Carry On Cabby (1963)

Don't listen to the negative reviews

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Most of the usual crew including Hattie Jacques and Sidney James star in this early black and white Carry On film. Sidney runs a cab business when his wife decides to run a rival cab business ("Glam Cabs" - "I'm Free") with a fleet of bright, shiny, perky new units (the cars are new and all).Rather than waiting a few weeks for the gearboxes of the Mark I Cortinas to disintegrate, Sidney attempts to foil the opposition with a series of hopeless plans. Wisely, the producers decided to use the lovely old Model 10s for the more challenging scenes.Product placements – Firestone tyres, Ford, Daily Express and Woodbines (cigarettes).

Despite the matrimonial strife that makes up the majority of the plot, CARRY ON CABBY has to be one of the warmest of the long-running series - and it also contains some of the funniest jokes. The story, about Sid James's taxi business coming under threat from his wife's all-female cabbie firm, is the perfect back story for all manner of the usual hijinks.With the absence of Kenneth Williams and Joan Sims (and Kenneth Connor in a more minor role than usual), the whole film pivots on the presence of Sid James himself, and he's at the top of his game. Half the film allows him the kind of round-the-kitchen-table angsty argument that he did so well in BLESS THIS HOUSE, while the other half sees him involved in some cracking gags as he drives his cab.The opening sequence - the best in a CARRY ON, accompanied by a wonderfully jaunty score - sets things off admirably, with the kind of verbal humour that these films did so well ("She's got out of the box!"). It soon follows with one of the funniest ever scenes in which James contends with his wife on the radio, a miserable passenger in the back seat, and all manner of road hogs outside. Forget such overused lines from this series like "Infamy, infamy, they've all got it in for me", the "Move over and give us a bit of room, mate!" joke is THE best of the whole canon.After some notable absences earlier in the series, Hattie Jacques bags a meatier role than usual and runs away with it. Charles Hawtrey is also in the frame for much longer than expected and is involved in some great slapstick moments, while Jim Dale pops up in his first appearance in this series and Milo O'Shea proves a strong addiction to the regular cast. The presence of the pretty actresses is another plus, and Gerald Thomas does well to never let his camera leer as in later instalments. Altogether, CARRY ON CABBY is a delight.

I really liked this Carry On entry. This is considered as Hattie Jaques's personal favourite of the Carry Ons and it isn't hard to see why. She seems to be having a ball as the neglected wife of cab driver Charlie Hawkins, who is played to perfection by the one and only Sidney James. Carry On Cabby has a very irreverent screenplay, that will leave you in tears of laughter, but what made this particular Carry On stand out for me was that the plot was one of the strongest plot lines in Carry On history. As for the other performances, Jim Dale is hilarious in a small role, and Kenneth Connor is his usual charming self. Charles Hawtrey is solid in his role too. The photography was skillfully done, and the music score was great. My only complaints are its length and its rather slow beginning, other than that, pretty darn good if you ask me. 8/10 Bethany Cox

The Carry On Team have done it again with this cab driving caper. Sidney James Plays Charlie Hawkins owner of Speedie Cabs, however when suffering wife Peggy (Hattie Jacques) gets fed up with his attitude to work she sets out to put him out of business by setting up her own cab business called Glam Cabs run by women, phwoar! Of course seeing these dolly birds driving around people instantly like them and favour them instead of using Sid's business.This is a great addition to the carry on series, with many of the regular faces with the exception of Kenneth williams who could not appear due to other commitments, and introducing Jim Dale as a worrying man who forces Sid to take him and his wife back and forth to the maternity hospital.I love this one and i know lots of you will TOO, so Carry On Watching!*