Carry on Again Doctor (1969) User Reviews

Moore-Nookie.

[hitchcockthelegend · 7/10 · 25 October 2012]

The 18th of the Carry On series and the third of the medical themed adventures, plot finds Jim Dale as Doctor Nookie, who is stitched up by his superiors and sent to a tropical Beautific island to tender medical treatment to the natives. What he actually finds when he gets there is a rainy windswept isle that has no need for his services at all. The compound is run by Gladstone Screwer (Sid James), a crafty old sort who deals in whisky and cigarettes and has a wife for every day of the week. Screwer also has something else of interest that perks up the flagging interest of Nookie, a potion that considerably aids weight loss. Nookie senses an opportunity to make a financial killing back in Blighty whilst simultaneously getting one over the superiors who had him sent to his island misery.

This was the last of 10 Carry On films for Jim Dale before he returned for the ill conceived "modern" reinvention that was Carry On Columbus in 1992. I don't know if the makers knew that Dale would be leaving the series and thus made him the lead character in this jovial farce? But it proves to be a smart move. One of the unsung heroes of the series, Dale's energy and comic reactions to plot situations were always a joy to watch, and here, with James in customary wise cracking support, he lifts the film above the ordinary with a show of endearing buffoonery. He also did his own stunts and broke his arm on this production. Director Gerald Thomas keeps things brisk, with the double location axis of the plot stopping things from stagnating visually, Charles Hawtrey goes undercover in drag to provide the last third of the film with some quality laughs and the likes of Barbara Windsor and Valerie Leron raise the pulses considerably.

Thin of plot but big on charm and laughs, one of the better Carry On movies. 7.5/10

My brief review of the film

[sol- · 7/10 · 25 June 2005]

Loaded with funny jokes, and featuring Kenneth Williams at his very finest, this is one of the strongest entries in the Carry On series. Sure, it is rather silly in a number of different ways, and the music and sound effects choices are quite poor, plus there is some fast motion used very ineffectively - but otherwise there is little not to like in it. The characters are simply great, the plot is rather interesting, and there are some good, though briefly shown, tropical locations. It is all rather well shot and definitely well written. Overall, it is surprising that this entry does not have a better reputation.

Carry on Again Doctor

[CinemaSerf · 6/10 · 6 August 2023]

I never really took to Jim Dale in these films, and here he isn't really any better. He is the disgraced "Dr. Nookey" who after an assignation that went a bit wrong, is despatched to a distant hospital where he encounters "Screwer" (Sid James) - the procurer of a miraculous slimming formula. Determined to capitalise on this, he returns to Britain and with Hattie Jacques again donning her matron's uniform is soon making a mint. His good fortune attracts the attention of his erstwhile boss "Dr. Carver" (Kenneth Williams) and soon he has to fend of those not just envious of his success, but also those who want to see him six feet under (theatrically speaking!). I think the clue here is in the title: "Again". This is really just a rehash of old jokes and old scenarios just topped and tailed with a different front page. The jokes have been versioned several times before and to be honest, I felt the cast looked a little battle-weary. Barbara Windsor is growing in confidence and owning the screen more now, Joan Sims still has some of the best one-liners (along with James) and the film certainly doesn't hang about - but there are only just so many times Williams can flare his nostrils before you actually want some smoke to come out.

Is there a doctor in the house?

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 19 November 2014]

The Carry On troupe takes on the medical profession in Carry On Again Doctor. Of course Carry On is exactly what at least one doctor is doing.

In fact Jim Dale is the bane of the existence of Doctors Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey who run a clinic in London. The Dickensian named Dale as Dr. Nookey has little trouble getting plenty of that at the clinic and he keeps Williams and Hawtrey constantly agitated.

But an accidental and I do mean accidental indiscretion with a female patient brings Dale an assignment to a south seas island clinic run by the cheerfully hedonistic Sid James. James has invented a weight loss remedy and the shapely shape of some of the south sea native female population is proof it works. Funny how everyone seems interested in only seeing how it works on women.

Lots of typical Carry On bawdy humor in Carry On Again Doctor. I do so love seeing Hawtrey in drag on an industrial espionage mission so to speak.

