Review of Carry On Cabby (1963) by Stuart K — 23 Apr 2012

The 7th Carry On film, and the first one to be written by Talbot Rothwell, who would stay with the series until Carry On Dick (1974), a whopping 20 films!! His brand of humour was perfect for the Carry On films, and he got off to a good start with this entry, which has some good gags, both verbal and visual.

Charlie Hawkins (Sid James) is a cab driver for Speedee Taxis, but his demanding schedule as a cab driver means he hardly has anytime for his Peggy (Hattie Jacques), who feels neglected. As a result of the overload of work, including training up new driver, the bumbling Terry "Pintpot" Tankard (Charles Hawtrey).

But, after Charlie misses his 15th wedding anniversary by running expectant father Jeremy (Jim Dale, his first Carry On) backwards and forwards, that's the final straw for Peggy, and she gets her own back on Charlie by starting her own rival cab firm GlamCabs, which has cabs all driven by women in brand new Ford Cortinas, only Charlie doesn't know that it's Peggy who's the boss of this new firm, and his team go about trying to sabotage their reputation.

It's a very good Carry On film, much milder than what was to come, (it didn't even start out as a Carry On film at first, it only became one mid-shoot.) But, there's alot of fun to be had with this one, with alot of misunderstandings and naughty wordplay, but with Rothwell as writer, the best was to come.

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