Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9359 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-02-17
• 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: 85 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
One of the last decent Carry On movies, Carry On Abroad is a 1972 venture into the world of package holidays. After this, the series descended into unfunny coarseness as opposed to camply laboured double entendre, culminating in the dreadful Carry On Emanuelle. Here, publican Sid James and dutiful mother's son turned sex maniac Charles Hawtrey are among a brace of Brits heading for the "paradise island" of Elsbels. Kenneth Williams is the out-of-his-depth tour operator, reverting to the sort of effete types he played in the 1950s, Peter Butterworth a pre-Manuel-style manager of a half-built hotel. A series of disasters ensue, with the entire gang landing up in jail following a fracas in a brothel at one point, but everyone finds romantic and sexual fulfilment in a quaint disco finale. This includes a gay character who is "dissuaded" from his homosexuality in a typical example of the thoroughly reactionary subtext that constitutes the really naughty bit of most Carry On films. Nonetheless, this throwback to an imaginary time when the lewdest innuendo of a dirty old man was greeted by young females with a flirty "Ooh, saucy!" is enjoyable on condition that you enter into its seaside-postcard spirit. June Whitfield is fine as a sexually uptight wife, Kenneth Connor a model of red-faced frustration as her wimpish husband.

On the DVD: Sadly, no extra features except scene selection. The picture is a 4:3 ratio full-screen presentation. --David Stubbs

Special Features

16:9 Wide Screen
Dolby Digital Mono English
Audio Commentary With Jim Dale
Photo Gallery With Captions
Theatrical Trailer
Film Trivia Notes

Synopsis

In Carry On Abroad, the Carry On team manage to find themselves in another farcical situation. Again. This time, however, Sid James, Bernard Bresslaw, Barbara Windsor and the gang go on holiday to Spain--only to find that their hotel is unfinished and practically unstaffed! It's particularly memorable for the several instances that Sid James 'accidently' walks in on an almost naked Barbara Windsor in the shower!

Customer Reviews

One of the best Carry Ons ever
This would have to be one of my favourite Carry On films. Its about a group of tourists going on a trip of a lifetime, to find themselves stuck in a hotel under construction. The movie is filled with great gags and chaos. Staring, all the carry on greats, Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Kenneth Connor, Barbara Windsor, ect. Special features on this DVD include; Audio commentary by Sally Geeson, Carol Hawkins, John Clive and David Kernan, Theatrical Trailer, Stills Gallery and more. I would give this movie 5 stars if it wasnt for the poor ending, that carry on films are famous for having.

Unbeatle British Comedy
Carry on Abroad is simply the best in the carry on series and possibly the best British comedy ever made. Why The Full Monty even bothered to copy the toilet humour made famous in the 60s by the carry on team is beyond me. I didn't even snigger at the Full Monty, but this still has me in stitches. 'Abroad' is firstly, very very clever. Ideoologically, a stinging indictment of the British working class and their tacky holidays on the Costas, which the Royal Family and the Office could only dream of emulating decades later. The representations are stinging and faultless- the scottish music as (can't remember his name) gets onto the bus, the exclamtion from Williams to the chief of police that 'firstly, I would like to point out that we are all BRITISH SUBJECTS', is hilarious. Listen to Williams' analysis of the wine for dinner and the razor-sharp responses from Sid James- amazing. I love the play on names that many less sophisticated viewers will miss entirely- Monsieur Pepe for example- brilliant. It all flows so easily for the carry on team in this, their best ever. There are too many gems to write about- essential if you want to compile any kind of history of British comedy in your collection.

Classic Carry On
Carry On Abroad truly encapsulates the feel-good spirit that made the films such an enduring success. Nearly all of the teams favourite regulars are here as well as some extra additions to the cast line-up. The usual batch of players that are present and clearly on good form are Sid James, Joan Sims, Kenneth Williams, Peter Butterworth, Charles Hawtrey, Babara Windsor, Hattie Jaques, Kenneth Connor and Bernard Bresslaw and are joined by Scottish comedian Jimmy Logan and a host of other familiar T.V stars of the day such as June Whitfield, Ray Brooks, Carol Hawkins, Derek Francis, Patsy Rolands, Sally Geeson and John Clive.

Vic (Sid James) and Cora Flange (Joan Sims) join a pack of tourists on a package holiday deal to the Island of Elsbells. Vic's plans had already been mucked up as the holiday was intended to be a dirty weekend with his mistress, Sadie Tomkins (Babara Windsor) but all plans went down the drain after Cora (Joan Sims) decides she'd like to go on holiday to keep an eye on her straying husband. Once all the tourists arrive at their destination, they are astounded to discover that the hotel is only half built and there are no more than three staff members (Peter Buterworth, Hattie Jaques and Ray Brooks). So follows several comic mishaps that are all as predictable as ever yet remains entertaining throughout with a healthy injection of laughs to be endured. Theres great fun to be had especially where the gang get arrested and end spensing a night in jail , following a fight that occurs during a trip to the market. But its the ending where the film really scores best as the hotel slowly begins collapsing around their ears. Only problem is everyone is too drunk nd feeling too amorous to even care. Peter Butterworth manically runs round trying to get everyone to vacate the building but his efforts are blatantly ignored. You can't help thinking of Basil Fawlty in those sequences! The film has a happy ending and the fun sequence where the gang are all reunited and decide to have a lock in at Vic and Coras pub is one of the best endings in a Carry On film, firmly holding onto that fine, feel-good spirit which would slowly dissolve from here on.

The cast are all on usual form, though Peter Butterworth and Hattie Jaques are perharps the best players here. They make an almost Laurel and Hardy kind of duo and Jaques in particular is an unusual role, playing a Spanish, downtrodden and seemingly demented cook. The rest of the cast certainly get their moments including Joan Sims in the hilarious umbrella sequence where she and Sid James are suddenly soaked from the roof collapssing during the storm of the last night just when they were planning a bit of nookie. Priceless stuff! Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey hilariously mince around during the majority of the film, putting in their more familiar characterisations whilst Jimmy Logan is a welcome addition to the cast who provides sparkle in every scene hes in.

All in all, Carry On Abroad was one of the last true great Carry On's. The series was on a slipey slope now and this would also be the last to feature Charles Hawtrey - a much loved regular in the series. Carry On Abroad was on the greatest of all the 1970's Carry On's and proved
to be another big smash hit at the Box Office. Great fun. Recommended.