Carry On Up The Khyber – 1968 | 88 mins | Comedy | Colour

Plot Synopsis

Carry On Up The Khyber is Talbot Rothwell’s most assured historical parody, brimming over with memorable one-liners, set pieces and larger-than-life performances. Sid James was given plum role of Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond and is quite superb throughout the film as the Englishman in India during the lavish but declining days of Victoria’s imperial rule. The essential opposition of Sid is Kenneth Williams, Williams plays the cynically grinning and awfully well mannered Indian ruler, a memorable character study of repressed royalty with touches of snide superciliousness and self-loving arrogance. The film includes the most celebrated and cherished sequence of images in the series history, the climactic attack on the British embassy which is beautifully directed, edited with style by Alfred Roome and played by a collection of fine actors. In complete contrast to Williams, Bernard Bresslaw plays his Indian baddie perfectly straight. The sheer power of the actor gives his performance an edge of total control. British phlegm is displayed when, as the building crumbles round their heads, the British saviours carry on talking. Only Peter Butterworth is the typical everyman, panicking as he reacts to situations with ever-widening eyes, notably in discussion about a fellow missionary.

Again, as with most of the movies, the plot is merely the smallest of pegs on which to hang the various essential performances and familiar jokes. Terry Scott gives an assured character performance as a hard-boiled, tough skinned, bawling and over-bearing figure of military might. The pride of British power – the trio of James, Castle and Scott – approach the manic dictator of Williams to persuade him that the dreaded ‘devils in skirts’ wear nothing under their kilts – Scott’s hard man image is destroyed by his admission to wearing silk knickers. Castle bumbles and grins with Dale-like nerves in front of Angela Douglas while Sid’s almighty figure, clad in white, battles without success to keep the British name clear of abuse.

Review© Robert Ross: Carry On Companion.