One of the weirdest Carry on films

[Hayden-86055 · 6/10 · 16 January 2021]

Carry on Again Doctor fits a lot of different plot features into a short amount of time, there's also a lot of regulars here, in fact too many regulars to give enough screen time to each of them. One odd fact here is that Jim Dale broke his arm on set whilst doing one of his own stunts.

The plot is very odd, involving a magic (?) formula found in a jungle that gives everyone who drinks it incredible weight loss. And then they open a clinic to sell the stuff.

6/10: Jim Dale is lovable but the plot is just too bizarre for words. It's like three films put into one

A densely-plotted sequel

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 9 January 2015]

Fans of the original CARRY ON DOCTOR might well be forgiven for assuming that this rushed-out sequel offers more of exactly the same, and indeed for the first half of the production that's exactly the case. Once more, the setting of the film is a hospital, with Hattie Jacques as Matron and Kenneth Williams as a pompous doctor. It's all very warm and familiar, with most of the Carry On team present and correct. Once again, Jim Dale is the focus of the slapstick comedy, and there's also a meatier role for Charles Hawtrey who gets probably the most screen time of his Carry On career.

So far, so predictable and yet so amusing - fans will be in their element with another assured, confident piece of film-making, packed with seaside postcard-style humour. And then at the halfway point things change; there are exotic locales and a surprisingly densely-plotted narrative involving a magical weight loss elixir. This all builds to an unpredictable climax with multiple factions attempting to get one over on each other; it's the most complex script-writing of the series since the early 1960s, and proved to be a great and welcome surprise for this fan.

One of the funnier Carry On outings

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 11 April 2010]

I love a vast majority of the Carry On films such as Screaming, Cleo and Up the Khyber, and this entry is no exception. Sidney James is underused but still has fun as Gladstone Screwer, admittedly an odd name,and the film does feel a little short but Carry on Again Doctor is still very funny and entertaining. Jim Dale does an above decent job taking centre stage as Doctor Nookey, with excellent comic timing. Kenneth Williams is great as always, and Charles Hawtrey has one of his better outings as Dr Stoppidge, allowing to hiss vehemently and bitterly. The locations of the Bautific Islands are very nice, and the script is filled with one liners that are witty and hilarious. Plus the slapstick finale is genuinely funny, quite possibly one of the funnier finales in the franchise. 8/10 Bethany Cox

CARRY ON AGAIN DOCTOR (Gerald Thomas, 1969) **1/2

[Bunuel1976 · 6/10 · 9 February 2008]

Being the third outing in the series to be set against a medical backdrop, I was fully expecting this to be a tired rehash of old gags and ideas; however, I found it quite an agreeable latter-day entry – if still essentially second-tier material.

The cast sees Kenneth Williams, Hattie Jacques and Jim Dale in more or less similar roles as its predecessor CARRY ON DOCTOR (1967); on the other hand, Sid James, Joan Sims, Charles Hawtrey and Barbara Windsor play different characters. Also, the mid-section of the film reverts to a tropical island setting (to which Dale has been assigned as a punishment, and where wily orderly James is stationed – though, even in such remote surroundings, he manages to keep up-to-date with English soccer results via coded drum-playing from the natives!).

Some of the best gags involve Dale's accident-prone antics at the hospital early on (including his examination of scantily-clad starlet Windsor) and the latter stages set in Dale's private clinic (James has devised a concoction which turns out to be an effective slimming treatment – subsequently exploited by Dale under the patronage of wealthy Sims), which also sees Hawtrey once again in drag (he's a doctor who's jealous of Dale and has infiltrated the clinic on a mission for Dale's ex-superior/now-rival Williams). Series regular Peter Butterworth only has one wacky scene; other bits highlight Wilfrid Brambell (uncredited as an eccentric patient), lovely Valerie Leon (as Dale's sultry secretary) and future Mrs. Michael Caine Shakira Baksh (as a native-girl who successfully undertakes James' miraculous cure).

Quite weak and silly

[grantss · 4/10 · 11 January 2016]

Quite weak and silly.

Despite the title and containing at least four actors and actresses from it, not a sequel to Carry on Doctor. A young doctor, Dr Nookey (played by Jim Dale) suffers a professional disgrace and is sent to a remote island. There he discovers a tonic that causes rapid weight-loss, ideal for obese people. He goes back to England and makes a fortune off the treatment...

