I'm not sure that anyone had the idea of a series when Carry On Sergeant was made. Carry On regulars like Kenneth Williams, Kenneth Connor, Charles Hawtrey and Hattie Jacques are here, but are down the cast list. With the title of Carry On Sergeant the title role could only be played by William Hartnell who made a career on the big screen playing tough British army sergeants, most prominently in The Way Ahead.
Hartnell is getting out of the army and would like to have an honor platoon with the lot that's been assigned to him for basic training. British people had to do National Service mostly in their armed forces although certain jobs were accepted in lieu of. In his memoirs for instance Tommy Steele said that his in lieu of service was as a steward on an ocean liner.
Hartnell looks like he's to have his hopes shattered, but strange things do happen with proper motivation. Of the regulars Kenneth Connor has the best role as the lovesick serviceman taken from wedding night bliss to basic training. That would upset any red blooded British boy when its Shirley Eaton he's taken from.
There's also Norman Rossington who was a great British comic actor who plays a permanent private. He can't pass out of basic training and just has permanent residence. He has the best part in the film.
A lot of this reminded me of those wonderful weeks in Fort Polk where we had a platoon of misfits similar to this bunch. We wore it as a badge of honor.
A good, but modest beginning to the Carry On series.
Hartnell is getting out of the army and would like to have an honor platoon with the lot that's been assigned to him for basic training. British people had to do National Service mostly in their armed forces although certain jobs were accepted in lieu of. In his memoirs for instance Tommy Steele said that his in lieu of service was as a steward on an ocean liner.
Hartnell looks like he's to have his hopes shattered, but strange things do happen with proper motivation. Of the regulars Kenneth Connor has the best role as the lovesick serviceman taken from wedding night bliss to basic training. That would upset any red blooded British boy when its Shirley Eaton he's taken from.
There's also Norman Rossington who was a great British comic actor who plays a permanent private. He can't pass out of basic training and just has permanent residence. He has the best part in the film.
A lot of this reminded me of those wonderful weeks in Fort Polk where we had a platoon of misfits similar to this bunch. We wore it as a badge of honor.
A good, but modest beginning to the Carry On series.