A line-up of stars from the Carry On fraternity get together for this laboured but likeable Gerald Thomas comedy about five poverty-stricken music students at the prestigious London Academy of Music and Arts – studying under gruff tutor and world-famous conductor Sir Benjamin Boyd (James Robertson-Justice) – who decide to share a flat in order to cut their living costs and have somewhere to practice together.
The five – playboy Mervyn Hughes (Leslie Phillips), bookish double-bassist Miranda Kennaway (Liz Fraser), trumpeter Malcolm Stewart (Paul Massie), accident-prone harpist Jill Clemons (Jennifer Jayne), and Alex Spendlove (Jimmy Thompson) – get into quite a few scrapes, adventures and drunken escapades, including impersonating a celebrity quintet.
But when Mervyn accidentally sells a catchy pop tune to a music publisher he risks losing his scholarship unless he and his friends can raise the money to buy the rights back.
Studying with them at the Academy is Harold (Kenneth Williams), a smug, objectionable toffee-nosed swot with designs on a prize for conducting.
These accomplished funnymen go through their usual paces with aplomb, but the film belongs to the delightful Esma Cannon as their deaf landlady, Mrs Deevens, and Sid James as the disreputable music publisher behind Mervyn’s predicament.
Sir Benjamin Boyd
James Robertson-Justice Mervyn Hughes
Leslie Phillips Malcolm Stewart
Paul Massie Harold Chesney
Kenneth Williams Miranda Kennaway
Liz Fraser Jill Clemons
Jennifer Jayne Alex Spendlove
Jimmy Thompson Sid
Sidney James Harry
Lance Percival Mrs Deevens
Esma Cannon Dr Morgan Rutherford
Eric Barker Sir John
Geoffrey Keen Janet
Jill Ireland Mrs Bostwick
Joan Hickson Phil (Bass trombone player)
Jim Dale Prof. Gerald Abrahams
Frank Forsyth Prof. Parkin
Oliver Johnston Doris
Dorinda Stevens
Sir Benjamin Boyd
