Carry on Abroad (1972) User Reviews (55)

CARRY ON ABROAD (Gerald Thomas, 1972) ***

[Bunuel1976 · 7/10 · 25 January 2008]

To begin with, I had previously caught a bit from this one on TV while channel-surfing when in London in September 1999! Like CARRY ON DOCTOR (1967), this is another multi-title offering: CARRY ON ABROAD, OR WHAT A PACKAGE, OR IT'S ALL IN OR, SWISS HOLS IN THE SNOW! While this is essentially a second-tier "Carry On", it proved to be consistently enjoyable – which is why I went for a higher rating than I had myself anticipated; even so, there are a bit too many gay stereotypes here and it's marred somewhat by the flat TV-style look.

Incidentally the hotel shenanigans which take up most of the running-time anticipate the FAWLTY TOWERS (1975) TV series. By the way, this turned out to be Charles Hawtrey's final "Carry On" – unfortunately, he doesn't get to do much…but, then, neither does Kenneth Williams as the tour leader (he's even given an unconvincing romance with a pretty young colleague). On the other hand, Peter Butterworth is at his best as the multi-purpose hotel manager who speaks in broken English (with Hattie Jacques as his massive and grumpy backwoods wife). Among the guests are Sidney James, who's married to Joan Sims but his eyes are constantly on Barbara Windsor!; Sims herself draws the attention of gallant but henpecked Kenneth Connor. There are also a number of youngsters thrown into the fray, as well as a manly Scot, and a group of monks (one of whom, Bernard Bresslaw, is allowed to strike a friendship with one of the girls – her companion, incidentally, is played by Sally Geeson from Norman Wisdom's WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE [1969], which I watched recently).

As I said, many hilarious gags revolve around the run-down condition of the unfinished hotel – but the scene shifts halfway through to an outing in town (which turns into a massive scuffle and lands the group in jail); the climactic farewell party, then, sees the hotel – literally on its last legs – as it's flooded and crumbling around them. CARRY ON ABROAD (on which a certain Sun Tan Lo Tion served as technical adviser) is one of the more satisfying latter-day efforts from the gang – but, ultimately, it's a notch below classic series titles such as CARRY ON COWBOY (1965), CARRY ON SCREAMING! (1966) and CARRY ON...UP THE KHYBER (1968).

Package Holiday Piffery.

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 10 August 2015]

The 24th film in the Carry On series finds the cast partaking in a package holiday to Els Bels. Once arriving they find their hotel still under construction and nobody much likes the company they are in!

This is actually one film that boasted the most regular Carry On cast members, something which carries the pic up above and through some choppy waters. Leaning heavily towards the more bawdy side of the franchise, it obviously couldn't appeal to everyone. This is the 1970s in Britain and it was becoming a place of decadent sexuality, which sees the makers earnest in their attempts to capture the zeitgeist of the time. Also one tends to think they had to be aware of the more openly sexual nature of some other comedy films of the era, thus they had to compete.

This is great fun for series fans, an absolute ramshackle holiday experience, the very definition of a cheap deal that "WAS" too good to be true. The makers bombard us purposely with stereotypes - the Brits abroad crassness, the bad food and excessive drinking, the undersexed and the oversexed clientèle, bad weather, nudity, a raucous set to at a red light establishment, sexual stimulants and on it goes - no sand pebble is left unturned.

Cast are great, reliable sorts with such cheeky material to work from. Peter Buterworth takes the leading honours as the hotel manager trying to convince everyone this hotel from hell is a paradise! and he is well supported by June Whitfield who makes one of her more expansive ventures into the series. The double entendre's flow, the chaotic scenes stack up and the corn is well and truly laid on a plate. Suffice to say this is not about pathos or intelligent meanings!

The finale is two-fold and great for fans, the drunken party on the last night at the hotel literally is crash bang and wallop, while the collective character closure at Sid and Joan's English bar has a warmness to it that fans can relate to. Charles Hawtrey, the legendary skeleton on legs, left the series here, playing an alcoholic rogue, the makers accepting his real life issues and incorporating it into his farewell performance for some poignant reflection. 7/10

The Rain in Spain

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 20 December 2013]

Tourist travel gets the Carry On troupe's special treatment in Carry On Abroad. I think this film might have been inspired by the American movie If It's Tuesday It Must Be Belgium.

