I Watch Films: Carry On Up The Khyber

 

Carry On Up The Khyber

In British India, the Khasi of Kalabar (Kenneth Williams) plots against the Raj. The British governor Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond (Sid James) is fully aware of this and keeps a diplomatic face; his wife Lady Joan (Joan Simms) is attracted to the Khasi. However the Khasi knows any rebellion would be futile as the locals are afraid of the garrison, the Third Foot And Mouth Regiment, “the devils in skirts” highlanders who wear kilts with nothing underneath, a terrifying prospect in battle.

However when Burpa warlord Bungdit Din (Bernard Bresslaw) comes through the Khyber Pass he discovers that Private Widdle (Charles Hawtrey) is wearing underpants, and takes them to the Khasi. Learning this Sir Sidney goes to visit the Khasi to stop rumours; unfortunately the soldiers he takes with him Captain Keene (Roy Castle) and Sergeant Major Mcnutt (Terry Scott) can’t disprove it as it turns out they’re wearing underpants too. (It’s not a complete waste as Keene and the Khasi’s daughter Princess Jelhi (Angela Douglas) meet to at least gesture at the romance sub-plot that becomes important later).

In an effort to find out how far this goes Sir Sidney holds a parade in which the soldiers lift their kilts and reveal they all have underpants on. Lady Joan takes a picture and takes it to the Khasi, offering it if they can have sex, which he refuses (“Dear Lady I do not make love… I am extremely rich, I have servants to do everything for me.”) They come to an agreement – they go through the Khyber Pass to Bungdit Din’s palace there to show it to the Burpa chiefs, after they make love.

Keene, Mcnutt and Widdle are sent to get back the photo (and Lady Joan). They get help from missionary Brother Belcher (Peter Butterworth), who speaks the language and knows the terrain, by blackmailing him for spending his time with an attractive young woman. He reluctantly leads them to where the Khasi is giving a speech; intending to sneak in they are mistaken for the Burpa chiefs. They are led through to the harem, where the women try to butter up the supposed chiefs. They are unmasked and imprisoned, and due to be executed along with Lady Joan (who initially misunderstands when Princess Jelhi tries to warn her, thinking she's referring to making love with the Khasi, disapproving of it being in public). They all disguise themselves as dancing girls to escape, are mistaken for the real dancing girls, dance, and then are unmasked (again) and make another farcical escape.

In the final sequence, one that lifts this film beyond the standard level of smut and satire for the series, the main characters retreat to the governor’s residence which is laid siege to. The attack begins as the Ruff-Diamonds, Keene, Jelhi, the governor’s aide Major Shorthouse (who has mostly played straight man to the governor*) and Belcher sit down to dinner. Everyone takes this in their stride except Belcher, though eventually the men do have to take part in the fight, which ends when the soldiers lift their kilts (“What are you running from? There's nothing to be afraid of... Ooh, I dunno though!”).

By insisting that the British Raj was ludicrous and farcical, just as much as local Indian opposition, the film’s satire stumbles onto a rather stronger message than they might have intended, or at the very least the Carry On films finally reach their apotheosis. Yes, the film is silly, smutty and racist, but the good-natured equal opportunity mocking gets at something true, cutting and funny.

Watch This: Genuinely interesting and funny comedy about Britain and how it sees itself in the world
Don’t Watch This: Just a lot of smutty jokes and wordplay

* Like all the best straight men he gets the laugh line just often enough to take us by surprise.