Carry on Up the Khyber (1968) User Reviews (58)

Magnificently Vulgar

[BJJManchester · 8/10 · 3 May 2006]

This is now generally regarded as the best CARRY ON movie which,in retrospect,may not be saying that much.On the other hand,there seems to be an increasing fondness here in Britain(and perhaps even the US)for the series' persistent innuendo,cheerful vulgarity,slapstick corn,and venerable comic performers(most of whom are sadly long since gone) now nearly four decades after it's peak.Compared with much cinema gross-out humour today(as typified by the Farrelly Brothers in the US,with the UK's SEX LIVES OF THE POTATO MEN not far behind,perhaps literally!),the CARRY ON style of fun with it's saucy double entendres virtually present in every line seems oddly charming and innocent when in previous generations appeared as crude and tasteless,certainly to many weary film critics of the time.It could come across as witless and repetitive,as it certainly did in the later CARRY ON's of the 1970's(when the series finally finished),but despite the relentless puns on view here,UP THE KHYBER executes them all with an unexpected style,panache and energy,with arguably the entire series' most memorable visual gags and genuinely funny verbal one-liners.

The talented comedians on view,Sid James,Kenneth Williams,Peter Butterworth,Joan Sims,Terry Scott,Charles Hawtrey,Bernard Bresslaw,etc. are all on fine comic form throughout,handling the timing with considerable aplomb,with the farcical plot(the film's only negative point;it is never subtle,and it's attempts at satire are fleeting to say the least,probably very deliberately)about colonial conflict in India caused by British 'Devils in Skirts' not turning out in underwear oddly seeming to work rather well.It has great confidence and courage in it's convictions,and some lines and ideas("Gone For Tiffin","Fakir,Off!!",the 'Arsitarsi' tribe),and especially the dining room sequence(perhaps the funniest in the series' entire history)are the very best examples of typical lowbrow British humour.

Even the production values seem above average for the CARRY ON's,admittedly streamlined but still fairly elaborate and convincing,only faltering in it's actual depiction of the Khyber Pass itself,which is actually Snowdonia in North Wales.The film's very non-PC racial stereotyping and impersonation could be a problem for some,but may in fact add a certain extra period charm.

UP THE KHYBER represents CARRY ON humour at it's peak,preceded as it was by some of the other best efforts in the series(CLEO,SCREAMING,DOCTOR).With the arrival of the 70's,the CARRY ON's went into gradual decline from around 1973,ending in EMMANUELLE in 1978,generally recognised as the worst,before the critically-derided COLUMBUS emerged in 1992.UP THE KHYBER,however,shows us how amusing the series could be at it's best.

Harmless stereotypes and delightful "below-the-kilt" humor...

[ElMaruecan82 · 8/10 · 28 June 2021]

If you're American or British, you've probably watched some French classics, among them acclaimed comedies like "The Visitors", "Amelie" or "Dinner For Schmucks" but are you familiar with "The Charlots" or "The Seventh Company"?

These are staples of popular comedy whose appeal never crossed frontiers because of the very literalness of their popularity. So you might enjoy foreign movies from France, Sweden, Japan or Iceland and call yourself a legitimate cinephile: yet there's always an invisible barrier that can't be crossed and would keep many foreign gems in the dark except for the lucky or the perseverant type. I guess I'm one of these happy few because I just discovered the "Carry On" series and here's how it happened.

Since the beginning of the year, I've been regularly watching movies from the British Film Institute Top 100 and I was looking for one with a shorter runtime, "Carry On... Up the Khyber" had 88 minutes and after three black-and-white "kitchen-sink" dramas, I needed laughs, colors and goofiness. The opening credits convinced me that I'd made the right choice and this is my best comedic discovery since Woody Allen's "What's New Tiger Lily?". The film is outrageously funny and even if I didn't get more than half the references, I take pride for having never gone through one half-minute without a good chuckle at the very worst.

And so... what a jolly good journey in that Khyber Pass, a remote British camp in the Indian mountainside with not-so friendly neighbors from Kalabar, who could pass as Indians, Afghans or Arabs but you if you expect accuracy anywhere, I'd recommend the film's cousin "Zulu" with Michael Caine. The head governor of the province is Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond (Sidney James), assisted by Captain Keene (Roy Castle) and Major Shorthouse (Julian Holloway) and guarding the Pass, there's the glorious Third Foot & Mouth Regiment lead by Sergeant MacNutt (Terry Scott) who notices the shameful secret of cowardly Private James Widdle (Charles Hawtrey) contradicting the very legend of the 'Devils in Skirts' regarding what they have beneath their kilts or as a matter of fact, what they don't.

Those were the British Empire glory days and it's very fitting that the military legend of the Empire where the sun never set involved the place where the moon didn't shine. And in the very context of the film, it also tells you what kind of humor it aims: right below the kilt... making it -one year before these TV shows' releases- the spiritual predecessor of "The Benny Hill Show" and "Monty Python's Flying Circus". Now, let's move back to the plot (literally).