A whole bunch of our Carry On regulars go on a vacation tour in Spain with Kenneth Williams as the tour guide. Among others on the tour are Sid James, Joan Sims, Bernard Bresslaw, Charles Hawtrey and curvaceous Sally Geeson.

They've booked a vacation at Peter Butterworth's hotel. The problem is that it isn't finished and he's having labor problems. Nevertheless these British tourists have reservations for his little inn in Spain. And the problems resulting from the incomplete construction are where the comedy comes from.

Some really great events when a whole bunch of the Carry On regulars invade the local bordello and get arrested. But the climax is one for the books when several people spike the punch and the hotel's very foundation starts cracking due to the unfinished construction. Poor Butterworth is trying to warn all these drunk tourists of the danger and no one pays him heed.

A lot of laughs in this Carry On film, don't miss it.

Room servicings?

[hugh1971 · 4 August 2004]

A hilarious low budget romp for the carry on team. This film sends up both foriegners and Brits. The new idea of package holidays was a rich vein for comedy in the early seventies (see also the brilliant 'Are You Being Served' film), a time when most British people had never been abroad before (except perhaps during the war), so there was much scope for humour.

Amazingly the British weather held up long enough for the island of Elsbels (Camber Sands) to look convincingly like a mediterranean resort (well...in winter anyway!) but a large number of scenes are indoors anyway, so it doesn't matter. All the usual smut, innuendo, and gags about falling down hotels are there, and I defy anyone not to chuckle a few times. The only slight downside is the rather poor acting by Kenneth Williams' assistant, but she is extremely 'easy on the eye' so gets away with it.

My favourite scene is when the prison guard gives the gang the 'fine old British gesture' of two fingers up, to which Kenneth Connor replies 'Damned FILTH!'.

Better than expected late entry to the series

[Tweekums · 7/10 · 2 January 2013]

Publican Vic Flange is looking forward to a holiday in the Spanish resort of Elsbels with customer Sadie Tomkins; that is until another customer starts talking about it in front of Mrs. Flange... when she insists on going too it is inevitable Vic won't be getting the holiday he'd hoped for. We are introduced to the other holidaymakers as they board the coach to the airport; they include Evelyn Blunt and her henpecked husband Stanley, tour leader Stuart Farquhar, a group of monks and dipsomaniac Eustace Tuttle. When they get to Spain it becomes apparent that their brand new resort hotel is so new they haven't finished building it nor is it fully staffed. The rooms aren't good either with shared bathrooms and wardrobes with no backs which enabled people to see into the next room. Inevitably everybody complains and things don't improve the next day when the 'glorious sunshine' turns into pouring rain.

Watching this I have to wonder whether it was sponsored by the English Tourist board as it doesn't make an overseas holiday seem an attractive proposition! Being fairly late in the Carry On series there is inevitably plenty of less than subtle innuendo and some mild nudity (a glimpse of Barbara Windsor's bare backside); thankfully though it isn't too bad and there are plenty of laughs to be had from the silliness of the situations. It was great seeing most of the core Carry On team putting in enjoyable performances. I was not at all surprised to learn that none of it was filmed overseas; as the holiday makers sunbathe the lighting is that of a grey English day and we don't even see the sea... odd given that they are meant to be on the beach; perhaps the budget didn't stretch to a visit to Southend! Overall I'd say this isn't a bad Carry On film but it is far from a classic.

The ninth best Carry on Film

[Committed_to_nitrate · 6/10 · 23 December 2023]

RANKING: one of the best of the modern-dress ones. The humour is a bit more smutty than in some but it's not dirty - it's still funny.

TYPICAL: Like all their non-historical films since CAMPING, they're all the exact same story but with different names. By 1972 when they made this, they'd got the recipe just right, it just clicks. Whilst hardly the height of sophisticated wit, every single line of the script seems to be a silly smutty double entendre. It's almost clever! One of the running gags is a local drink which makes you see the young ladies in their underwear - it's that sort of humour so if If you like this type of thing, this will be perfect for you. Unlike the last few films they did, this one's genuinely funny because it's silly and smutty rather than rude and offensive.

