By 1972, the Carry On team were very familiar with hospitals, having already made both Doctors and Nurse, as well as scenes in many of the other movies. However, this one was a small departure for the gang, as the plot didn't revolve around the day to day medical activities, so much as a dastardly plot to steal vast quantities of contraceptive pills, for sale to the Third World.
Sid James was the patriarch of the gang, but it was Kenneth Cope (he of Randall and Hopkirk, Deceased fame) that became the main 'male' character, joining the staff at Finisham Maternity Hospital as Student Nurse 'Cyrille' Carter. And what a baptism of fire he gets. Having escaped the clutches of the lecherous Dr Prodd (a typically saucy role for Terry Scott) he finds himself rooming with Barbara Windsor's Nurse Susan Ball. All this when he was told to 'keep your head down and find out where they store the pills'.
Of course this is impossible, and when Cyril inadvertantly becomes front-page news when he delivers a movie-star's triplets, his father Sid goes to the hospital to find him. But he'd already been there a few times before, and Matron (Hattie Jacques - who else!) becomes suspicious, and the big chase scene ensues through the nurses home and various occupied bathrooms.
Whilst all this is going on, and the night of the raid approaches, Cyril and Susan fall for each other, which further complicates matters. Will they get away with it? No, but it's a good effort and worth watching to see what they can mess up next!
British director responsible for every film in the Carry On series. Started as an assistant editor before debuting with the childrens' film Circus Friends. Thriller Timelock followed, but the success of 1958’s bawdy Carry On Sergeant launched one of the most successful series in British cinema. Thomas directed 30 Carry On films up until 1978’s Carry On Emmanuelle, returning in 1992 to deliver his final film, Carry On Columbus. Other films include the Carry On-esque Nurse on Wheels and The Big Job, plus the big screen version of Bless this House.
