Watch Your Stern

The crew of a British naval cruiser are assigned the mission of testing the new acoustic torpedo, code named The Creeper. The first test goes well but an accident involving gin, electrical plans for the ship's refrigeration system and bumbling OS Blissworth see the secret plans go up in flames. With the Admiral coming to the ship to view the plans and discuss the trials, Captain Foster and Lt Cmdr Fanshawe have to conceal the destruction from him until they can get the only other copy back to the ship.

Being a Carry On film in all but name, this film has more in common with the gentle humour of the start of the series rather than the crude innuendo of the later years. However this is not to say that it is funny and entertaining because, really it is far too slight to stick in the memory or provide more than basic, dated entertainment. The plot is solid enough to suit the gentle comic tone, although it is hardly the sort of narrative that you will be coming to it for. The laughs are gentle but does enough to provide a pleasant distraction on a wet and windy Sunday afternoon (which is just what it was when I watched it!), just don't expect to be rolling in the aisles with tears in your eyes because it isn't that sort of humour.

The cast help it be better than the material suggests it should be. Connor is given the "dressing up" role to deliver but he does it well and shows a nice comic touch throughout. Barker and Philips play the management-types well and provide some nice laughs. Sims doesn't have a great deal to do but Jacques makes an impression with her usual, boisterous characters. The rest of the cast are good but mainly just given cameo roles to deliver; James, Milligan, Sykes and a few others add some nice laughs and all make good use of their limited screen time. Connor though is the one that stands out and it was nice to see him having the lead with so many other famous names in support.

Overall, not the greatest of films and even fans of the period won't see it as anything more than a slight but fun little comedy. The plot sets up the usual gentle antics and the cast make the most of the comic tone to provide a nice distraction for viewers looking for an old fashioned British comedy to enjoy as part of a relaxing afternoon in front of a nice fire and a cup of tea.

There were a number of naval comedies made at this time,Carry On Admiral,Up the Creek,The Navy Lark.This is is one of the lesser examples of these nautical comedies.Kenneth Connor was a fine comedy character actor but he wasnt capable of carrying a film with a rather unfunny script.Eric Sykes and Spike Milligan contribute an unpleasant racist cameo

I watched this film on British television quite a long time ago. I remember it as being a perfectly acceptable black and white British comedy, in the style of the better Carry On movies. Despite a cast of successful British comic actors, it is really memorable for the performances of star Kenneth Connor, whose character I seem to recall disguises himself as a woman and a Scottish scientist (there may have been other disguises that I can't remember so well). Connor was surely the most versatile and underrated actor of the Carry On ensemble, and this film showcases him at his best.

Some of the external location scenes for this film, were shot at the then H.M. Dockyard, Chatham, when it was still a working Naval Dockyard. The Dockyard is now closed, but the historical part, which includes the Main Gatehouse seen in the film, is open to the public. The gatehouse has featured in a number of TV programmes and films. In one film, 'Let Him Have It', which told the story of Derek Bentley, the Gatehouse was used to depict the entrance to the prison, where Bentley was held prior to his execution. Other parts of the Dockyard used includes the Admirals Offices, which was used in the first series of the British TV series 'Cats Eyes', filmed in the early 1980's, which starred Jill Gascoigne and Leslie Ash.

Watch your Stern is a brilliant movie. Kenneth Connor's performance is one of his best, and if truth be told, (and with exception of Peter Sellers of course), Connor was funnier than any of the other English Comic greats of the time such as Frankie Howerd & Kenneth Williams. Carry on movie creators Peter Rogers & Gerald Thomas, do well on this movie and there's enough Carry on regulars here to make you wish it was an official member of the series. Eric Sykes and Leslie Phillips are still with us, but the rest of the main cast have sadly all passed away, but their contributions to British Comedy will live on through this hilarious movie. Sid James, Hattie Jacques, Eric Barker, Joan Sims, Spike Milligan and of course the great Kenneth Connor, they must have God in stiches up there.