Carry On Cabby
6.4 /10 1 Votes
62% Rotten Tomatoes Genre Adventure, Comedy, Romance Budget 149,986 GBP Country United Kingdom | 6.4/10 IMDb Director Gerald Thomas Film series Carry On Duration Language English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Release date June 1963 (1963-06) Writer Talbot Rothwell (screenplay), Sidney Green (original story), Richard Hills (original story) Cast Sid James (Charlie Hawkins), Hattie Jacques (Peggy Hawkins), Kenneth Connor (Ted Watson), Charles Hawtrey (Terry 'Pintpot' Tankard), Esma Cannon (Flo Sims), Liz Fraser (Sally)Similar movies Carry On Cowboy , Carry On Constable , Carry On Nurse , Carry On Sergeant , Carry On Regardless , Carry on Christmas (or Carry On Stuffing) Tagline They're here again in Carry on Taxi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Carry On Cabby is the seventh in the series of Carry On films to be made. Released in 1963, it was the first to be written by Talbot Rothwell (although the first screenplay "Tolly" submitted to Peter Rogers was developed as Carry On Jack) from a story by Dick Hills and Sid Green (script writers for Morecambe and Wise). Regulars Sid James, Hattie Jacques, Kenneth Connor and Charles Hawtrey are all present. Liz Fraser makes her third appearance (although she'd have to wait 13 years for her next Carry On) and Esma Cannon makes her fourth and final appearance. This was the first film in the series to feature Carry On regular Jim Dale, and the first not to feature Kenneth Williams.
Contents
Carry On Cabby was originally planned as a non-Carry On film, called Call Me A Cab (after a stage play) but midway through it became part of the Carry On series.
Plot
Charlie Hawkins (Sid James) is the workaholic owner of thriving taxi company Speedee Taxis, but his wife Peggy (Hattie Jacques) feels neglected by him. When Charlie misses their fifteenth wedding anniversary, because he is out cabbing, she decides to punish him. Telling Charlie that she is going to 'get a job', she establishes a rival company, GlamCabs. The cars are brand new Ford Cortina Mk1's and driven by attractive girls in provocative uniforms. Flo, the wife of one of Charlie's drivers, gets the post of office manager.
Charlie continues to coach his mainly inept (and largely ex-army) drivers, including accident-prone Terry "Pintpot" Tankard (Charles Hawtrey), whilst Peggy refuses to tell Charlie what her new 'job' is. Charlie feigns a lack of interest, but he is dying to know. As Charlie unsuccessfully struggles to cope with his wife's absences, and realises just what she had to endure, Peggy's company becomes a thriving success due to the large number of male taxi passengers preferring to ogle her sexy drivers during journeys. Speedee rapidly starts losing money and faces bankruptcy. Peggy feels terrible for what she has done. Charlie and his drivers attempt to sabotage the rival company, but they are chased off.
In desperation, Charlie suggests a merger with his rivals, but is furious to discover who the real owner is and storms off.
A month later, Peggy is living at the office and Charlie has turned to drink, allowing his company to collapse around him. Peggy and Sally are hijacked by bank robbers. Peggy manages to use the taxi radio to subtly reveal their situation and location. Charlie intercepts the broadcast and rallies the other Speedee drivers in pursuit. The robbers are cornered and captured.
Peggy and Charlie are reconciled, especially over the fact that she is expecting a baby.
Crew
Filming and locations
Interiors:
Exteriors:
Railway connected film locations are always of interest and the sequence where 'Pintpot' is driving a cab (PEG 1) round and round a roundabout was filmed at the junction of Goswell Road and Arthur Road with the railway arches of Windsor & Eton Central station visible in the background. This area has changed considerably with the building of King Edward Court and Ward Royal. Some filming was also undertaken in the street (Farm Yard) opposite Windsor and Eton Riverside station.
The filming of Carry On Cabby is portrayed in the BBC drama Hattie, a dramatisation of the life of Hattie Jacques.
References
Carry On Cabby WikipediaCarry On Cabby IMDbCarry On Cabby Rotten TomatoesCarry On Cabby themoviedb.org