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Carry On Emmannuelle
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Wikipedia article
'Carry On Emmannuelle' is a 1978 British comedy film, the 30th release in the series of 31 'Carry On' films (19581992). The film was to be the final 'Carry On' for many regulars, including Kenneth Williams (in his 26th 'Carry On'), Kenneth Connor (in his 17th), Joan Sims (in her 24th) and Peter Butterworth (in his 16th). Jack Douglas is the only regular from this film to bridge the gap to 'Carry On Columbus'. Beryl Reid, Henry McGee and Suzanne Danielle make their only appearances in the series here. The film featured a change in style, becoming more openly sexual and explicit. This was highlighted by the implied behaviour of Danielle's character, though she does not bare any more flesh than any other 'Carry On' female lead. These changes brought the film closer to the then popular series of X-rated 'Confessions...' comedies, or indeed the actual 'Emmanuelle' films that it parodies. This film, as well as the original cut of 'Carry On England' were the only films in the series to be certified AA by the British Board of Film Censors, which restricted audiences to those aged 14 and over.
Plot
Emmannuelle Prvert (Suzanne Danielle) relieves the boredom of a flight on Concorde by seducing timid Theodore Valentine (Larry Dann). She returns home to London to surprise her husband, the French ambassador, mile Prevert (Kenneth Williams) but first surprises the butler, Lyons (Jack Douglas). He removes her coat, only to find that she has left her dress on the aircraft. The chauffeur, Leyland (Kenneth Connor), housekeeper, Mrs Dangle (Joan Sims), and aged boot-boy, Richmond (Peter Butterworth), sense saucy times ahead and they are right! mile is dedicated to his bodybuilding, leaving a sexually frustrated Emmannuelle to find pleasure with everyone from the Lord Chief Justice (Llewellyn Rees) to chat show host, Harold Hump (Henry McGee). Theodore is spurned by Emmannuelle, who has genuinely forgotten their airborne encounter, and, despite reassurances from his mother (Beryl Reid), exacts revenge by revealing Emmannuelle's antics to the press. However, after a visit to her doctor (Albert Moses), she discovers that she is pregnant and decides to settle down to a faithful marriage with mile and dozens of children.
Cast
* Kenneth Williams as mile Prvert
* Suzanne Danielle as Emmannuelle Prvert
* Kenneth Connor as Leyland
* Jack Douglas as Lyons
* Joan Sims as Mrs. Dangle
* Peter Butterworth as Richmond
* Larry Dann as Theodore Valentine
* Beryl Reid as Mrs. Valentine
* Henry McGee as Harold Hump
* Victor Maddern as Man in Launderette
* Dino Shafeek as Immigration Officer
* Eric Barker as Ancient General
* Joan Benham as Cynical Lady
* Albert Moses as Doctor
* Robert Dorning as Prime Minister
* Steve Plytas as Arabian Official
* Michael Nightingale as Police Commissioner
* Bruce Boa as U.S. Ambassador
* Llewellyn Rees as Lord Chief Justice
* Jack Lynn as Admiral
* Claire Davenport as Blonde in Pub
* Norman Mitchell as Drunken Husband
* Tricia Newby as Nurse in Surgery
* James Fagan as Concorde Steward
* Malcolm Johns as Sentry
* Howard Nelson as Harry Hernia
* Tim Brinton as BBC Newscaster
* Corbett Woodall as ITN Newscaster
* Marianne Maskell as Nurse in Hospital
* Louise Burton as Girl at Zoo
* Gertan Klauber as German Soldier
* John Carlin as French Parson
* Guy Ward as Dandy
* John Hallet as Substitute Football Player
* Deborah Brayshaw as French Buxom Blonde
* Suzanna East as Colette
* Bruce Wylie as Football Referee
* Philip Clifton as Injured Footballer
* Stanley McGeagh as Fleet Street Journalist
* Bill Hutchinson as 1st Reporter
* Neville Ware as 2nd Reporter
* Jane Norman as 3rd reporter
* Nick White as Sent-off Footballer
Crew
*Screenplay Lance Peters
*Music Eric Rogers
*Song Kenny Lynch
*Performers Masterplan
*Director of Photography Alan Hume
*Editor Peter Boita
*Art Director Jack Sampan
*Production Manager Roy Goddard
*Camera Operator Godfrey Godar
*Make-up Robin Grantham
*Production Executive for Cleves Donald Langdon
*Assistant Director Gregory Dark
*Sound Recordists Danny Daniel & Otto Snel
*Continuity Marjorie Lavelly
*Wardrobe Margaret Lewin
*Stills Cameraman Ken Bray
*Hairdresser Betty Sherriff
*Costume Designer Courtenay Elliott
*Set Dresser John Hoesli
*Assistant Editor Jack Gardner
*Dubbing Editor Peter Best
*Titles & Opticals GSE Ltd
*Processor Technicolor Ltd
*Producer Peter Rogers
*Director Gerald Thomas
Filming and locations
*Filming dates 10 April-15 May 1978
'Interiors':
* Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire
'Exteriors':
* Wembley, London
* Trafalgar Square, London
* Oxford Street, London
* London Zoo, London
Critical reception
Critical response was universally negative, even more so than 'Carry on England' which preceded it, and 'Carry On Columbus' which succeeded it 14 years later. Philip French said of it: "This relentless sequence of badly-written, badly-timed dirty jokes is surely one of the most morally and aesthetically offensive pictures to emerge from a British studio." Christopher Tookey considered the film to be "embarrassingly feeble".
Whilst many other 'Carry Ons' have continued to be popular, opinions of 'Carry on Emmanuelle' and its immediate predecessor and successor have not improved over the passing of time, and 'Carry On Emmanuelle' is universally considered to be the worst film in the series. Tom Cole, writing in the 'Radio Times', found it "undignified" and "laugh-free", noting that the 'Lolita'-esque performance of Suzanne Danielle was "unintentionally creepy". And both Cole and Ian Freer, writing for 'Empire', laid the blame for the death of the series squarely at the film's door.
Notes
References
* Robert Ross 'The Carry On Companion', Batsford Books, 1996
* Simon Sheridan 'Keeping the British End Up: Four Decades of Saucy Cinema', Titan Books, 2011 (fourth edition)
Bibliography
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*Sheridan, Simon (2011). 'Keeping the British End Up: Four Decades of Saucy Cinema' (fourth edition). Titan Books.
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