Carry On at Your Convenience (also known as Carry On Round the Bend outside the UK) is a 1971 British comedy film directed by Gerald Thomas. It starred regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Hattie Jacques, Bernard Bresslaw, and Kenneth Cope in the first of his two Carry On appearances. Talbot Rothwell wrote the script, and Peter Rogers produced it.
It was the 22nd release in the 31 Carry On films (1958–1992) and the first box office failure. This has been attributed to the film’s attempt at exploring the political themes of the trade union movement, portraying union activists as idle, pedantic buffoons, which alienated the traditional working-class audience of the series.[3] After several international and television sales, the film did not return full production costs until 1976. It was followed by Carry On Matron in 1972.
Plot
In the bathroom ceramics, factory W.C. Boggs & Son, the traditionalist owner W.C. Boggs has no end to the trouble. Bolshy and lazy union representative Vic Spanner continually stirs up trouble in the works, to the irritation of his co-workers and management. He calls a strike for almost any minor incident – or because he wants time off to attend a local football match. Sid Plummer is the site foreman bridging the gap between workers and management, shrewdly keeping the place going amid the unrest.
Product designer Charles Coote wears a prissy floral shirt. In his latest designs, he has included a bidet, but W.C. objects to the manufacture of such “dubious” items. He will not change his stance even after his son, Lewis Boggs, secures a large overseas order for the bidets. This deal could save the struggling firm, which W.C. has to admit is in debt to the banks.
Vic’s dim stooge Bernie Hulke provides bumbling assistance in both his union machinations and his attempts to woo Sid’s daughter, factory canteen worker Myrtle. She is torn between Vic and Lewis Boggs, who is something of a playboy but insists he loves her.
Sid’s wife is Beattie, a lazy housewife who does little but fuss over her pet budgie, Joey, which refuses to talk despite her intense efforts. Their neighbour is Sid’s brassy and lascivious co-worker Chloe Moore. Chloe contends with the endless strikes and with her crude husband, travelling salesman Fred, who neglects her and leaves her dissatisfied. Chloe and Sid enjoy a flirtatious relationship and are sorely tempted to stray. Unusually for Sid James, his character is a faithful husband, albeit a cheeky and borderline-lecherous one.
Sid and Beattie find that Joey can correctly predict winners of horseraces – he tweets when the horse’s name is read out. Sid bets on Joey’s tips and achieves several large wins – including a vital £1,000 loaned to W.C. when the banks refuse a bridging loan – before Benny, Sid’s bookie, fed up with having made these payouts, refuses to accept further bets, larger than £5, from him.
The strikers finally return to work, but it is only to attend the annual works outing, a coach trip to Brighton. A good time is had by all with barriers coming down between workers and management, thanks largely to that great social lubricant, alcohol. W.C. becomes intoxicated and spends the day – and, it appears, the night – with his faithful, adoring secretary, Miss Hortense Withering. Lewis Boggs manages to win Myrtle from Vic Spanner, giving his rival a beating, and the couple elope. After arriving home late after the outing and with Fred away, Chloe invites Sid in for a cup of tea. They fight their desires and ultimately decide not to have the tea, fearing that neighbours might see Sid enter Chloe’s home and get the wrong idea.
At the picket lines the next day, Vic gets his comeuppance – partly at the hands of his mother, who spanks him in public – and the workers and management all pull together to produce the big order to save the firm.
Cast
Sid James as Sid Plummer
Kenneth Williams as WC Boggs
Charles Hawtrey as Charles Coote
Hattie Jacques as Beattie Plummer
Joan Sims as Chloe Moore
Bernard Bresslaw as Bernie Hulke
Kenneth Cope as Vic Spanner
Jacki Piper as Myrtle Plummer
Richard O’Callaghan as Lewis Boggs
Patsy Rowlands as Hortense Withering
Davy Kaye as Benny
Bill Maynard as Fred Moore
Renée Houston as Agatha Spanner
Marianne Stone as Maud
Margaret Nolan as Popsy
Geoffrey Hughes as Willie
Hugh Futcher as Ernie
Simon Cain as barman
Amelia Bayntun as Mrs Spragg
Leon Greene as chef
Harry Towb as film doctor
Shirley Stelfox as bunny waitress
Larry Martyn as rifle range owner
Peter Burton as hotel manager
Julian Holloway as Roger
Anouska Hempel as new canteen girl