One of the more silly Carry On movies, and certainly not as good as Carry on Doctor. Carry on Doctor had its fair share of slapstick, but also had some fairly clever jokes and was generally good fun.

Carry on Again Doctor is much more low-brow. Too many nudge-nudge- wink-wink sort of jokes and silly, random scenes.

Overall: not that funny and not worth watching.

Great

[leavymusic-2 · 10/10 · 21 August 2019]

Undervalued final slice of the doctors carry on subjects, hilarious scenes with Dale and all the cast is on top form offering laughs a minute, however dated in places, it still manages to tickle my fancy 50 years after its making.

Jim Dale's opus

[Rrrobert · 7/10 · 15 August 2020]

Jim Dale is the focus of this funny medical comedy.

Carry On Doctor had Dale as a clumsy doctor in a disastrous interaction with Barbara Windsor. Kenneth Williams' supercilious higher-level doctor and Hattie Jacques' scheming matron use Dale's highly public accidents to oust him.

This one starts out like that but Williams and Jacques here play warmer, funnier characters. The relatively complex story has Williams eager to open a fancy clinic funded by Joan Sims' wealthy widow. This involves Dale, who created some explosive disasters at the hospital while trying to woo scantily clad patient Windsor, being packed off to a clinic on a monsoonal island. There he meets Sid James' character, the orderly of the non-functioning medical outpost, who has developed a slimming potion.

Dale is the focus throughout, and he is great fun. This puts Sid James into a reduced role, though he, and Jacques, Windsor, Sims, and Williams, get enough good scenes scattered through the story to keep fans happy. Charles Hawtrey here plays a devious doctor and has many good scenes - in some Carry Ons he is more a recurring comedy bit but here he is more crucial to the story.

Patsy Rowlands makes her debut in a small role with a fun twist. Peter Butterworth has a cool cameo.

Carrying On Inappropriately...

[Xstal · 1/10 · 29 December 2023]

Carrying On Inappropriately with Carry on Again Doctor.

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 Again Doctor.

A slight step down from Carry On Doctor, but it's still a reasonable follow up

[jimbo-53-186511 · 6/10 · 7 May 2023]

After suffering one too many indiscretions, the disgraced Doctor Nookey is packed off to a remote island hospital by the go-getting Doctor Frederick Carver. Whilst this is intended as punishment for Doctor Nookey, the doctor soon learns that the orderly at this hospital Gladstone Screwer has created a secret potion which aids weight-loss. Doctor Nookey returns back to England and sets up a weight-loss clinic with Screwer supplying the potion. However, when several parties learn of Nookey's success they decide that they too want a piece of the action...

Whilst it has some similarities to Carry On Doctor (in the sense that Jim Dale's character is ousted through misunderstandings and mistreatment) Carry On Again Doctor just wasn't quite as good....

It was the first half of the picture for me where the film ran in to some problems; whilst Carry On Doctor didn't have the strongest narrative in the franchise it did feel more focussed; several people were feigning illness and each character was doing all they can to stay in hospital for as long as they could. There was also a small story arc connecting each of the patients which gave Carry On Doctor a bit more structure and purpose until we get to what is the crux of the story.

Carry On Again Doctor doesn't have the same structure and focus and honestly it's all a bit too whacky and I didn't find the characters or the jokes were quite as appealing second time around. Whilst it's hard not to laugh at some of the situations Nookey finds himself in, the laughs come a bit more cheaply and I also felt that Nookey wasn't quite as likeable as the character that he portrayed in Carry On Doctor.

Thankfully, the film does greatly improve in the second half when Nookey meets Screwer (Sid James was wonderful in this type of role and really lit the screen up whenever he was in front of the camera). It carries on is this vein when Nookey returns back to England and sets up the "Moore-Nookey" clinic which is an amusing visual gag in and of itself. Carver's slimy character doing everything he can to obtain the ingredients of said potion is really something and it's poor Dr Stoppidge who is the stooge that is used on this occasion. It must be said that what happens at the end when the wrong potion is administered was both hilarious and unexpected.

In summary then Carry On Again Doctor is saved by a strong second half and by the cast who, as usual, work wonderfully together in making this farce perhaps more enjoyable than it could have been (thank god nearly all of the regulars were here as I felt it could have been worse had they not have been).

