Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #30005 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-07-07
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: PAL, Special Edition, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 84 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
In 1975's Carry On England, a mixed-sex anti-aircraft battery is set up during World War II by way of an experiment. The sex is indeed pretty mixed, although the drafting in of Patrick Mower and Judy Geeson rather demonstrates the need for at least some of the cast to be attractive in order to make this odd premise feasible. For the most part, of course, it's tits-out sex-comedy slapstick all the way, but there's a nicely ambivalent performance from Kenneth Connor, who portrays the wartime British officer class as being pretty much bonkers, a telling interpretation, which Stephen Fry was to perfect years later in Blackadder Goes Forth. The location is of course typically Carry On cheap-and-cheerful, but its inevitable drabness, together with the indistinguishable khaki uniforms, tends to put a bit of a dampener on the adult-panto atmosphere that the best Carry Ons deliver. The cast commendably manage to transcend this, though, so there's still plenty of fun to be had. --Roger Thomas

DVD Description
Make love not war! The Carry On team are part of an experimental mixed anti-aircraft battery during World War II. The Luftwaffe never had it so easy! Recruits Ready (Jack Douglas), Willing (Judy Geeson) and Able (Patrick Mower) join forces to strike terror into the heart of the enemy and run rings round their pompous Captain, S. Melly (Kenneth Connor). Discover where Churchill’s famous Victory sign really originated from in this classic khaki caper: patriotism has never been funnier!

Special Features

• Alternate version of Carry On England: Censors’ Version
  
• Audio Commentary with Patrick Mower
  
• Photo Gallery with captions
  
• Theatrical trailer
  
• Film Trivia notes
  
• Collectors booklet with star profiles
  
• Running time: 85 mins approx.

Customer Reviews

Underated England
One of the least well known of the 'Carry On' films, the Director's cut of 'Carry On England' has much to commend it. The set up of a mixed battery of men and women soldiers and a new Commanding Officer who comes in to whip them into shape is well explored. Its main fault is a lack of recognizable 'Carry On' faces in the cast. The newer cast members such as Larry Dann and Melvyn Hayes just don't evoke the same kind of affection as the old regulars. However Kenneth Connor seizes his first starring role with real vigour and develops a strong double act with Windsor Davies.
With the success of the films declining the filmmakers decided to increase the nudity but this just adds a layer of crudity that further erodes our affection for the series and is probably a reason why the film has rarely been screened on TV.
Once again however the DVD produced by Carlton is excellent. There is a fascinating and amusing commentary on the film by Patrick Mower and instead of an episode of the painfully weak 'Carry On Laughing' series there is a copy of the censers version of the film with some substituted scenes and editing of the nudity. Its very interesting to compare and contrast this version with the Directors cut.
Buy it and you'll be surprised how well it stands up and how much you enjoy it.
Definately a series in terminal decline but nowhere near the nadir that was to come with the pitiful 'Carry On Emmanelle'.

its not all that bad
i cant understand why so many people say that england is a bad carry on. fare enough sid james, kenneth williams and other familiers arnt in it but they are replaced by equally funny stars such as patrick mower, judy geeson and melvyn hayes plus we still have other regular carry on stars like kenneth connor, joan sims and peter butterworth.so is it really that bad.

Ball crushingly good
Most reviews of this movie are less than complementary. I disagree. True, it's not an accepted Carry On classic but I think
that is why it works so well. There's no Sid James or Babs, but 'Rodney' from Emmerdale is in it and so is Windsor Davies, arguably the best comedy actor of his decade on TV.

The plot revolves around an experimental male/female mixed battery set in WWII, but actually more like the free loving 70's with period WWII costumes.

The commanding officer is a typical stiff upper lip English man steeped in discipline and the trappings of old England. Windsor Davies reprises his 'Ain't 'alf Hot Mum' character in support and shouts and screams like only he can. The two of them attempt and ultimately fail to stamp out the men and women getting up to no good as only Carry On charcaters can.

True, the plot is thin and no medals were awarded on that score.
I love the film because of the typically cheesy Carry On one liners and double entendres. It's enjoyable because it is so lame. It's almost as if someone decided to 'churn' one out with all the gaffs, comments and fnarr fnarrs that were axed from the previous movies. It's silly, fun and subtle. The 'ball crushing' lines are delivered on cue everytime, well anticipated and all the more funny for it.

If you've got all the older 'classics' and just want to veg out with silly 70's English laughs. Try it. If you read the Guardian, don't bother, you'll hate it!