SEXY LADIES: The other essential of a Carry On film is saucy, sexy ladies and in this one we have them in abundance. The man (definitely a man) who did the casting must have particularly enjoyed that job. What's really surprising is how weirdly charming and innocent the gratuitous nudity is! Somewhere on set someone must have been told to ring a bell every five minutes signifying that whichever young lady was in frame at that moment they had to get their boobs out. The worthy winner of this 'adult' musical chairs game is usually Barbara Windsor. Her frequent toplessness is however never seedy and never vulgar, it's always done for laughs which makes her so endearing.

"Technical Adviser - Sun Tan Lo Tion." (Rolling Credits).

[ianlouisiana · 7/10 · 28 January 2008]

There are many,many gags in "Carry on Abroad".Some of them,even 35 years later,are very funny,others perhaps ugly,even hurtful to an audience to whom the Music Hall tradition is lost in the mists of time. Mr Jimmy Logan - a brilliant Scottish Comic on the stage - seems almost barbaric,a genuine unregenerate throwback to the worst kind of leering,bottom - pinching,wandering - hands,bottom of the bill low comedian from the seediest of "Lost Empires".Compared to Mr Logan,Sid James comes on like Hugh Grant.You don't have to be a feminist to feel uncomfortable about Mr Logan's performance,but he might complain - like Gloria Swanson - that it's the movies that have got smaller. Contrast that with the defiant and rather poignant portrayal by Miss Joan Sims as Sid James' long - suffering wife.As in "Carry on Doctor",Miss Sims confounds our expectations with a performance of subtlety and depth that would not seem out of place in a 40s Ealing comedy. Charles Hawtrey - in his last "Carry on" - is like a man on Speed; once away from the baleful influence of his mother his behaviour is almost demented.It is a most uncharacteristic turn. As is usual in "Carry ons",the overt sexism is expiated by the eventual triumph of the Female,as nearly all the men are in thrall to women in one way or the other. I must make a special mention of the wonderful Miss June Whitfield. Nearly sixty years of brilliant comedy on wireless,TV and movies,and she shows no sign of slowing down.Although hardly a sex symbol,here she is very winsome as the unfortunate repressed wife of a rampant Kenneth Connor who rediscovers herself in the arms of a not - very - Spanish Ray Brooks. Peter Butterworth,a favourite of mine since his days on children's' television in the early 1950s,is pleasingly manic as the hotel proprietor,although Miss Hattie Jacques' eccentric talents are wasted as his very peculiar wife. The incomparable Miss Barbara Windsor does so well what she does best,and if,as alleged,Sid James was infatuated with her,one could hardly blame him. The "Carry ons" blew hot and cold over the years,but along with "Carry on Dick","Abroad" is one of the last of the good ones.

Surprisingly entertaining, and a huge surprise!

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 18 September 2009]

Of course it isn't my favourite Carry On, but it is a surprisingly entertaining instalment in the franchise. I did watch this thinking is it going to be good, after hearing a lot of negative things, saying how disappointing it was. It's not their best, but it is hugely entertaining. There are some slow moments in the plot, the script is a tad uneven in places, and it is noticeably lower in budget than a Carry On like Up The Khyber and Screaming. However, that said, there is a lot to enjoy. There are many priceless scenes, especially the prison scene(when the prison guard does the rude hand gesture, and Kenneth Williams cries "Dammed Filth") though my favourite was the hotel rapidly falling to bits, made worse by one of the characters jumping on the bed, and the bed falls through the ceiling. Another treat is the performances. Kenneth Williams and Sidney James are both hilarious, likewise with Charles Hawtrey and Kenneth Connor, and Barbara Windsor and Joan Sims are consistently great. All in all, enjoyable, not the best, but not as bad as critics say it is. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Hell's Bells

[didi-5 · 8/10 · 4 January 2007]

Lots of people dismiss this as one of the weaker entries in the 'Carry On' series, but I think it represents the typical storyline and characterisations which showed the team at their best.

