Carry on Sergeant (1958)

Director:

Gerald Thomas

Writers:

John Antrobus (additional material)
R.F. Delderfield (novel)

Release Date:

August 1958 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | War

Tagline:

It's an On-the-Ball Riot About an Off-Limits Romance

Plot:

Sergeant Grimshaw wants to retire in the flush of success by winning the Star Squad prize with his very...

Plot Keywords:

Corporal | Military | National Service | Sergeant | Intellectual

Cast

William Hartnell	...	Sergeant Grimshawe
Shirley Eaton	...	Mary Sage
Eric Barker	...	Captain Potts
Dora Bryan	...	Norah
Bill Owen	...	Corporal Bill Copping
Charles Hawtrey	...	Peter Golightly
Kenneth Connor	...	Horace Strong
Kenneth Williams	...	James Bailey
Terence Longdon	...	Miles Heywood
Norman Rossington	...	Herbert Brown
Gerald Campion	...	Andy Calloway
Hattie Jacques	...	Captain Clark
Cyril Chamberlain	...	Gun Sergeant
Arnold Diamond	...	Fifth Specialist
Gordon Tanner	...	First Specialist

Also Known As:

Carry on Sergeant! (UK) (poster title)

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #19423) | UK:U | Australia:G (DVD rating) | Australia:PG (VHS rating) | Finland:K-8

Filming Locations:

Cardwells Keep, Stoughton Road, Stoughton, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Peter Rogers Productions

Trivia:

William Hartnell wanted to have Bernard Kay fired.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Sgt Grimshawe throws the rifle to Strong, during Bayonet drill, the rifle is caught by Strong the opposite way around.

Quotes:

James Bailey: [During bayonet practice:] Don't you think this is a trifle out of date in a world bristling with H-Bombs, Sergeant?
[Golightly charges, only to get caught up in the hanging sack]
Sgt. Grimshawe: Private Bailey, in answer to your question, I'd back him against the H-Bomb any day!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Carry on Snogging (1998) (TV)

What's Wrong with Gentle Humor?

Humor doesn't need to be slapstick, sexual, or degrading to be funny. It's the juxtaposition of elements that creates tension and laughs in this gentle comedy about a newly-wed husband who finds out on his wedding day that he's been drafted. Add to this an Army instructor who's about to retire, and who makes an extravagant bet that in his last platoon he will finally have a Champion Platoon, only to find that he's been saddled with a bunch of misfits. Sgt. Grimshawe is played in low-key style by William Hartnell in a gentle send-up of his many 'tough sergeant' roles. Bob Monkhouse, Hattie Jacques, Charles Hawtrey, Kenneth Connor, et. al. turn in equally understated performances that actually enhance the humor.

This film is the obvious inspiration for Bill Murray's 'Stripes', which, while funny, doesn't have anywhere *near* the charm of 'Carry On, Sergeant'. It holds up very well, indeed.