Carry On Up The Khyber (1968)

In India, Private Jimmy Widdle (Charles Hawtrey) of the Queen’s Own 3rd Foot and Mouth Regiment (the feared “Devils in Skirts”) is discovered wearing underpants under his kilt, shattering the myth of Scottish invincibility that has kept the natives in line. The Khasi of Kalabar (Kenneth Williams) hears the news and tries to throw out the British.

The villainous Khasi plans a rebellion against the Governor, Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond (Sid James), but the contents of Sir Sidney’s Highlanders’ kilts sees off the Khasi.

Lady Ruff-Diamond (Joan Sims) manages to capture on film the kilted Third Foot and Mouth regiment in a most revealing situation.

Where would we be without the Carry On series?

Cranked out at a rate that would make today’s Bollywood factory double-take, the Carry On films managed to distil British lavatorial humour into the cinematic equivalent of fine wine.

Carry on up the Khyber used Snowdonia to stand in for the Indian-Afghan border and made do with the costumes left over from the recently-completed Zulu (1964).

The climactic scene in which the British hold a formal dinner in the midst of a pitched battle is rightly seen today as a classic of British comedy.

Pvt Jimmy Widdle
Charles Hawtrey
Khasi of Kalabar
Kenneth Williams
Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond
Sidney James
Captain Keene
Roy Castle
Lady Ruff-Diamond
Joan Sims
Bungdit Din
Bernard Bresslaw
Brother Belcher
Peter Butterworth
Sgt Mjr McNutt
Terry Scott
Princess Jelhi
Angela Douglas
Fakir
Cardew Robinson
Major Shorthouse
Julian Holloway
No.1 Wife
Wanda Ventham,
Pvt Ginger Hale
Peter Gilmore
Khasi’s Wife
Alexandra Dane

Video