Here, Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Joan Sims, June Whitfield, Kenneth Connor, Jimmy Logan, Barbara Windsor, Charles Hawtrey, Peter Butterworth, Bernard Bresslaw, and Hattie Jacques liven up proceedings when they take a holiday in the most horrendous hotel and resort there is to stay in.

With a character name like 'Stuart Farquhar', Williams gets the brunt of a lot of the jokes with the hotel host (Butterworth) constantly mispronouncing all or both. And throw in a rainstorm, a bowl of punch, some monks, randy husbands and stuffy wives, and busty blondes, and you have the ingredients for a 'Carry On' success!

Carry on Abroad

[CinemaSerf · 6/10 · 28 May 2023]

So this time, our gang of double-entendre specialists head to the resort of "Elsbels" on the Costa somewhere for a long weekend. Of course the hotel isn't finished, and that's not the only thing that isn't. Though at times it is quite amusing, for the most part the script just plays to the talent and they are not really on best form. We are frequently left with some overly contrived stereotypes and a humour that is just a bit too coarse. Not that there isn't smut a-plenty in the others of this franchise, but that is usually a little more subtle. To be fair, it doesn't hang about - the gags come thick and fast, and are delivered by a well-oiled machine that knows exactly what it is doing. Sadly, though, it has aged badly and though I reckon the female characters fare slightly better than the men on the humour front, nobody here can say this is their finest work - not even the donkey.

'You will have plenty of laughings' OR 'I tried It once and I did like it'.

[BA_Harrison · 8/10 · 4 February 2015]

The Carry On team tackle that other British staple of the 1970s, the package holiday to the Med for some sun, sea, and a bit of 'how's your father?'; the result is another seriously silly caper full of low-brow humour and cheap titillation that is more fun than doing a drunken flamenco on a tapas bar table. Olé!

Kenneth Williams plays travel guide Stuart Farquhar (Stupid what?), who leads a troupe of happy-go-lucky holidaymakers to the resort of Elsbels. With Sid James, Charles Hawtree, Joan Sims, Babs Windsor, Kenneth Connor, and Bernard Besslaw amongst the travellers, hilarity is most definitely on the agenda, especially since the hotel they are booked into is not only seriously understaffed, but also isn't quite finished being built.

Having left their inhibitions back in England, the Gang proceed to drink, fight and flirt their way through the week, getting in trouble with the local police, partaking of a suspicious looking aphrodisiac purchased on an excursion, and partying while the hotel collapses, all of which allows for plenty of smutty innuendo, daft slapstick, and a spot of welcome T&A from Carry On regular Windsor, babes Carol Hawkins and Sally Geeson, and total hottie Gail Grainger as Williams' sexy assistant Miss Plunkett.

7.5 out of 10, rounded up to 8 for IMDb.

Very funny, but too much sexual innuendos to be perfect...

[markovd111 · 7/10 · 5 January 2020]

Performances are great and when movie pulls the cards right, everything is great and you laugh at genius slapstick gags. But then into play comes the fact that this movie was made in period of sexual revolution where exploring of sexuality become more present everywhere. Movie is so full of sexual innuendos and it's whole theme is sex, that I honestly think that "American Pie" wasn't so full of things like this. It kinda ruins the fun and after a while becomes too much and you become bored with it, if not appalled by it. Don't get me wrong, it's not that bad (I watched it with my mom) and I saw far worse in my childhood, but it still doesn't change the fact that it's dumb and unnecessary. I give it 7.5/10. It's a good comedy movie full of laugh, but be ready for bombardment with the sex theme.

Carry OFF

[niaz_islam · 2/10 · 25 June 2021]

The film is about a holiday package where number of individuals go away for a while. Everyone of the individual had a personal quirk to make the audience laugh.

The story was quite unflattering. Most of the pun used in the scenes were quite foolish, probably because the script was poorly written. Comic was supposed to be the center of the film but the film failed to make the case. The screenplay was equally bad and so does the casting. There is not a single element in the story that will encourage the viewer to carry on watching.