One of the Karaban army generals Bungdit Din (the giant Bernard Bresslaw) discovers what lies under an unconscious Widdle's kilt and brings the exhibit (no pun intended) to the Khasi of Kalabar (Kenneth Williams) who is enjoying a game of polo with his daughter Princess Jelhi (Angela Douglas) and is exchanging diplomatic smiles with the governor and Lady Ruff-Diamond (Joan Sims). It's interesting that the Khasi has servants doing the sex for him and the governor and his wife are sexually frustrated so the whole exchange of gazes and salutes in pure deliberate camp still hits that right note as it can tell you what libidinous thoughts hide behind the character's minds. At that point of the film, I decided to read a little trivia and realized that "Carry On", the film I was watching was the 16th and arguably the best entry (hence its BFI inclusion) of a series that spanned more movies than James Bond. And I had never heard of it. That made the discovery all the more thrilling for I knew I was getting educated into something exclusively British.

Resuming my viewing, I got myself transported from one gag to another, from a hilarious under-the-kilt inspection to a visit incognito to Khasi's harem, the film uses every possible gags, not too much slapsticks, a lot of double entendres and a great deal of naughty naughty humor, the kind of humor where the wrong of a woman going ti another man (Lady Joan to the Khasi) is righted by many women sent to the governor who (as you might guess it) isn't too displeased for these tiffin session. This is a film where a religious man saves women from heresy by making love to them, he's Brother Belcher (Butterworth). This is a film where a girl asks which her mother is and her father says: "Foolish child! How many times do I have to tell you? She with the emerald eyes and hair of copper... and number thirty-two stamped on her back."

The film wasn't shot on location but in Pinewood studios, it didn't embarrass itself with historical accuracy, it doesn't mock Indian traditions but a certain Kiplingesque view of it, it doesn't mock cultural gaps but demonstrate that despite them, commanders from each side are enjoying the comfort of their cushy jobs and their little privileges and benefits in kind (one that goes with the term 'tiffin'). It still decides to remain British through a riveting climactic dinner scene that gives its full sense to the "stiff upper lip" spirit (an obligatory trope in any British war film) with the orchestra playing while the governor's place is being bombarded and when a fakir's severed head is served on a plate and a few bricks fall on the table, these inconveniences only meet downplayed remarks, the best one belonging to Joan Sims "I'm a little plastered".

There's something so refreshing in that era where anything could be sources of laugh. Such a film would be impossible... except maybe for the kilt gag, because... well, who's the joke's on?

The British take on the British Take of India, and how India Took it Back, sort of.

[Cinema_Fan · 8/10 · 31 January 2006]

As with glass, you can see straight through this movie, for what it is. Hilarious and witty, as is the talent of this huge Classic British Comedy Team.

Come on, you know deep down, they couldn't resist making a movie that rhymed with "Khyber Pass".

What a wonderful awry of comical satire and self-ridicule that Khyber Pass is. This, 1968, typical nostalgia trip from the Great Carry On team has bought us the usual Cast. We see Sidney James, as Sir Sidney-Rough Diamond and the beautiful Joan Sims as his torturous wife, Lady Joan Rough-Diamond, the very intelligent Kenneth Williams as the Rhandi Lal, the Khasi of Kalabar. Here, personally, I think that this is Bernard Bresslaw's, as Bungdit Din, best performance, his last Carry On was 1975's Carry On Behind, he passed away in June 1993, aged 59.

Without wanting to give too much away here, for you have to see Up the Khyber to appreciate the delivery of the script, ad libbing and comic simplicity that is Up the Khyber, which, excuse the pun here, carries itself off very well. Too much forewarning will only dilute the movies hilarious gags.

Not seeing Up the Khyber for many years, it was really a pleasant surprise, forgetting just how funny it is, and the combination, and their delivery, of the names of the characters. Lets face it; the absurd and totally ridiculous names of these characters are what truly make this movie.

This movie contains one of the most obvious (non) location doubles that I have ever seen. Since when has the real Khyber Pass in India looked like the green rolling hills of Wales, I mean, it's a five bar gate along a rocky green path running up Mount Snowdonia, they even put a tiny wooden sign on top, saying, "Please shut the gate". The Extras, seen at the Khyber Pass, who are dressed as local "natives" look like locals that have been paid to wear Turbans for the day, and the make up department haven't even applied make up. If it were not so funny, then it just would not be the Carry On it is. You just know too, that they must have had a great laugh trying to pull this one off. Pure admiration.

This movie shouldn't be passed over; it really is one of the best, where as Carry On Screaming was the better Produced, this is better scripted.

There is Glass and there are Diamonds, this is a Diamond of a movie.

Priceless.

"I haven't ridden in cars pulled by cows before" "Bullocks, Mr.Belcher" "No, I haven't, honestly".

[The_Movie_Cat · 7/10 · 26 March 2000]

Subtitled "The British Position In India", I was recommended to see this film by my friend Rav, who reportedly "busts a gut" every time he see Kenneth Williams in blackface and turban. I was pleased to have seen it on recommendation as it made me feel less guilty about viewing a Carry On that is vested not only with the usual quota of bawdy sexism, but also a generous dollop of racial stereotyping.

Yet despite it all, Carry On Up The Khyber still manages to be a very funny film. I can't claim to have seen the entire series (this was the 16th of 30 movies), but what I have seen leads me to cite this as probably the best. Produced at a time when Britain still had a significant film industry, the picture is allowed to play out without any of the desperate mugging and over-emphasised pauses that punctuate the majority of contemporary English comedy movies (including, ironically, Carry On Columbus, the ill-advised 1992 "comeback").