It's funny enough to be worth seeing, but it's a tad more unfocussed and not quite as sharp as Carry On Doctor.

Not As Good As The First

[crossbow0106 · 6/10 · 12 April 2008]

I have to give the makers of this film credit from the outset. They could have made Carry On Doctor volume 2, retreading the gags. Although it is a sequel (sort of), this film ventures farther afield, often out of the hospital, where the first Carry On Doctor was set. Most of the crew from the original is here, and they try. Kenneth Williams is, of course, great in his role. More of the same double entendres and one liners are evident. However, the story itself is somewhat flimsy, and a few times I was just shaking my head. I would recommend you see the first one, its great fun. This film has some laughs, just not as many. However, it is a Carry On film, so you're probably going to leave the film smiling at least.

Third time, not so lucky.

[BA_Harrison · 6/10 · 20 July 2013]

With the Carry On gang returning to the medical arena for a third time, it was almost inevitable that the laughs would feel more strained. The script is certainly weaker, with more obvious gags and an over-reliance on puerile slapstick and pratfalls, but the real problem here as far as I am concerned is with the casting, the performers seemingly far less comfortable in their roles this time around.

Jim Dale, who played such a likable physician in Carry On Doctor, struggles as a womanising doctor who takes advantage of others for profit; Charles Hawtrey, so believable as a highly strung patient, is unconvincing as senior house surgeon Doctor Ernest Stoppidge; Babs Windsor is there simply to flash some flesh; and Sid James is wasted as tropical island doctor Gladstone Screwer, a role that feels like an extended cameo.

Meanwhile, Wilfrid Brambell appears in a pointless scene where he gropes a nurse, 70s sexpot Valerie Leon briefly flaunts her cleavage, and Peter Butterworth is demoted to the part of 'Shuffling Patient'. Worst of all, there's no Frankie Howerd or Bernard Bresslaw!

6/10, which is a poor rating from such an avid Carry On fan.

Disappointing 17th proper 'Carry On' film that warps from a sorta sequel into a hodge-podge

[danieljfarthing · 5/10 · 5 November 2023]

After a coupla classics director Gerald Thomas & especially writer Talbot Rothwell goofed up with 1969's "Carry On Again Doctor" that started as a sorta sequel to 1967's "Carry On Doctor" but got warped along the way. Expelled from the hospital of Kenneth Williams, Hattie Jacques & Charles Hawtrey for shenanigans with Babs Windsor, Dr Jim Dale goes to Joan Sims' remote island mission where witch-doctor Sid James shows him a miracle potion to make his fortune back in Blighty with. Its as hodge-podged as it sounds, and despite cameos from the likes of Peter Butterworth & Wilfrid Brambell, proper film #17 in the iconic Brit-com series is a disappointment.

Carry On Again Doctor

[jboothmillard · 8/10 · 1 November 2006]

This is meant to be the sequel to Carry On Doctor, and it is one of the best of all the Carry Ons. All the great British cast are at their best in a situation (hospital) comedy. The story mainly focuses on Doctor Jimmy Nookey (Jim Dale), the troublesome sex-obsessed doctor who wants better things to come to him, and his wish is granted. Model Goldie Locks (a fantastic looking Barbara Windsor) comes in with only hearts on her breasts and bum, and they develop a closer relationship in the hospital. Frederick Carver (Kenneth Williams) however is getting tired of his (to us) hilarious mistakes, so he sends him to a hospital in Africa run by Gladstone Screwer (Sid James). There he first thinks its not a real hospital, but soon he discovers Screwer can make obese eliminating tonic. When he gets back, he buys the building that Carver was going to, who sends disguised Doctor Ernest Stoppidge (Charles Hawtrey) to investigate things. Also starring Joan Sims as Ellen Moore, Hattie Jacques as Matron, Peter Butterworth as Shuffling Patient and Steptoe and Son's Wilfrid Brambell as Mr. Pullen. Filled with great sexy, stupid and innuendo gags, and a great British cast, it is a fantastic Carry On. Carry On films were number 39 on The 100 Greatest Pop Culture Icons, and this film was number 77 on The 100 Greatest Sexy Moments for Windsor's examination. Very good!

