| Carry on Cabby (1963) | |
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Rating: 6.4/10 (3,000 votes) Director: Gerald Thomas Writer: Talbot Rothwell, Sidney Green, Richard Hills Stars: Sidney James, Hattie Jacques, Kenneth Connor Runtime: 91 min Rated: N/A Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Romance Released: 01 Jan 1967 |
| Plot: A taxi company is threatened when an all-female firm sets itself up in business and starts to steal their customers. | |
The first film under the stewardship of writer Talbot Rothwell (who would go on to write the majority of the following films) wasn’t actually planned to be a Carry On film, and instead was an adaptation of a stage play. However, with the Carry On brand being a sure success, a swift retooling was undertaken and the films was rebranded. This late change to the plan for the film is the primary reason why the franchise slipped back to black and white production after entering the glorious world of colour on the previous entry. It also explains why the structure of the film is markedly different – albeit in a good way – than the film that proceeded it.
Sid James takes lead as Charlie Hawkins, the owner of a taxi firm who doesn’t spend enough time with his wife, Peggy (Hattie Jacques). After he misses their anniversary, she decides to get her own back and start a rival taxi firm, Glam Cabs, with all female drivers. As Glam Cabs become more and more popular, Charlie sets about using underhand tactics to stop this unknown rival from stealing all his business.
It must be said that Sid and Hattie are on really strong form throughout this one, as the lead pair of cab owners. Hattie in particular, generally known for playing the stern authority figure, here gets to play a timid and humbler role, and really captures hearts in doing so. The rest of the cast of usual regulars are pretty much playing to form here, albeit with the absence of Kenneth Williams. An early appearance of latter series regular Jim Dale in a small role as an expecting dad gives him an early chance to show his awkward charm on screen. There’s also a part for Amanda Barrie to show of her dippy charms, which she would use to great effect a few films later when she returns in ‘Cleo’.
With less of a ‘sketch-show’ approach to the film, Cabby is a very strong entry into the franchise, and also is another example of the series tackling aspects of social issues – once again the approach that a woman can be just as successful is a fundamental aspect (even if to do so, the film plays on the lecherous nature of men as the women only cabs get business due to their drivers being more attractive). A single, engaging story, with a nice final act bit of excitement (drawing upon earlier mentioned word of some criminals in the area), with a writing style that shows the forthcoming direction the series would take under the pen of Rothwell. A firm favourite of the series.