Khyber is relaxed because it knew it had a ready-made audience, and the humour also works because it is self-aware. Desperately cheesy lines (such as Peter Butterworth saying "What pretty earrings... are they rubies?", only to be met with "No, they're mine") are delivered shamelessly, and with a timing that acknowledges how truly awful some of the one-liners are.

Occasionally there is a line that plays to a higher audience, such as Kenneth Williams yelling at a man banging a gong: "I do wish you wouldn't keep doing that... Rank stupidity". There's also some slight political references to the famous slogan "I'm Backing Britain" and mention of the British being used to cuts, though I'm afraid I'm far too young to know what these are directly referring to. Generally, though, the humour is a series of puns on the word "Khazi" and rejoinders such as Sid James and Williams: "I'd even go so far as to say you're a bit of a shot". "Well, I hope I heard you correctly".

Even so, the humour, particularly constant attempts to nearly-ape the "f" word, did cause problems with the censor. In particular Bunghit Din's (my favourite Carry On member, the underrated Bernard Bresslaw) hilarious line of "Fakir - off!" was ordered to be reshot with an additional pause between the two words.

The rapid-fire pace of the gags mean that infrequent clunkers (such as Joan Simms attempting the old "call me an elephant" - "okay, you're an elephant" line, ancient even by Carry On standards) are quickly forgotten in the wealth of material. Superbly directed as well, particularly the closing scenes where the British (who are lampooned as much - if not more so - than their opponents) keep a stiff upper lip during bombardment.

The whole plot is, of course, absolutely ludicrous, suggesting that the final days of the Raj came about when a British regiment was discovered wearing underpants. The whole thing is the sort of film that would never be made nowadays, which is in many ways a good thing, yet there is a certain knowingness behind the eyes of the actors that keep it from dating.

Easily one of the best Carry On movies

[bob the moo · 27 February 2004]

1895. The British colonisation of Indian continues despite the threat posed by the Khasi of Kalabar and his loyal army of Burpers. Rebellion seems imminent when it is discovered that the feared 3rd Foot in Mouth Regiment (The Devils in Skirts) actually wear underwear under their kilts. When the Khasi receives proof of this he starts an uprising among Bungdit Din's Burgers against the British forces under Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond. However Captain Keene leads a small group of men deep into Indian in an attempt to stop the approaching massacre.

If you hate the Carry On films with a passion then chances are you will hate this one as well. However for fans or those who enjoy the sense of humour when it works, then it is likely that you will love this film as it is one of the best of the series. The plot is very un-PC by today's standards (imagine having so many white actors playing Indians today?) but this isn't really important here. The plot is actually quite well developed for a carry on film and acts as a suitable framework for the jokes, allowing it to feel like a film rather than just a series of sketches and innuendo held together by the thinnest of threads.

The plot certainly helps but it is the strength of the script that makes this such an enjoyable film (if you can call a script full of innuendo `strong'). The film has so many really enjoyable lines that it is impossible to list them all; of course, if you don't like their breed of innuendo then you shan't like this but I do and this is as good and as honed as they got it. Lines such as `rank stupidity', `Fakir. Off', `and up yours' and `I wouldn't trust him an inch' are all well scripted and display a higher class of innuendo (if you know what I mean): even character names are good if not subtle; Ginger Hale, Bungdit Din, Jelhi, Busti and Khasi to name a few. It helps of course that the cast are so talented at this type of comedy and deliver their lines with perfect timing and perfect facial expressions and reactions. James and Williams lead the cast and are easily the best two in the whole film - they have the best lines, the best reactions and the best timing. The rest of the Carry On regulars are all very assured and delivered the material with the ability of pro's; Hawtrey, Scott, Sims, Bresslaw, Butterworth and Douglas are all very good and it is true that this is almost a who's who of British comedy of the time. Roy Castle is good but he is very much a straightman in the piece.

Overall, this is the film that those new to the Carry On series should seek out as it is one of the films where they had the best material (plot and script) as well as a full cast of very talented British comedians. It is still based on innuendo and silly gags but it is funny and enjoyable.

Distinctively British bitter humor!!!

[elo-equipamentos · 7/10 · 23 December 2018]

There was a small dealer here in Brazil that offered us a lot of British movies, but hereInafter didn't hear a thing about them unfortunately due sales declines so much in those hard economics past years, one of them of the valuable series Carry on where are fully exploitation of British humor style, it's seems silly at first look but certainly it isn't, there are a faithful copy of custumary and legendary British nonsense, their usual accent puts a hot peppery over so peculiar behaviors from them, this priceless comedy remind us from latest Monty Phyton's pictures, they slagging of themselves, unmissable!!!

Resume:

First watch: 2012 / How many: 2 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.25

Carry On at its best.

[darrenbjones · 10/10 · 3 November 2007]

The Carry On series had many ups and downs, but this offering is the best of the entire series and a fantastic comedy in its own right. The jokes come fast and often and the overall quality of the film is apparent. This is the perfect Carry On line up too, Sid James, Kenneth Williams lead the cast which includes Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Terry Scott, Bernard Bresslaw and Peter Butterworth, all of whom are at the peak of their craft. The addition of Roy Castle to the cast as the heroic lead is perfect and the sets and set pieces are great.

