IT’S AN ON-THE-BALL RIOT ABOUT AN OFF-LIMITS ROMANCE.

Right after getting married, Charlie Sage (Bob Monkhouse) is conscripted into the army; his wife (Shirley Eaton) decides to secretly join him. Inspired by the success of Private’s Progress (1956), this comedy was produced, the first entry in the popular Carry On series that would feature many of the actors seen here. The story has William Hartnell’s sergeant trying to whip a motley platoon of conscripts into shape; easier said than done since most of them are clearly unfit. Hartnell is good, but the slapstick and jokes are too generic to make an impact.

1958-U.K. 84 min. B/W. Directed by Gerald Thomas. Cast: William Hartnell (Sergeant Grimshaw), Bob Monkhouse (Charlie Sage), Shirley Eaton (Mary Sage), Eric Barker, Dora Bryan, Bill Owen. 

Trivia: There are 30 other films in the series; Carry On Nurse (1959) followed next.