CARRY ON CLEO (1964, UK, 92m, PG) ***½
Comedy
dist. Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors (UK), Governor Films (USA); pr co. Peter Rogers Productions; d. Gerald Thomas; w. Talbot Rothwell; pr. Peter Rogers; ph. Alan Hume (Colour | 1.66:1); m. Eric Rogers; ed. Archie Ludski; ad. Bert Davey.
cast: Sidney James (Mark Antony), Kenneth Williams (Julius Caesar), Kenneth Connor (Hengist Pod), Charles Hawtrey (Seneca), Joan Sims (Calpurnia), Jim Dale (Horsa), Amanda Barrie (Cleopatra), Victor Maddern (Sergeant-Major), Julie Stevens (Gloria), Sheila Hancock (Senna Pod), Jon Pertwee (Soothsayer), Francis De Wolff (Agrippa), Michael Ward (Archimedes), Brian Oulton (Brutus), Tom Clegg (Sosages), Tanya Binning (Virginia), David Davenport (Bilius), Peter Gilmore (Galley Master), Warren Mitchell (Spencius), E.V.H. Emmett (Narrator (voice)).
One of the best remembered of the Carry On series sees Williams’ Julius Caesar having a bad day, whilst the amorous Mark Anthony (James) clinches with the gorgeous Barrie’s sultry Cleopatra. Filled with the usual hit-and-miss puns and doubles entendre, there is plenty to enjoy in Barrie’s hilarious take on Cleopatra, which expertly mixes a sultry sexiness with a knowing doe-eyed innocence. Williams, Connor, Hawtrey, and James adopt their familiar personas and there is an amusing narration by Gaumont British News’ E.V.H. Emmett. Filmed on the abandoned sets built in London for CLEOPATRA (1963).