The story, which is one of the most coherent, is set during the British occupation of India during the reign of Queen Victoria. Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond (Sid James) is thrust into the middle of a plot to reveal the feared 'Devils in Skirts' the British army who traditionally wear nothing under their kilts as underwear wearing oppressors by the Khasi of Kalabar (a deliciously sneering Kenneth Williams) who intends to start a revolution and end Sir Sidney's cushy job. Stiff upper lips, cross dressing, randy missionaries, stolen underwear and a final brilliant dinner scene in the midst of a full scale revolt showcase the reason that the Carry On Series and not Monty Python is the best representation of British comedy at its finest.

Take a tea break and check out this comedy gem from the bosom of the British Empire.

Seems I'm in the minority on this...

[clivey6 · 6/10 · 18 November 2010]

I like the Carry Ons, but I have to say that this doesn't hit the mark for me. I'd watched Follow That Camel a few days earlier and that really did make me laugh, but though this in theory should be funnier, and the jokes are all there, it just didn't tickle my funny bone.

For one thing, the pretext is a bit infantile. Yeah, I know this is Carry On, but the idea that the British regiment have underwear under their kilts that arouses Afghan scorn just seems too silly to me. I guess if you knew a bit about the conflict this probably has some spoof on reality, as does the final dinner in which cannon balls drop around the fancy residence, but do you know what, I couldn't raise a chuckle. Again, Sid James working his way through a harem of willing women ought to be funny enough, but nah. And there's nothing wrong with Peter Butterworth leering and letching over a woman's breasts - this is Carry On after all - but in this movie it just seems rather horrible. It doesn't help that Roy Castle is standing in for Jim Dale. Castle is one of those Carry On additions who for me just don't work for some undiscernable reason, whereas the likes of Terry Scott were more than welcome. Comparing Castle to Dale is like comparing George Lazenby's Bond to Sean Connery's.

The incidental music isn't as funny or jolly either. A lot of the time it mimics the chords of the James Bond theme, but not to much purpose.

Carry On Up The Kyber is popular and it seems it appeals to those of a highbrow persuasion, rather like Carry On Cleo which I found sort of dragged, despite its high production values. It's as if we're meant to be laughing at the Brits, in an ironic kind of way, rather than mucking in.

The theme might have been topical at the time, what with Sgt Pepper being released only the year before. Anyway, 'the British are used to cuts!' is one line that remains topical, under Cameron's coalition government.

We'll save you some Strawberry mousse, strawberry moooousse...

[Sleepin_Dragon · 10/10 · 27 January 2016]

It's not just one of the best of the Carry on films, it's one of the best films I can think of. It is gloriously funny, wonderfully well made, boasts some great production values, and has some incredibly iconic moments, I love Carry on up the Kyhber.

The out and out best showing from Bernard Bresslaw, I watched Jungle before this and slated his character, but he shows how good he is here, brilliant. The entire cast are magical, Sid, Joan, Kenneth, Peter, Angela Douglas looks utterly sensational, Roy Castle is just glorious, he plays it all with a straight bat.

One of the most sensational film sequences of all time. The meal scene with the attack going on around has me in stitches, only Peter is reacting, it is painfully funny.

Carry on Cleo boasts sensational sets and costumes (obviously) but Khyber is right up there too, the costumes are simply gorgeous. The names and characters are just brilliant too. The script, jokes, volume of innuendo make Khyber a glorious film 10/10

Perhaps the strongest entry in the series.

[wadechurton · 7/10 · 21 January 2011]

Coming from an era well past the franchise's early 'sentimental' entries and most of a decade away from the disastrous final efforts, '..Up The Khyber' has the reputation of being the best of the series, and to be fair, it's hard to disagree. The script is sharper than usual, Sid James is at his most roguishly charming while Kenneth Williams is focused and restrained, (making for a fine rivalry), Joan Sims is delightfully saucy (and just try not to laugh at her 'I'm getting a bit plastered' ad-lib), and Terry Scott puts in an excellent performance as a ridiculously stern, shouty-voiced sergeant-major. You shouldn't expect a 'PC' experience with a 'Carry On' movie, and you definitely won't get one here (although to be fair, the British themselves are also fair game for parody). However, there are a few problems with the movie. The screenplay and pacing is a little uneven; for instance more could have been made of the daring 'commando mission' (which would have introduced yet another rich deposit of cinematic clichés to mine and skewer). Cast-wise, Angela Douglas is pretty but rather bland as the love interest, and doesn't quite make the comedic grade (not even bothering to put on an accent), whilst Charles Hawtree was noticeably lackluster this time around, and despite a genuinely remarkable performance, Bernard Bresslaw's character suffers for a lack of comic lines. Worst of all, although gamely entering into the silliness with admirable abandon, a miscast Roy Castle is no Jim Dale. Dale was unavailable, and so Castle was employed as a one-movie stand-in. He tries, but is well out of his league amidst a troupe of seasoned comedy actors, firing on all cylinders. Still, despite a weak hero and some uneven aspects, it is fair to say that '..Up The Khyber' is prime mid-period 'Carry On'; rude (as opposed to crude), time-warped, non-PC and if you're in the mood, very funny indeed.

Not at all my little desert flower, the British are used to cuts!

[hitchcockthelegend · 9/10 · 5 October 2009]

Disaster strikes in the Raj when it's revealed that the famed British Devils In Skirts who occupy India, wear underpants under their kilts. The absence of which was something that kept the natives living in fear.

