Review of Carry On Again Doctor (Special Edition)

Introduction

The Carry On team returned to the world of bed-pans in 1969 for what would be Jim Dale`s swansong (until Columbus in 1992 - but the less said about that the better). This time he`s the subtly-named Dr Nookey, lusting after Barbara Windsor`s glamour model "Goldie Locks" (formerly Maud Boggins). His superior, Dr Frederick Carver (Kenneth Williams - who else?) is wooing rich widow Ellen Moore (Joan Sims) to back his private clinic, but she needs an able doctor to run her medical mission in the Beatific Islands. Nobody is stupid en... offers the dedication to run such a worthy enterprise, until Dr Nookey disgraces himself in a misunderstanding about room numbers. With the choice of the dole queue or a life in paradise, Nookey takes the easy way out and arrives on the islands just in time for the monsoon season.

Sid James plays native medical orderly Gladstone Screwer, who runs the mission in the Beatific Islands. The mission is entirely occupied by his enormous extended family. Nookey, admiring the skeleton left by the last doctor discovers the skelton *was* the last doctor and goes into a decline. Gladstone offers to set him up with a local bir.. er.. girl.. er... Michael Caine`s missus Shakira in a bit part. However, in that neck of the woods they like their women big, and I mean BIG. Nookey shows Gladstone a picture of his lost love Goldie and is startled when Gladstone turns up with Mrs. Caine but this time sporting the aspect that won her Miss Guyana 1967.

Nookey returns to Blighty with his miracle slimming formula and a licence to print money, but his troubles are about to start...

Historically, Talbot Rothwell`s screenplay was originally titled "Doctor In Clover" (1966) and was intended to be one of Betty E. Box`s series of Doctor films based on the Richard Gordon novels. (The script was passed over in favour of a script by Jack Davies - the one where Sir Lancelot Spratt gets injected with rejuvenating serum). Hattie Jacques` Matron has mellowed since "Doctor", but Charles Hawtrey`s Dr Stoppidge is almost as Machiavellian as Kenneth Williams this time around, dragging up as "Lady Puddleton" to help Dr Carver find out what is in Nookey`s miracle formula. The denouement joke of the whole enterprise raises all kinds of awkward questions that only Dr Nookey will be able to answer on his honeymoon.

Video

This is definitely more like it. The old VCI print was a measly 4:3, but this is a magnificent 1.77:1, and close comparison with the old print reveals that this is the full width and previous prints were panned and scanned. There has been a long-standing debate among Carry On aficionadoes about the correct aspect ratio for these films, but in my humble opinion, this film is certainly being shown correctly.

Audio

Dolby Digital 2.0 reproducing the original mono soundtrack. Nothing remarkable.

Features

Although many might consider the inclusion of HOH subtitling a small matter, the exclusion from previous editions of these movies has been annoying. The bonus material consists of a theatrical trailer (non-anamorphic), an audio commentary with Jim Dale, interviewed by Robert Ross (author of "The Carry On Companion" and a number of excellent books on British Comedy). There is an animated stills gallery and a Carry On Trivia section, but a gem of an inclusion on the disc is an episode of the 1974-5 ATV series "Carry On Laughing". This ISN`T the old compilation series shown in the 1990`s, but a series of short half-hour (24 minute) mini-Carry-Ons starring most of the old gang. The scripts by Dave Freeman are pretty diabolical and the performances are straight out of pantomime or Ted Rogers` 3-2-1, but they`re entertaining enough and an excellent record of a series almost lost but for a VHS release a few years back. TV nostalgiavites may be interested to know the shows on these discs include the full ATV logo at the start and the original ad break bumpers half-way through. The episode on this disc is "The Baron Outlook", a medieval romp set in the Crusades involving gender confusion (with Barbara Windsor???), impecunious nobles (Sid James and Joan Sims), and their peculiar retainers (including Kenneth Connor as Sir William, an elderly knight taken to frying fish and chips in his pot of boiling oil). Throw in the inspector of castles (David Lodge from Spike Milligan`s Q series) and the result is terrible confusion and even worse jokes.

Conclusion

Another delightful disc from Carlton. Aspect ratio issues aside, you`ll never see the Carry On films looking better than the anamorphic copies, and even when they`re non-anamorphic the extras are worth the price of admission.