Carry On Henry continues the historical theme running through the series, putting our heroes this time in the court of King Henry VIII. Henry, we learn, had more than the generally accepted six wives, because we never heard of Queen Marie, cousin to King Francis of France, and also of Queen Bettina, whose entrance into court provides the King with a couple of things to handle.
Sid James delights himself in the role of Henry, to the point of nearly installing a turnstile between the executioners block and the altar. But when he realises that his new wife Marie (Joan Sims) is as well known for her love of garlic as she is for her beauty, he insists that she be disposed of, either legally or terminally. Things are made more complicated when the King's secretary Sir Roger de Lodgerly (Charles Hawtrey) takes his role as the King's Official Taster too far, and has a nibble at the queen that results in her pregnancy.
It's now up to Oliver Cromwell (Kenneth Williams) and Cardinal Wolsey (Terry Scott) to manage the problem, which they appear to be doing, except that Bettina (Barbara Windsor) puts in an appearance as the daughter of the Earl Of Bristol (who else!) and from that moment on Henry has to balance affairs of state and the state of his affairs.
This movie has some truly memorable moments, and some great acting from the mainstays of the Carry On team. But once again it's Sid James who steals the show, managing to wring every drop of humour from Talbot Rothwell's marvelous script.
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 Emmannuelle, 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.