Not recommended.

fantastic

[rossrobinson · 7 April 2004]

Carry on Abroad is another fantastic classic 1970's movie. I love this movie and it is one of the best i have ever seen as well as the other carry on movie. Sid James is my favourite in all the other actors and actresses, the reason why i like him the best is because of the sense of hunour he comes out with and the laugh he does in the movies he starred in. That makes me laugh whenever he laughs. He is a fantastic actor and i think he has a great sense of humour which i am sure some people like to have with them all the time. I certainlly like to have someone giving me a great sense of humour. The other actors and actresses in the carry on movies were fantastic, but i still think Sid James is the best. Kenneth Williams is my second favourite in the carry on movies. He also is funny and a great actor. I give carry on abroad 10 out of 10.

Innuendo Heaven

[comedyfan71 · 7/10 · 27 March 2024]

Going off of the rating on IMDB and the user score on Rotten Tomatoes, this is one of the best Carry On films. I wouldn't put it in the upper echelon of the series, but it's one of the better entries and maybe the best out of all of the post 1960s films.

Most of the usuals are here, with Charles Hawtrey starring in his final Carry On. It's a lot more smutty than earlier entries in the series, though compared to England and Emmanuelle it's like a kids film. Peter Butterworth is very entertaining in his role. I wasn't a fan of the last 20 or so minutes, the whole ending with the elixir felt pretty weak, rushed and mostly wasn't very funny.

Pretty amusing overall with a charm that isn't present in later entries.

Costa Carry on

[fostrhod · 6/10 · 14 March 2019]

Carry On Abroad, zenophobic, lazy Spanish, package tours, half built hotels, horny/frustrated brits abroad, the carry on team back on form. Houourable mention to Charles Hawtrey in his last film. 6/10 classic.

Sparkling form

[eddos2803 · 7/10 · 25 December 2018]

The Carry On crew hit form with Carry On Abroad. Hattie Jaques is absolutely on form as is Peter Butterworth as the hotel staff. The other regulars seem to enjoy the setting and it all works well. All in all the film is a return to form and rates as the best of the series, above Carry On Camping

Nicely Representative Carry On Cast

[vox-sane · 6/10 · 22 September 2010]

"Carry On" movies come in three basic flavors. Several early ones are heart-warming but still happily silly. The historical and movie spoofs ("Jack", "Spying", "Cowboy", "Cleo", "Jungle" etc.) are preferred by many aficionados. The third kind are set in ('70s) modern dress with scripts containing wall-to-wall double-entendres. And single-entendres.

"Carry on Abroad" is a quintessential example of the third type. Of the long-term "Carry On" repertory company Connor, Williams, Hawtrey, Sims, Jacques, James, Windsor, Bresslaw and Butterworth appear. Adding June Whitfield (making her first "Carry On" since "Nurse" more than a dozen years before) and the twitching Jack Douglas (in his second "Carry On" movie outing) gives the film a nicely representative "Carry On" cast.

"Carry On Abroad" takes its cast on a tour to a foreign resort (actually, the parking lot of the studio), where Murphy's Law is proved at every turn. Kenneth Williams runs the tour agency, Peter Butterworth and Hattie Jacques run the hotel that hasn't been completed, and the rest run rampant.

Some of the attitudes are offensive by today's standards – but some of the attitudes were offensive back then, too. Some of the attitudes will continue to be offensive in the future, whether posterity becomes more Victorian in sentiment, or whether it continues to expand into politically-correct, anti-free speech liberalism. "Carry On" movies of this flavor were made to offend.

"Carry On Abroad" does have a serious bone in its body, too, in the June Whitfield sub-plot, but that doesn't detract us long.

The six stars should be taken in context. "Carry On" movies were made as cheaply as possible and are not meant to be judged in the same way as one appraises, say, "Doctor Zhivago"

I tried it once and didn't like it (I absolutely love it)

[Sleepin_Dragon · 10/10 · 17 October 2015]

They didn't just make a great movie with Carry on Abroad, they nailed it, this is my favourite of the films, I think it's up there with Screaming.

