Comedy

Carry On Constable

- Oh! What a Carry On When that Crazy Bunch Join the Police Force

With a flu epidemic running rife, three new bumbling recruits are assigned to Inspector Mills police station. With help from Special Constable Gorse, they manage to totally wreck operations of the police force and let plenty of criminals get away, even before they arrive at the station. They all have to prove themselves or else they'll be out of a job and Sgt. Wilkins will be transferred.

Release Date : 1960-02-22

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Peter Rogers Productions

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Sergeant Frank Wilkins

Original Name : Sid James

Gender : Male

Character Name : Inspector Mills

Original Name : Eric Barker

Gender : Male

Character Name : P.C. Charlie Constable

Original Name : Kenneth Connor

Gender : Male

Character Name : S.P.C. Timothy Gorse

Original Name : Charles Hawtrey

Gender : Male

Character Name : P.C. Stanley Benson

Original Name : Kenneth Williams

Gender : Male

Character Name : P.C. Tom Potter

Original Name : Leslie Phillips

Gender : Male

Character Name : W.P.C. Gloria Passworthy

Original Name : Joan Sims

Gender : Female

Character Name : Sergeant Laura Moon

Original Name : Hattie Jacques

Gender : Female

Character Name : Sally Barry

Original Name : Shirley Eaton

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mrs. May

Original Name : Joan Hickson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Distraught Mother

Original Name : Irene Handl

Gender : Female

Character Name : Jewel Thief

Original Name : Freddie Mills

Gender : Male

Character Name : Thurston

Original Name : Cyril Chamberlain

Gender : Male

Character Name : Herbert Hall

Original Name : Terence Longdon

Gender : Male

Character Name : WPC Harrison

Original Name : Jill Adams

Gender : Female

Character Name : Store Manager

Original Name : Brian Oulton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Detective Sgt. Liddell

Original Name : Victor Maddern

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lady Mayoress

Original Name : Joan Young

Gender : Male

Character Name : Deaf Old Lady

Original Name : Esma Cannon

Gender : Female

Character Name : Agitated Woman

Original Name : Hilda Fenemore

Gender : Female

Character Name : Vague Woman

Original Name : Noel Dyson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Citizen

Original Name : Frank Forsyth

Gender : Male

Character Name : Citizen

Original Name : Tom Gill

Gender : Male

Character Name : Citizen

Original Name : John Antrobus

Gender : Male

Character Name : Assistant Manager

Original Name : Robin Ray

Gender : Male

Character Name : Matt

Original Name : Michael Balfour

Gender : Male

Character Name : Honoria

Original Name : Diane Aubrey

Gender : Female

Character Name : Eric

Original Name : Ian Curry

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shop Assistant

Original Name : Mary Law

Gender : Female

Character Name : Miss Horton

Original Name : Lucy Griffiths

Gender : Female

Character Name : Citizen

Original Name : Eric Corrie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pickpocket

Original Name : Peter Bennett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cliff

Original Name : Jack Taylor

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shorty

Original Name : Eric Boon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Young Woman

Original Name : Dorinda Stevens

Gender : Female

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

The first milestone Carry On movie. A flu epidemic has reduced the local police station down to a skeleton crew. Hope arrives in the form of four recruits - - that's no hope mind you... Carry On Constable introduced the wonderful Sid James to the series, he would become one of the most beloved actors to Carry On film fans. Ironically "Constable" finds James somewhat removed from the type of character he would become known for, it's a restrained role and showcases his acting abilities as an official figure type, the glue binding the whole play together. The fourth film in the Carry On series retains the more genteel comedy factors that had imbued the previous three outings, though this would be the first to show nudity! Four policemen's bums gleaming bright! A scene that provides a splendid anecdote in Kenneth Williams brilliant book, Just Williams (I urge anyone interested in classic film/TV/radio/stage to check it out). Plot basically pitches the four recruits, Williams, Leslie Phillips, Charles Hawtrey and Kenneth Connor (brilliant as usual as a superstitious sort) into a number of chaotic physical situations mined for laughs. Back at the station Sgt. Frank Wilkins (James) is pulling his hair out at the ineptitude of his new charges - and that of his ignoramus boss, Inspector Mills (Eric Barker). Joan Sims is on hand to steam the collar of Kenny Connor, just as Phillips lusts after any female form, while Hattie Jaques provides a glimpse of her tender character acting side as the station's sensible soul. There's some drag dressings played for good laughs, a whole bunch of scenes where the not so intrepid coppers get taken for fools, and a few deftly scripted lines guaranteed to raise a smile. Elsewhere there's a raft of super character actors in cameos who beautifully portray the classic eccentricities of the Brits of the era, so take a bow Irene Handl, Esma Cannon and Joan Hickson (wonderful as a posh drunken lush). Never riotous or bawdy, "Constable" is still a fondly thought of entry in the long running series, as are most of the black and white productions. It shows a group of film makers very much of the time and using it to the max. Lovely. 8/10

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2023-07-26

Eric Barker ("Insp. Mills") is struggling to keep crime under control with three of his experienced officers down with the flu. Luckily, his streetwise sergeant "Wilkins" (Sid James) thinks he knows how to best manage the group of new recruits sent out to fill in the gaps. Big mistake, though, putting "Gorse" (Charles Hawtrey) in charge of the ops room - as if chaos wasn't already in the air anyway. I always thought these films worked best with James/Sims & Williams/Jacques doing their well established stuff - and for the most part here, that's what they do. Aside, though, I found Leslie Phillips and Kenneth Connor a bit too one-dimensional with their humour erring more on the side of charmless smut. Still, it's quickly paced, the writing is at the better end for the franchise and there are plenty of daft scenarios and double-entendres as it takes a kindly and gentle swipe at a police constabulary that has as many nutcases within as it has to deal with on the outside.