Way out west, the peace of Stodge City is shattered when the dreaded Rumpo Kid (Sid James) rides into town and guns down the sheriff (Jon Pertwee).
By mistake, Washington sends a travelling British Sanitary Engineer called Marshal P Knutt (Jim Dale) – “Marshal” is his name so you can see where the confusion is heading – to make the town safe.
Rumpo tries to forestall his arrival in Stodge by having his coach attacked by an Indian tribe led by chief Big Heap (Charles Hawtrey). The attack is repulsed, thanks to the intervention of Annie Oakley (Angela Douglas).
From here, it’s a series of mad manoeuvres as Annie and the sanitary engineer wage war with the Rumpo Kid to restore peace to Stodge.
Sid James is a convincing, blood-chilling bandit who fully deserves his baddie black hat and Joan Sims relished the chance to turn on seductive Mae West-like charms. She works brilliantly off Sid – oozing glamour in her tight, black low-cut gown.
Amongst the supporting actors, there are two fine minor turns from a couple of valued newcomers: Bernard Bresslaw, booming and yelling his Red Indian anger at every opportunity, and Peter Butterworth fidgeting in the background and stealing every scene he appears in.
Jim Dale, finally gaining a major romantic lead role and playing it perfectly, brilliantly brings the regular foreigner abroad character to life.
The entire film establishes the idea of the Carry On team as Americans and director Gerald Thomas cunningly builds up the tension for the first appearance of a fearsome Indian. The fact that we get the small cough, twinkling grin and sparkling eyes of Charlie Hawtrey is a peak of contrasting comic effect.
Celebrated as one of the most professionally produced and effective films in the series, Cowboy is a western field of dreams where Sid’s dark villain literally gets away with murder, Jim Dale gets the gal of his fantasies, Charles Hawtrey happily drinks away the Indian blues and Bresslaw and Butterworth get a memorable baptism of fire.
Gerald Thomas stated that this – the 11th in the series – was the most enjoyable to make of all the Carry On films.
Rumpo Kid Sidney James
Judge Burke
Kenneth Williams
Belle
Joan Sims
Marshal P Knutt
Jim Dale
Charlie
Percy Herbert
Annie Oakley
Angela Douglas
Josh
Davy Kaye
Little Heap
Bernard Bresslaw
Big Heap
Charles Hawtrey
Doc
Peter Butterworth
Sam
Sydney Bromley
Kitikata
Sally Douglas
Sheriff Earp
Jon Pertwee
Dolores
Edina Rowney
Director Gerald Thomas
Video
Related Posts
Carry On Abroad (1972) The 24th Carry On film, Carry On Abroad (or 'What a package') concerns saucy carry-ons in the Spanish resort of Elsbels.…
Carry On Cleo (1964) The film opens with a title card reading; "Whilst the characters and events in this story are based on actual…
Carry On Again, Doctor (1969) Or "Where there’s a pill there’s a way", or "The bowels are ringing". . . Carry On Again, Doctor was a…
Big Job, The (1965) Carry on Crook comedies! The Big Job was brought to the screen by producer Peter Rogers and director Gerald Thomas, the two…
Carry On Henry (1971) This rip-roaring return to the glories of British history saw the Carry On cast turn their attention to regal charm and Tudor manners,…
Carry On Follow That Camel (1967) When Sergeant Bilko was demobbed, Phil Silvers came to England to play Sergeant Nocker of the Foreign Legion in this…
Carry On At Your Convenience (1971) The Carry On team throw caution to the wind and presents an hour and a half of good, clean lavatorial humour. …
Carry On Camping (1968) Carry On Camping has no plot to speak of - it is simply a collection of familiar eccentrics going on a…
Rumpo tries to forestall his arrival in Stodge by having his coach attacked by an Indian tribe led by chief Big Heap (Charles Hawtrey). The attack is repulsed, thanks to the intervention of Annie Oakley (Angela Douglas).
