| Carry On Doctor | |
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Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | Gerald Thomas |
| Produced by | Peter Rogers |
| Written by | Talbot Rothwell |
| Narrated by | Patrick Allen |
| Starring | Frankie Howerd Sid James Kenneth Williams Charles Hawtrey Jim Dale Barbara Windsor Hattie Jacques Joan Sims Anita Harris Bernard Bresslaw |
| Music by | Eric Rogers |
| Cinematography | Alan Hume |
| Editing by | Alfred Roome |
| Distributed by | The Rank Organisation |
| Release date(s) | December 1967 |
| Running time | 94 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £214,000 |
Carry On Doctor (1967) is the fifteenth film in the Carry On series. It is the second in the series to have a medical theme. Frankie Howerd makes the first of his two appearances in the film series. He stars alongside regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims and Bernard Bresslaw. Hattie Jacques returns for the first time since Carry On Cabby four years earlier, while Barbara Windsor returns after her debut in Carry On Spying three years earlier. Carry On Doctor marked Anita Harris's second and final appearance in the series.
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Francis Bigger (Frankie Howerd) is a charlatan faith healer, convinced that "mind over matter" is more effective than medical treatment. During a lecture, he stumbles offstage and is admitted to the local hospital.
In hospital he incessantly groans and whinges about being "maltreated" and demands better treatment than the other, increasingly bizarre patients: bedridden layabout Charlie Roper (Sid James) who shams illnesses to stay in hospital; Ken Biddle (Bernard Bresslaw) who makes frequent trips to the ladies' ward to flirt with his love interest, Mavis Winkle (Dilys Laye); and Mr Barron (Charles Hawtrey) who seems to be suffering sympathy pains whilst his wife awaits the birth of their baby. He also meets two very different doctors. Clumsy yet charming Dr. Kilmore (Jim Dale) is popular with the patients and loved from afar by the beautiful Nurse Clark (Anita Harris); hospital registrar Dr. Tinkle is universally detested, as is his battleaxe Matron (Hattie Jacques), who harbours an unrequited love for him.
After Bigger's arrival, novice nurse Sandra May (Barbara Windsor), arrives at the hospital with her intention to declare her (questionable) love for Tinkle, and enters his room, violating hospital rules that female staff are not permitted in the male quarters. Matron and Kilmore burst in on her declarations of love, which are cruelly rebuffed by Tinkle. Matron throws Nurse May out, and she leaves whilst tearfully announcing she'd rather die than live without Tinkle. Dr. Tinkle fears for his position after this incident, and contrives with Matron to get rid of Kilmore and Sandra May, lest they reveal the truth.
Shortly after, Sandra May climbs on to the roof of the nurses' home to sunbathe in her bikini top. Dr. Kilmore and Nurse Clark assume she is going to throw herself off the roof in despair after Tinkle's rejection. Kilmore rushes to save her and climbs on to the roof. He realises she is sunbathing and prepares to leave, but Sandra assumes to her horror he is leering over her, and shrieks in fear. Her screams attract attention and soon the entire hospital staff and townspeople flock to watch. Nurse Clark attempts to help Kilmore before he falls to his death, but he accidentally tears her skirt off, leaving her in her underwear and stockings. Kilmore crashes through a window to safety, but lands in a bath... with a nurse in it, who assumes he is attacking her. His good reputation is destroyed amongst everyone except his patients.
Dr. Kilmore is given a hearing with the hospital governor, but Matron and Tinkle deny his revelation of Sandra May's fight with Tinkle. As Sandra May has left the hospital, Kilmore has no proof to support him and is forced to resign. Nurse Clark reports the Tinkle and Matron's treachery to the patients, and together they decide to exact revenge upon the doctor and Matron for what they have done.
Interiors:
Exteriors:
In Quebec the film is entitled L'hôpital en folie.
The film was originally written as a sequel to Carry On Nurse and titled Carry On Again Nurse. There are several references to Carry On Nurse - the subtitles Nurse Carries On Again and Death of a Daffodil, and during the thermometer scene a nurse approaches Francis Bigger with a daffodil and he says, "Oh no you don't, I saw that film!"
The portrait hanging over one of the doors is that of Sir Lancelot Spratt interpreted by James Robertson Justice in the rival Doctor films, produced by Peter Rogers' wife, Betty E. Box.
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