Awards and high praise for the "Carry On" franchise is like a dog that speaks Irdu, extremely rare. Granted, few of them rise above "titter me this madame" like comedy, and some are not fit to be used as coasters. But look inside this 31 film run and you find a handful of gems, a couple of which are fit to be on any list of Great British comedies from the 60s. One such film is Carry On Up The Kyber, which arguably is the best of the bunch. Directed and written by the usual Thomas/Rothwell team, Up The Kyber is a genuinely funny, knowing and original comedy.

It's pretty much a given that the best "Carry On's" were the costume spoofers. So here we be in India in 1895, in the company of The Third Foot And Mouth Regiment {snicker snicker} and Emma Walker's fabulous costumes. Innuendo is kept to a bashful level as opposed to smutty overkill, the humour more concerned with taking pot shots out Imperialism and upper crust ignorance and snobbery. Officer's chain of command and the stiff upper lip in the face of certain death, oh yes the band really will play on. There's also smart jokes such as the one in my title, and watch out for a sly Rank Organisation gag. All dealt with cunningly and sharply by the likes of Sid James, Joan Sims, Kenneth Williams and Peter Butterworth. Character names remain ridiculously charming, Rhandi Lal, Private Jimmy Widdle, Bungit Din {leader of the Burpas} and Brother Belcher. While the set pieces, crowned by the now famous dinner party finale, are excellently constructed.

Subtitled "The British Position In India," this is not your standard saucy seaside postcard picture {try saying that fast three times}. Hugely entertaining for a myriad of reasons, it's actually something of a British treasure that's still delighting newcomers to it each decade. 8.5/10

'The Devils In Skirts'

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 9 December 2013]

One must wonder what Winston Churchill thought of Carry On...Up The Khyber as he took the possession that Great Britain had over India as a rather serious affair. No doubt he read a whole lot of pulp fiction about the British army in India and did serve their for a spell as a young man.

For those in the British public who were enamored of British Imperialism this might not be their kind of film. But those who like a few chuckles and an occasional belly laugh will appreciate the satire of those pulp fiction stories that Carry On...Up The Khyber spoofs.

Sid James is the territorial governor of that northwest most part of India that contains the Khyber Pass which for about a century was most critical for the British in India to hold whether the natives objected or not. The 33rd Foot and Mouth Highland regiment guards the pass, known to one and all as the 'devils in skirts'.

Through the misadventures of Private Charles Hawtrey it is revealed that this regiment is not so tough after all because they do wear an undergarment under those kilts That's enough for the local rajah Kenneth Williams to rouse the locals to take up arms against the British and once again they fight with their backs to the wall.

As you can see this is loaded with innuendo and a few very specific jokes that Hollywood wasn't as eager to deal with as the Carry On troupe was. Another good one from the Carry On folks.

Currying favour

[Lejink · 5/10 · 8 October 2018]

In the wake of "Zulu" and "The Charge Of The Light Brigade" this is another amusing entry in the "Carry On" series which sees the gang up sticks to Imperialist India circa 1895 (actually Snowdonia in Wales circa 1968) for this previously untold tale of the Raj involving the celebrated Third Foot And Mouth Regiment tasked with policing the India and Afghanistan border but whose aura of superority is punctured when the locals discover that the so-called invincible "men in skirts" actually wear cotton underpants under their fighting kilts.

A lot of the jokes in actual fact probably hail from the 19th Century and those that don't have a sauciness born of the 1960's. Put these together with a cast containing top notch Carry-On-ers Sid James, Joan Sims, Charles Hawtrey and Kenneth Williams, throw in relative newcomers like Bernard Breslaw, Terry Scott, Peter Butterworth and Angela Douglas and one-shot Roy Castle, all in fine form and you have a recipe for a frequently funny movie.

What sets it a little apart from other entries are the better-than-average production values particularly the costumers and especially the interiors of the Khazi's palace and a decidedly sardonic view of British colonial pomposity, brilliantly manifested in the culminating scene where the British dignitaries dinner is disrupted by the rebelling locals in a scene one could almost imagine in a Monty Python skit.

Cheap laughs abound, even down to proper names like Bungdit In (and yes, "You're a better man than I", duly gets a look-in), the Arsi-Tarsi tribe and the Khazi himself, all of these telling the level of humour aimed at here, but the odd subtle gem creeps in here and there, like Williams biting the hand that feeds when mocking a shirtless servant banging a gong as "Rank stupidity" although you have to wonder how the "Fakir Off" line escaped the censor's red pen.

Yes you have to ignore the racial stereotyping and casual sexism typical of the brand, but once you make the required allowances, you'll probably find yourself tittering (sorry, it must be catching!) along with the likes of myself.

One of the best Carry Ons. It's a Pass from me.

[MrJRGO · 1 June 2020]

'Carry On Up The Khyber' sees many of the usual Carry On favourites, this time in colonial India. Sid James plays Sir Sidney Ruff Diamond, head of the Third Foot and Mouth regiment located close to the Khyber Pass, whilst Kenneth Williams takes on the role of the Khasi of Kalabar, who is beginning to believe that the British might not be as invincible as previously thought.

'Carry On Up The Khyber' is a welcome change for the series as it is one of the few that's not based in the UK, but that's the only change you'll get because this film is laden with the usual Carry On double entendres and gags.