Soundtrack warning

[suchenwi · 7/10 · 30 January 2008]

Another part of the Carry On series, the third that I've seen so far, and a quite amusing entertainment from a time long ago... Babs Windsor slimmer than ever can't be missed.

However. The version I have is from the German AmCo "Classic Movies" series, which in general deserves praise for providing dozens of (mostly British) films from the 1930..80s inexpensively, typically 3 Euro in department stores, and with the original soundtrack as well as the German dub. Watching "Carry On Again Doctor" gave me a shock roughly in the middle, though - speech suddenly disappeared, while music and sound effects still could be heard. What could I do but switch to the German dub, which happily lasted until the very end, but of course isn't the real thing...

Update, 2008-08-31: the problem is not of the DVD, but my player (Funai PLF-76) - depending on how deep I put the earphone plug into its jack, I hear either English mono on both sides, or English on one and sounds only on the other. In this weekend's 15 hrs Carry On marathon, I could listen to this one in English until the end :)

Fancy a bit of Nookey?

[ShadeGrenade · 8/10 · 14 December 2011]

'Again Doctor' ( 1969 ) proved to be Jim Dale's last film in the 'Carry On series for twenty-three years ( he foolishly signed on for 'Columbus' in 1992 ). It cast him as the accident-prone but likable 'Dr.Jim Nookey' of Little Hampton hospital, a man who cannot so much as use an X-ray machine without causing chaos. After losing his girlfriend - the sexy model 'Goldie Locks' ( Barbara Windsor ), and scaring to death a woman patient afraid of men - he is sent in disgrace to a medical mission in the Beatific Islands, run by the seedy Gladstone Screwer ( who else but Sid James? ). Gladstone has developed a weight reduction formula. Sensing a chance to make money, Nookey flies home with some of the stuff. In no time at all he is running a posh clinic in partnership with the rich widow 'Ellen Moore' ( Joan Sims ). Disgusted by his upswing in fortunes is 'Frederick Carver' ( Kenneth Williams ), and his sneaky side-kick 'Dr.Walter Stoppage' ( Charles Hawtrey ). They conspire to bring Nookey down...

Talbot Rothwell's script for this movie originated for the rival 'Doctor' series; in fact it was to have been 'Doctor In Clover', until Jack Davies came along with another version. Its not as good as 'Nurse' or 'Doctor', but better than 'Matron'. There were some concerns that 'Nookey' was too similar to Leslie Phillips' 'Dr.Tony Burke/Gaston Grimsdyke' and that 'Frederick Carver' might strike audiences as James Robertson Justice's 'Sir Lancelot Spratt' by another name. Dale is his usual chirpy self. Yes, that really is him in its most famous scene - hurtling down stairs on a trolley while Carver and the Matron ( Hattie Jacques ) look on in disbelief. This scene was later used as the title sequence to I.T.V.'s 'Carry On Laughing' compilation series. All the regulars - barring Bernard Bresslaw and Kenneth Connor - are present and correct, although there's surprisingly little of Peter Butterworth. He's confined to a short scene in which Nookey and a fellow doctor ( Peter Gilmore ) debate which illness he is suffering from.

Things To Look Out For - no, its not Babs Windsor's arse ( nice though it is! ) but a cameo by Wilfrid 'Steptoe' Brambell as a dirty old man called 'Mr.Pullen' who is receiving hormone injections on the N.H.S. and as a result keeps making improper suggestions to nurses. The 'Steptoe & Son' series ended in 1965, but Eric Rogers included a few bars of Ron Grainer's theme ( the show would be revived in colour the following year ). The party scene features Rogers himself as bandleader. Some of the music was first heard in 'Carry On Spying' and 'Nurse On Wheels' ( a Peter Rogers comedy starring Juliet Mills as a district nurse ).

Funniest moment - Nookey jumps into a hammock in the medical mission, only to go crashing through the floor boards! ( it was not so funny for Dale though, and gave him a back injury he still has to this day! )

Astonishingly,Jim Dale is the best thing about it.....................................

