Rent Carry on Cabby (1963)

Classic British Comedy - Carry on Cabby review by GI

The script for this great British comedy was never intended as a 'Carry On' film but was later retitled to be part of the series and, for me, it's the very best of the entire franchise. The structure of basic episodic sketches was abandoned here for a feature length comedy story that is hilarious and very clever. Sid James takes the lead role of Charlie Hawkins, the owner of a traditional taxi company and the only one in town. He's passionate about the business much to the chagrin of his long suffering wife, Peggy (Hattie Jacques) who feels Charlie loves his firm more than her. When he fails to turn up for their anniversary dinner she decides to take action and secretly starts her own rival cab firm with all glamorous ladies as the drivers. Soon the new firm is taking all the business and Charlie, not knowing Peggy is behind it and desperate, decides to try and sabotage them. This has a great story, brilliantly told with some really funny and bawdy scenes, and it gets the heart of British society's old fashioned views on married women working. The Ford motor company donated it's new car to be used in the film, the Ford Cortina, sending sales through the roof. Very much in the Ealing Comedy style this is a wonderful early 1960s comedy film with a wonderful cast including Kenneth Connor, Liz Fraser, Charles Hawtrey and Jim Dale makes his first appearance in the series.