For many years, this wasn't one of my favourite Carry Ons but I've realised that it's actually one of the best. It largely benefits from being able to ridicule two cultures, namely British and Indian, and because it's set in colonial times, it allows Peter Rogers to successfully satirize the old fashioned Victorian attitudes as well as the more pertinent attitudes of the late 1960s when this was filmed.

There's no way a film like this would be made today but the humour is actually quite harmless, even endearing at times, and there are some clever one-liners too. It's a fallacy that Carry Ons were purely unintelligent, bawdy humour aimed at the brainless masses.

The amount of dryness in Up The Khyber is enough to give a man a thirst but it works particularly well. Excellent performances all round, particularly Sid James and Joan Sims, who bounce of each other so well, and Terry Scott, who was born to play Sergeant Major McNutt. Roy Castle too. I'm surprised he wasn't in more of the films.

Definitely worth a watch, whether you're new to the series or whether you've got them all on video.

The last great historical Carry On movie?

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 25 December 2014]

CARRY ON UP THE KHYBER has much in common with previous CARRY ON outings such as CARRY ON FOLLOW THAT CAMEL: the humour is broad, the cast all play similar characters, and the shot-in-the-UK locations have a special nostalgic charm all to themselves. This might well be the last of the great historical movies made by the team, as their fortunes (and budgets) started to wane soon afterwards.

Still, it's best to enjoy it while it lasts, and there's plenty to enjoy here, not least an on-form cast giving it the best of their abilities. Sid James is back (after being incapacitated in CARRY ON DOCTOR) on his top, woman-hunting form, and Kenneth Williams once more makes for a hilarious bad guy. There's also an extended role for the great, underrated Peter Butterworth, who I think gives the funniest performance in the whole film, particularly at the end.

By this stage, the jokes are almost entirely sexual or rely on references to various body parts for effect. Still, they come at a ferocious pace and you can't beat the smutty innuendo which is used at just the right level without being too explicit. Everything flows naturally and the cast work together well. Also, CARRY ON UP THE KHYBER has the best climax of any CARRY ON film: the wonderful dinner party sequence, which takes the mickey out of the famed British stiff upper lip to glorious effect.

Goodish fun

[grantss · 6/10 · 8 January 2016]

Goodish fun.

Set in India in the 1890s, the local Indian ruler, the Khazi of Kalabar, is planning an uprising to overthrow the region's British government. Standing between him and success are the men of the kilted 3rd Foot and Mouth Regiment, a feared unit who guard the Khyber Pass. Then the Khazi gets some information which will massively undermine the regiment...

Reasonably good fun. Not laugh-a-minute but there are some great jokes - scenes and one-liners - some of which are very clever. The parody of British stiff-upper-lipness and calmness under pressure works well too.

Silly at times, but it never gets carried away or takes itself too seriously. Well-paced too: the movie doesn't get bogged down or overstay its welcome.

Any time is Tiffin time

[shell-26 · 8/10 · 19 February 2000]

Probably the best of the Carry-Ons. Genuinely funny performances from all the actors and a classic script.

Watch Carry on up the Khyber and then watch Zulu. Two films about the British made in the 1960's both of them perfect in their own way.

Arguably the funniest and best of the series

[dr_clarke_2 · 7/10 · 8 February 2021]

The Carry On film series is a beloved British institution for anyone over a certain age, and is notable for featuring the most entries of any British film series, with a total of thirty-one movies, including the compilation film That's Carry On! (Remarkably, all thirty-one films shared the same producer (Peter Rogers) and director (Gerald Thomas)). It's hardly surprising then that over the course of Carry On's thirty-four year history, encompassing not only the films but also four TV Christmas specials and a television series, the quality was somewhat variable. It is generally agreed however that the sixteenth film - 1968's Carry On Up the Khyber - is the best of series. Carry On Up the Khyber ("or The British Position in India", as the opening titles inform us) was written by semi-regular Carry On script writer Talbot Rothwell and boasts the usual mix of innuendo, slapstick and toilet humour that the series was famous for, whilst at the same time casting a satirical eye over the by then defunct British Raj. In keeping with audience expectations, everyone has silly names, and there are numerous visual puns such as the GB sticky on the back of an elephant. The entire future of the British Raj is threatened by the discovery that a member of the kilt-wearing 3rd Foot and Mouth Regiment is wearing underpants, a ludicrous idea that works because Rothwell handles the comic logic of the frequently absurd plot with impressive internal consistency. There are moments of absurdity, notably when the Fakir helps the British party escape; the Fakir also prompts the risqué line "Fakir... off!" Like most Carry On films, the humour is from a different time, when cross-dressing men and double entendres veered dangerously close to shocking in the minds of the British public. It is undeniably dated, and yet in spite of all that, it remains frequently very funny, due to the relentless onslaught of gags. There are aspects of Carry On Up the Khyber that now look highly questionable: Kenneth Williams and Bernard Bresslaw are both blacked up and adopt outrageous accents as the Khasi of Kalabar and Bungdit Din, which dates the film more than anything else. There is outrageous racial stereotyping throughout, with examples including the head nodding/shaking routine and the depiction of Indian and Afghan men as superstitious barbarians who keep harems of beautiful young women and who behead their enemies (this now looks like the single most tasteless aspect of the film, although at the time it was made the double entendres were probably more controversial to the British public). There is never a sense of malice however: racial stereotyping is equally applied to the British, who are lampooned as stiff-upper lipped and sexually repressed, their backbones weakening in the presence of buxom women and naked flesh. The cast consists largely of the usual suspects, including Williams and Bresslaw and also Sid James, Charles Hawtry, Joan Sims, Peter Butterworth, and Terry Scott. This ensemble of seasoned comic performances all display perfect comic timing, with the exception of Roy Castle, who plays the straight man as Captain Keene. In the face of stiff competition, Butterworth almost steals the show as a lecherous missionary, Brother Belcher. Gerald Thomas's reputation rests almost entirely on the Carry On films, and although he is ever likely to appear on anyone's list of favourite directors, the fact that he made a career mostly out of these films is obvious throughout. This is a world halfway between Music Hall and pantomime, in which part of Snowdonia doubles unconvincingly for the Khyber Pass, the whole thing having an air of unreality reflected in the theatrical costumes and sets. And yet Thomas clearly knows exactly what he is doing, handling his large and famously difficult cast well, using speeded-up footage to accentuate some of the slapstick sequences, and handling technically challenging effects such as the Fakir's ladder. The final assault on the Residency, involving dozens of extras, explosions and collapsing sets, is very impressively staged, demonstrating a real knack for physical comedy and controlled chaos. The entire Carry On series feels like a relic from the past: it is fundamentally dated in almost every respect. It retains a loyal following however simply because most of the films are still funny and Carry On Up the Khyber remains one of the funniest.