[ianlouisiana · 6/10 · 14 April 2010]

Too often left struggling by the wily old "Carry On.." pros in previous outings,Mr Dale gets his revenge in "Carry on again doctor" where his performance glues the movie together. Even such giants as Mr Williams and Mr James are forced to take a back seat as he howls,pratfalls and gags his way into pre - eminence. It is all the more astonishing because in none of his previous appearances did he seem to me to possess any comic ability whatsoever. At the root of it all is the fairly serious tale of a wonder slimming drug that has the slightly inconvenient side - effect of changing its users' sex. Miss Barbara Windsor may make an unlikely male but Mr Hawtrey is almost "Tootsie" - like in ladies clothes. Mr Williams mostly maintains his posh accent and is all the better for it.He conveys the arrogance and the closed mind of the popinjay consultant to the rich,bored women who flock to his clinic in the hope of a miracle weight loss. Mr Dale and Mr James excel in the Conradian sub - plot about two exiled doctors who redeem themselves. Not one of the best - known of the canon,"Carry on again doctor" is nonetheless pleasingly silly and offers a possibly unique opportunity to see Mr Jim Dale at the top of his game.

Carry On No.18

[michaelarmer · 6/10 · 29 April 2020]

Not a patch on Carry On Doctor, this is a very poor follow up to it, Most of the cast from Carry On Doctor were in it, they could have used that to their advantage and incorporated the continuity of that into this, but they missed that trick, but it was similar, however this one had gaping holes in the screenplay and some of the plot missing. Photography was poor and smut had reared its ugly head, with Barbara Windsor being almost entirely naked, the stars on her important bits did not leave anything to the imagination. Not good.

Sid James was top of the bill, I don't know why he only appeared in a 1/4 of it, Jim Dale should have had top billing, other regulars were Ken Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Barbara Windsor, Hattie Jacques, and Peter Gilmore, Valerie Leon pops up again, nice, and since Harry H. Corbett had a one off role in .......Screaming', Wilfrid Brambell (his acting partner in Steptoe & Son) thought he would have a go in this as well, but his was a non speaking cameo.

Someone you might not of heard of as a regular was Frank Forsyth who did mostly bit roles, he was Mr. Bean in this and it was his last Carry On, he was in the first 3 and did 8 altogether along with 3 spin off films, he retired from acting in 1980 and passed away in 1984 aged 78. Another who is not generally known as a regular is Valerie Van Ost, she only did 4 in bit roles except for a slightly longer role in 'Carry o Doctor', this was her last and she gave up acting soon after, sadly she passed away in September last year aged 75. Valerie Leon also popped up in this and a new regular appeared in Patsy Rowlands, she went on to do 8 more, a side issue and the TV series.

Its nice to see some of the characters and the acting, it was even nice to see most of Barbara Windsor, but the film in general was very poor, at least the next was better.

My favourite of the medical Carry On's

[IanPhillips · 8/10 · 6 August 2015]

Although some may beg to differ, I find Carry On Again Doctor to be the funniest of the medical-based in the series. There is more structure to the plot than there was in the earlier Carry On Doctor. The film being divided into three sections works very well as this actually makes it feel as though there is a beginning, middle and end of a story.

Most of the same actors that were used in Doctor (1967) crop up in this entry, some playing almost identical characters, others completely different. Jim Dale, for instance, virtually resurrects his accident-prone but well-meaning character from 'Doctor', although here he is named Dr. Jim Nookey. Kenneth Williams is as supercilious as always, although his character displays more of a sense of humour than usual. Even so, he is typically snide and as self-serving as his part in 'Doctor'. Joan Sims proves that, when called for, she can be sexy and glamorous, and it's nice to see her in a role where she isn't pigeon-holed in the battle-axe character she would often play. Charles Hawtrey is hilarious in drag, Sid James (who is not introduced until at least half way through the film) is in one of his most unusual roles, and Hattie Jacques, yet again reprises her familiar role of the Matron,though is more gentle in here, conveying a warmth in her character that was absent from her part in 'Doctor'. Then of course we have the bubbly Babara Windsor, whose character Goldie Locks quickly catches Jim Dale's roving eye. Their romance provides a nice sub-plot.

