Carry on Again Doctor
A film review by Graeme Huggan
Copyright 1998
One of the funniest Carry on movies and the third with a medical setting. The main story is about Dr. James Nookey (Jim Dale) who is disliked by his superiors, Frederick Carver, head of the hospital (Kenneth Williams), and Dr. Ernest Stoppidge (Charles Hawtrey) who seems to dislike everyone. They attempt to cause him as much trouble in the hospital as possible and all the blame is laid on Nookey. Carver learns of a possible job opportunity from wealthy Ellen Moore (Joan Sims) on a distant tropical island and gets Nookey trannsferred there. When Nookey arrives at this island, he meets Gladstone Screwer (Sid James) who has lived on the island just about all his life. Screwer is in possession of a wonderful slimming drug made from natural ingredients. Dr. Nookey returns with the drug to England and sets up a new slimming business with Ellen Moore's financial backing. However, Nookey and Moore face opposition from Screwer who goes to England to cash in on the drug, and Carver and Stoppidge who want to know the ingredients to create a rival drug. The performances are all very commendable. Sid James has a slightly ambiguous character to play this time and he excels in his role. Kenneth Williams, as usual, plays the unpopular and cunning head of the hospital. Joan Sims is entertaining as the wealthy benefactor and Jim Dale should really head the cast with his excellent portrayal of bumbling Nookey. Charles Hawtrey plays an 'out-of-character' role as Dr. Stoppidge, the nasty and evil practitioner who wants to knock Nookey off his perch. Some critics have said that this combination of Hawtrey and Stoppidge does not work well, but I think that it at least gives Hawtrey a new part to play instead of the usual dimwit characters. As a matter of fact, Hawtrey is suitably cunning in the part. Other regulars in the movie include Hattie Jacques as the Matron yet again (but this part is probably her most boring 'Matron') and Barbara Windsor as Nookey's love interest and unofficial 'Women's lib' campaigner, Goldie Locks. Both Jacques and Windsor play their parts well. Patsy Rowlands appears briefly as Miss Fosdick, and there are very small cameos from Wilfrid Brambell (from 'Steptoe and Son' fame) and Peter Butterworth. The jokes are mostly very funny, the story is quite appealing, and the regulars seem interested in what they're doing. Although it is another medical Carry on movie and some of the jokes are borrowed from previous movies, it still comes out on top (it is the best medical Carry On) because of the above factors. A must-see Carry on movie.
My rating:- 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Written by Graeme Huggan.
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