So they didn't have a big budget, and it wasn't filmed in Spain, but it doesn't matter. Filmed entirely in England, during what appears to be the colder months they somehow manage to get away with it. It's not the first time a leap of faith is needed in a film.

Package holidays really took off for Brits in the 70's so it was only natural that the gang had one of their own. One of the strongest casts of all time, they're pretty much all there, and all on top form.

Noted for being the last Carry on film to feature Charles Hawtrey, bit of an in joke for the production team I think, having Charles's character Mr Tuttle as an alcoholic, with an overbearing Mother, a sad way for him to have bowed out.

Kenneth Williams is awesome, Charles Hawtrey is hilarious and it's my favourite Carry on outing for Kenneth Connor, only Gail Grainger was a little questionable, but she looked the part, it was her first acting role to be fair.

Some of the funniest lines and humour in any of the Carry of films, yes in parts it was smutty, quite rude, we were getting mild nudity, but at times it was brilliant, the best part for me being the dialogue between Sid and June Whitfield, 'I tried it once and didn't like it,' that was genius.

An out and out classic, bawdy and laugh out loud funny. 10/10

Carry on enjoying in the last hurrah of the series

[tonypeacock-1 · 7/10 · 23 May 2020]

My second favourite of the long running franchise signalled the departure from many facets that made the series so enduring in the U.K. for well over a decade.

In that I mean the primary "team" are all here together for perhaps the final time. The cast look like they are having as much fun as I was watching.

The film marked the final appearance of series veteran Charles Hawtrey whose sad demise into alcoholism is parodied by his character.

The plot concerns a four day mini-break to a Spanish holiday island, Elsbels.

At the time of release in 1972, package holidays abroad were becoming more popular amongst the British.

Trouble is the hotel isn't complete and is seriously understaffed!

Plenty of jokes, some sexist and overtly homophobic characterisation by modern standards.

The typical budgetary constraints on Carry On productions are evident such as a gasometer in shot behind Elsbels airport and the cast 'sunbathing' in a Pinewood Studios carpark!

From here the series was never the same and slowly died.

I've often thought could the series be rekindled with current day 'comic' actors and I don't think it could.

One Of The Weaker Carry On Films

[sqdb · 4/10 · 16 June 2015]

This film was the one where the Carry On team go on a package holiday to the Elsbels resort. Needless to say, things don't go as planned...

This has always been one of the weaker Carry On films, in my opinion. The cast look bored, they don't have enough to do and it just isn't very funny. Barbara Windsor plays her usual slutty character and she is starting to look her age here. Peter Butterworth has a larger role than usual, though and I found him to be quite funny in this. The film was also the last Carry On appearance of Charles Hawtrey, who is frequently seen in the film with a bottle or a drink in his hand, which was perhaps a reference to his personal life. June Whitfield and Kenneth Connor both returned to the series in this film, after an absence of many years. Carol Hawkins and Sally Geeson (sister of Judy Geeson) provide the glamour. They also both appeared in the Bless This House film, released the same year and also starring Sid James. Carol would also later appear in Carry on Behind and Sally had a cameo in Carry On Girls. Scottish actor/comedian Jimmy Logan also provides the "comic relief" and plays the typical randy holidaymaker, who later forms a romantic relationship with Barbara Windsor's character. I had never heard of him before and, quite frankly, I found his character very overbearing and irritating and out of place. Most of the other series regulars appear, though Hattie Jacques has a smaller part as the hotel cook. TV actor Ray Brooks, who later starred in the 1980s TV series Big Deal, also appears as a randy waiter.

The film has a noticeable lack of jokes, relying too much on innuendo to carry the film. This would become more prevalent in the 1970s Carry On films. To sum up, this is not one of the funniest of the Carry On films and I would only recommend it to Carry On completists or fans of cheesy 1970s comedy. Definitely one of the less funnier entries in the series and I would only recommend this to Carry On completists.

Stupid what?!