Carry On Again Doctor, on the whole, plays very well. Whilst seemingly settling down as a hospital based comedy, the first 15 minutes or so seeming like 'Carry On Doctor 2', the film then wildly steers direction when Dr. Nookey (Jim Dale) is sent out to the Beatific Islands on a medical mission and discovers a special weight-reducing potion. Once back in England, he opens a new clinic for women who wish to lose weight. Then the film settles down and sees its last half hour almost encapsulate the feel of a regular TV sitcom with the weight reducing clinic scenes, with the likes of Joan Sims and Charles Hawtrey (hilariously in drag) staying for full treatment.

Following on from 'Up The Khyber' and 'Camping', both of which were landmarks in the series, this ranks as one of my own favourite Carry On's. The dialogue sparkles along with fast, witty dialogue, and there are some impeccably timed performances from virtually all of the regular cast - Jim Dale, Joan Sims, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Sid James, Babara Windsor, Hattie Jaques and Patsy Rolands. It generally captures the true spirit of the Carry On's, yet somehow stands out as quite a unique entry in the series. Certainly many laughs to endure and is a must-see for fans. Generally a recommended comedy all round. A classic!

Ian Phillips

Bawdy Great British comedy.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 5 August 2021]

Doctor Nookey is sent packing from his job, by a jealous rival, he lands up in a far away, tropical land, where he stumbles upon something wondrous.

Definitely meant to build and take advantage of the huge success of the original, wonderful Carry on Doctor. Where that managed to have at least one foot on the ground, this one is totally off the wall, it's madcap, crazy fun.

The first half of the movie is quite a sturdy affair, similar to the original, it all changes when Dr Nookey encounters Gladstone.

Typical postcard humour, bawdy laughs, beautiful women, and lots of moustaches. Lots to laugh at, including Hawtrey in drag, and a lustful Gladstone.

There is also the iconic scene of Barbara Windsor in her bikini. A small part for the wonderful Pat Coombes, why on Earth didn't she appear more.

Worth noting that Jim Dale did all of his own stunts, remarkable, the party sequence is seriously impressive, he must have been bashed about.

It never fails to make me laugh. 8/10.

Another medical Carry On with plenty of laughs

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 27 March 2012]

The creators certainly seemed to like setting their films amongst the medical profession; this is no bad thing though as some of the best non-historical Carry On films were set in hospitals and this one is particularly funny. This one sees the gang playing just the characters one would expect; Jim Dale is the (slightly) misunderstood Dr. Nookey, Kenneth Williams is the slightly snobby Consultant, Sid James is the orderly are a tropical health mission with five wives and Hattie is the matron; other regulars Joan Sims, Charles Hawtrey and Barbara Windsor also star.

The film opens in an NHS hospital where Dr. Nookey accidentally goes into the women's shower; this is just the first of many mishaps which puts him top of the list when wealthy benefactor Ellen Moore wants a new doctor to take over a clinic she sponsors of a remote tropical island. Dr. Nookey finds it an utterly hellish job until he learns that his orderly, Gladstone Screwer, knows how to make an amazingly successful weight loss serum. Nookey is soon back in England making a fortune with the serum; he still has a few problems though; Gladstone expects paying fairly and his old consultant Dr Carver is not pleaser that Mrs Moore has set Nookey up in a clinic when he though she would support him.

I had feared that this would be one of the weaker Carry On films; I didn't even recognise the title when I was it advertised! Thankfully I was laughing from the start; yes the jokes were fairly saucy but if that is what one expects of Carry On films of this era. There was also more flesh on display than in previous outings; when we first see Barbara Windsor she is wearing the tiniest costume imaginable and later appears naked... from behind of course. The cast perform their regular roles with aplomb; they know what they are doing and they do it well; especially Jim Dale who handles the lead role brilliantly. The story itself is fairly light but it serves its purpose which is to give a reason for the various jokes. If you enjoy the series I'm sure you'll like this one; it might not be the best but it is certainly a long way from being the worst.

Fun carry on

[coltras35 · 8/10 · 12 July 2021]

Doctor nookie stumbles upon a shaman's weight-reducing potion while working at a mission in the South Seas. Realising the potential of the potion, he returns to England with the aim of making a fortune.

Another medical carry on, though this time the focus is on doctors and the magic slimming pills that could make him a fortune. It's business as usual with double entendres, bawdiness and mayhem. The fun really starts when Dr Nookie gets to the South Pacific island and meets Livingstone. It's not as good as Carry on Doctor, but it's great fun.