A classic British comedy

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 18 November 2010]

This is one of the best films in the Carry On series as it had a reasonably good story and wasn't overly smutty. Set in British India near the Afghan border the film follows the exploits of the 3rd Foot and Mouth Regiment; known to their enemies as the 'Devils in skirts' because of their kilts. One day the enemy; the Burpas, discover that one of the soldiers is wearing underwear under his kilt. When word gets back to the governor he heads out to see the local ruler, the Khasi of Kalabar, with two of his men. He orders them to raise their kilts to prove that not all of the regiment wore pants but unfortunately these two did as well. Once back he orders the entire regiment to 'raise kilts' and they are all similarly dressed… to make matters worse his wife takes a photograph and takes it to the Khasi thinking he may appreciate her more than her husband. With this evidence the Khasi sets about persuading the Afghans to help him defeat the Devils in Skirts and ultimately drive the British out of India.

This film is a lot of fun starring the best-known members of the Carry On team including Sid James, Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey, they are also joined by Terry Scott and Roy Castle. The story was obviously silly; if it weren't it wouldn't be a Carry On film, however it did feel like a proper story rather than just a pretext for some cheeky jokes like some of the later films in the series. The film is likely to be best remembered for its excellent final scene where the Governor and all but one his guests enjoy dinner seemingly oblivious to the battle raging outside. In this age were it is rightly considered unacceptable for white actors to play non-white parts it was a surprise to find this still being shown on television, I'm glad it was though as the viewer is never really expected to believe they are anything more than the Carry On team playing all the main roles unlike some other films of the time where one is expected to accept the white actor as a member of another race.

The 15th and one of the most famous of the iconic, fun, daft Brit-com series

[danieljfarthing · 7/10 · 19 October 2023]

In the 15th proper 'Carry On', 1968's "Carry On Up The Khyber" (again under director Gerald Thomas & writer Talbot Rothwell) Sid James (married to Joan Sims) is the British Empire's ruler over an Indian region on the Afghan Border (actually filmed in North Wales) protected by Roy Castle & Terry Scott's regiment. But when the regiment's fearsome reputation is ruined (by Charles Hawtrey's skiddies) the locals under Kenneth Williams (with daughter Angela Douglas) & Bernard Bresslaw (terrific again) revolt, and the Brits must fight back (aided by Peter Butterworth). It's raucous, daft, harmless fun... and one of the most famous in the iconic Brit-com series.

Carrying On Inappropriately...

[Xstal · 1/10 · 29 December 2023]

Carrying On Inappropriately with Carry on Up the Khyber.

A series of films carried on, with perpetual double entendre, loved to finger an organ, unleash melons to gorge on, baps, flaps, jugs, bazookas went ding dong.

Though it's not quite so funny today, Fanny plays with her balls in new ways, Dick's choppers been cut, Kitty's curtains are shut, the clams gone from splayed to being spayed.

What an awful sequence of films these were, revisited today, they demonstrate just how out of touch and offensive the so called humour of yesteryear was, and how a generation of inappropriate behaviour was considered acceptable.

Carrying On Inappropriately with Carry on Up the Khyber.

True Brit.