[pbbuffyhugs · 10/10 · 28 August 2006]

After 'Carry On At Your Convenience' this is the funniest of the 70's Carry On movies. Featuring the fullest rota of team members since 'Carry On Doctor' this is an absolute delight that bears up on continued viewings just because it's so 'in-your-face-stupid'. Taking the pee out of foreigners for any one British is always funny-Peter Butterworth is fantastic as the hotel owner who thinks he's running the best place going despite the fact it's still being built and clearly has less stars than an x-factor knockout round and Hattie Jacques finally gets to cast off her matron persona as his constantly cussing bad tempered missus, she is brilliant in this. The dialogue in this is amongst the best in the series... Peter Butterworth continually calling Stuart Farquar (Kenneth Williams) MISTER FARKY-ARSE just sums up the feel good humour on display- indeed the best bit is the interchange between these two characters when they first meet:

Williams... I'm Stuart Farquar

Butterworth (Immediately)... Stupid What?

Williams... STUART FARQUAR

James... I think he was right the first time.

Classic Carry On. Another great exchange is when Sid James is Talking to June Whitfield:

James...Drink?

Whitfield... I Tried It Once And Didn't Like It

James... Smoke?

Whitfield...I Tried It Once And Didn't Like It

James... That's Unusual

Whitfield... My Daughter's The Same

James... Your Only Child I Presume...!!

Talbot Rothwell at his best.

This was Charles Hawtrey's last 'Carry On' and subsequent entries in the series declined in quality. This is the last 'modern day' film in the classic run (Emmannuelle and Behind excluded- Talbot Rothwell and Sid were gone) and as such along with 'Dick' can be seen as one of the last of the True Carry on's. Just enjoy it for what it is, unpretentious and a bloody good laugh.

After 'Screaming' And 'At Your Convenience' my 3rd favourite 'Carry On' movie.

Brilliant. 10/10

ps, a previous reviewer of this film commented on a 'Missing Scene' that had Sid in a monk's robe.... The scene actually appears in 'Carry On Camping' and belongs to that film.

A holiday to remember

[pietclausen · 7/10 · 4 November 2021]

This carry on movie excels with most of the normal carry on members up to their customary clowning and frolicking around. Many situations for a good laugh arise as they fumble from one crisis to the next. A holiday abroad earns a star rating of 7.

Carry On Abroad

[jboothmillard · 4/10 · 18 January 2008]

I have always liked the Carry On films, with their double-meaning sexual innuendo dialogue and moments of slapstick comedy, but I can see why the critics give this one two stars. Basically, many British people are gathering on a coach to go on a Spanish holiday to an island called Elsbels to the Palace Hotel. What they didn't know is that it is not completely built, plus they have to share bathrooms with their neighbours, they have crap draws, and many other complications and complaints that the owner Pepe (Peter Butterworth, putting on quite an amusing accent, e.g. peace sounding like the bad P word). Starring Sid James as Vic Flange, Kenneth Williams as Stuart Farquhar, Charles Hawtrey as Eustace Tuttle, Joan Sims as Cora Flange, Barbara Windsor as Sadie Tomkins, Kenneth Connor as Stanley Blunt, an apparently crap (I personally can't remember who he is) Jimmy Logan as Bert Conway, June Whitfield as Evelyn Blunt, Hattie Jacques as Floella (a ridiculous hag character, not as memorable as her usual Matron), Bernard Bresslaw as Brother Bernard, Sally Geeson as Lily, Carol Hawkins as Marge, Jack Douglas as Harry and Patsy Rowlands as Miss Dobbs. I admit it is not great, but there are just enough dialogue gags, and of course Babs in the shower, and going to to her bum with that iconic whistle, and later a rapid rip off of her bra. Okay!

not everyones favourite, but its my best!

[boffins · 6 July 2002]

I don't know how well perceived the Carry On's are in the States, but I like to think us Brits consider them a national treasure. This is on the usual format, lots of characters, lots of silly antics, etc, but again the British films of these genre are always getting on the wrong end of critisism, they are harmless fun, and the Carry On's are the best for this, put them on if you are feeling down, or ill, they are guaranteed to make you feel better, whether you're a fan of the King of cool himself (Sir)Sidney James, Kenneth Williams' overly campness, Charles Hawtrey's ability to mock himself, Barbara Windsor's amazing sexiness,Kenneth Connor, Peter Butterworth etc etc, this has it all. buy them all*******