'At Your Convienience' is unique in the annals of 'Carry On' history in that it has a political message. Writer Talbot Rothwell had a blinkered view of the British trade union movement, and this is reflected in his script which depicted union officials either as corrupt or stupid. It is set in a toilet factory owned by 'W.C. Boggs' ( Kenneth Williams ). The works foreman is 'Sid Plummer' ( Sid James, of course ), chief toilet designer is 'Charles Coote' ( Charles Hawtrey, in one of his last 'Carry On' roles ), and Boggs has a doting secretary in 'Miss Withering' ( Patsy Rowlands ). Shop steward 'Vic Spanner' ( Kenneth Cope ) brings the work force out when he finds that tea is not allowed to be drunk outside the canteen. The rule book quoting Spanner is like 'Fred Kite' of 'I'm All Right Jack', except that he is younger and has a domineering mother ( Renee Houston ) instead of a nagging wife. Vic is also unhappy because the lovely Myrtle Plummer ( the scrumptious Jacki Piper ), whom he has his eye on, is dating the boss' son 'Lewis' ( Richard O'Callaghan, making the best of a bad role ). Matters come to a head at the workers' annual outing in Brighton...
'Convienience' was given short shrift by the public, not making its costs back until 1976! To add insult to injury, the film version of 'On The Buses' thumped it at the box office. Its been said that the blatant right wing content was chiefly to blame. When the Boulting Brothers made 'Jack', they at least made an attempt at balance by depicting the management as greedy buggers. Rothwell made no such effort. Some of the performers - such as O'Callaghan - were distinctly uncomfortable at this.
On the plus side, the Brighton day out is a welcome change of pace after the union bashing nonsense, and Sid's impersonation of a gypsy fortune teller hilarious! Hattie Jacques is delightful as Sid's slovenly wife 'Beattie', who sits talking to a parrot all day ( there is a sub-plot about Joey accurately predicting the winners of horse races ). A touching scene occurs as Sid and Chloe Moore ( Joan Sims ) return home after the trip. She would love to ask him in for coffee, but is worried the neighbours might gossip. It is one of the best scenes in any 'Carry On', ending with Sid rasping: "Bloody neighbours!".
The series got back on track that year with 'Carry On Matron', and continued for another seven years.
Funniest moment - spotting Myrtle climbing into Mr.Lew's sports car, Vic says to his friend 'Bernie Hulke' ( Bernard Bresslaw ): "Follow that car!". Bernie races off on his motorbike, so fast he tears Vic's trousers off, leaving him standing in the middle of the street in his underpants!
Finally, I want to comment on Mark Austin - you know, the award-winning I.T.V. anchorman ( shouldn't there be a 'W' in front of that last word? ) - and his outrageous claim in today's 'Sunday Mirror' that 'in the post-war period, the early Seventies to the early Eighties became the barometer for economic hardship, with three million unemployed.". Surely the '30's were far worse, Mark? Unemployment peaked at one and a half million in 1978. It hit three million in 1982. The myth that Margaret Thatcher made Britain great again is exactly that. Before we begin to worry about 'going back to the Seventies', we should first panic at the even more alarming prospect of being taken back to the Eighties.
'Convienience' was given short shrift by the public, not making its costs back until 1976! To add insult to injury, the film version of 'On The Buses' thumped it at the box office. Its been said that the blatant right wing content was chiefly to blame. When the Boulting Brothers made 'Jack', they at least made an attempt at balance by depicting the management as greedy buggers. Rothwell made no such effort. Some of the performers - such as O'Callaghan - were distinctly uncomfortable at this.
On the plus side, the Brighton day out is a welcome change of pace after the union bashing nonsense, and Sid's impersonation of a gypsy fortune teller hilarious! Hattie Jacques is delightful as Sid's slovenly wife 'Beattie', who sits talking to a parrot all day ( there is a sub-plot about Joey accurately predicting the winners of horse races ). A touching scene occurs as Sid and Chloe Moore ( Joan Sims ) return home after the trip. She would love to ask him in for coffee, but is worried the neighbours might gossip. It is one of the best scenes in any 'Carry On', ending with Sid rasping: "Bloody neighbours!".
The series got back on track that year with 'Carry On Matron', and continued for another seven years.
Funniest moment - spotting Myrtle climbing into Mr.Lew's sports car, Vic says to his friend 'Bernie Hulke' ( Bernard Bresslaw ): "Follow that car!". Bernie races off on his motorbike, so fast he tears Vic's trousers off, leaving him standing in the middle of the street in his underpants!
Finally, I want to comment on Mark Austin - you know, the award-winning I.T.V. anchorman ( shouldn't there be a 'W' in front of that last word? ) - and his outrageous claim in today's 'Sunday Mirror' that 'in the post-war period, the early Seventies to the early Eighties became the barometer for economic hardship, with three million unemployed.". Surely the '30's were far worse, Mark? Unemployment peaked at one and a half million in 1978. It hit three million in 1982. The myth that Margaret Thatcher made Britain great again is exactly that. Before we begin to worry about 'going back to the Seventies', we should first panic at the even more alarming prospect of being taken back to the Eighties.