[ianlouisiana · 8/10 · 13 August 2008]

Never mind those dour" slices of working - class life" epics with ex -miners/dockers/railway workers coughing their lungs into their handkerchiefs before lighting another Woodbine/pipe/roll - up and taking their whippet/bull terrier/cringeing cur into the local rec/disused pit/ dark satanic mill while the "Hovis" voice - over goes on about the good old days when you could take the "Daily Herald" into the outdoor privvie for a bit of peace and fill the tin bath with coal for ninepence,any "Carry on" will give you a truer picture of the British as they really are rather than the guilt - ridden imaginings of the North London Taliban. We are,and I say this quite proudly,vulgar,sexist,defiantly non PC,fiercely patriotic (an attribute apparently fine for everybody else),good - humoured and tolerant.We treasure the eccentric (Charles Hawtrey,Esma Cannon),love the camp(Kenneth Williams,Dick Emery),deflate the pompous(Hattie Jacques and Kenneth Williams again).What we most certainly are not is dour,humourless narrow - minded and filled with class hatred.From "Carry on Sergeant" to the less than magnificent "Carry on Columbus",we have a social history of 30 - odd years in the life of this island race .Nowhere is this reflected more strongly than in "Carry on up the Khyber".From Sir Sidney Ruff - Diamond to Private Widdle we have a microcosm of British Society,ostensibly a Victorian one but in fact timeless.In one of the funniest and truest scenes in UK cinema,Sir Sidney and his dinner guests blithely ignore a native(can you still say that?) uprising as the house is destroyed about them,determinedly clinging on to the familiar rather than accepting the inevitable.It is,in a strange way,rather moving. For those who would see racism in a box of Dominoes the sight of Kenneth Williams blacked up might offend,but,hey,this is Kenneth Williams we're talking about,not Heinrich Himmler.And if there is a distinct lack of black Asian faces in the cast that might just be because there weren't that many black Asian actors about 40 years ago. The whole movie is a Bumper Fun Book of puns,double entendres,lavatory and willy jokes and silly names.It is,in short,excruciatingly funny,played by an expert cast at the absolute top of their game,and, dare I say it,more representative of the real Britain than any Ealing Comedy.

Carry on Up the Khyber

[CinemaSerf · 6/10 · 3 June 2023]

When the "Carry On" films had a decent story to underpin their brand of humour, they were aways better - and this one is certainly one of the best. Sidney James is the British Governor of a North West Indian province who is facing a cunning revolt from the outwardly charming, but (not so) secretly devious "Khasi of Kalabar" (Kenneth Williams). If you've ever seen "The Drum" (1938) then you will know the plot - and everyone pulls together well in this comedy swipe at the Raj and and the stiff-upper-lipped members of the "Third Foot-and-Mouth Regiment". I was never the biggest fan of Roy Castle, but he is quite effective here as are the regulars - especially Joan Sims and Bernard Bresslaw as henchman "Bungdit Din". The Welsh valleys pass well enough for the Himalayas, and the jokes and action come thick and fast enough to raise plenty of smiles before an ending that will make any Scotsman cringe. Like all of this franchise, it has dated badly, but taken in the spirit it was intended, it is still an half decent collegiate effort that I quite enjoy watching now and again.

Expensive

[giulialatini-946-239982 · 2/10 · 10 May 2019]

The Carry On series should be free with Prime Video!

Fakir...OFF!!! I'm not waiting around here for mine to stiffen!

[naseby · 10/10 · 22 August 2008]

In true 'Carry-On' Style, this reverberates as among the teams' best (Along with 'Carry On Cleo').

Of course there's the dreadfully, yet painfully funny double entendres, it wouldn't be the same without them. Also, there's plenty of racial stereotyping which certainly wouldn't be allowed now (How long before we NEVER see another 'Carry On' on TV because of it?).

The British in India, though are fully lampooned themselves, with the implication that the Indian Mutiny be NOT anything to do with pork/beef fat-greased cartridges, but instead, a plot about the 'Foot and Mouth' Brigade wearing 'namby-pamby' underpants under their kilts!

This leads 'The Khasi' (Kenneth Williams - from of course, 'Jacksi') to jibe The Commissioner, Sir Sydney Ruff-Diamond (The brilliant Sid James) that the 'Devils in Skirts' are not what they purport to be as a fighting force, wearing such garments! Aided by Bungit-In (Bernie Bresslaw), The Khasi leads the said mutiny.

There are plenty of the standard but funny gags, let alone with the slang-derived names. My favourite line in my subtitle above, where the Khasi has ordered 'the Fakir' (Cardew Robinson) to go! The second part of the subtitle derives from where Brother Belcher (Peter Butterworth) answers the call of the British stiff upper lip! As usual, there's also plenty of bawdiness (Well, it wouldn't be a 'Carry On' without it! 'They call me 'Busti'!).

There's the famous scene at the end, where the so-called British stiff upper lip is instilled, as the British hierarchy are shelled in their mansion by the natives, dusting themselves off and discarding the carnage as just some sort of nuisance, whilst Brother Belcher can only see the reality.

This is definitely a good watch, and like all decent comedies, even though you know what the lines are, the sheer delivery of the likes of Sid James, Ken Williams and the presence of the beautiful Angela Douglas, but also investing the help of Roy Castle made this a good old fashioned British romp.

Although we gave English to so many countries, with our humour, I wonder if say, Americans find this funny or understand it? I'm sure Australians are more familiar with this type of humour but I'd like to know how the other English-speaking nations receive these gems! Certain other parts of British slang you never hear now, are when Bungit In informs The Khasi the native 'Burpas' (What else?) get things mixed up/around the wrong way. He tells him the Burpas are from a very old tribe, known as the 'Arsitases'. British slang at one time for the 'wrong way around' was 'Arsy-tarsi'! This is never used by anyone I know, now! 'Arse-about face' seems to have replaced this!