same guide gets accidentally shot every time (the point being that it isn't the same one!).The cast feature most of the regulars who are good enough comedians to be able to work with even this average material. Sid James does his usual stuff; Howerd has some very nice lines that hint at his sexual orientation although Connor is a bit flat when viewed next to him. Terry Scott is OK but has the least role of the film (although it is amusing that he stars with a character called June). The women have the usual short stick but both Sims and Piper are quite good. Hawtrey is funny in a late role that also plays with this physical appearance and sexual orientation. Bresslaw is stuck in yet another 'black face' role – why he is always picked I don't know. The support cast are mostly black clichés but, even 25 years on the Lubi tribe look very, very sexy!Overall this is pretty much par for the course for Carry On films and it will only really please fans. The broad humour lacks actual wit even if it is funny in a crude fashion but it is far from being consistently funny and it is fairly average as the series goes. Those in the mood for this type of humour will enjoy it but the humour is too broad and too badly structured to really be funny or witty.