Memorable, crazy movie

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

A different way of telling a story

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

Carry on Henry rates as one of the best of the Carry on Films, they couldn't really fail with this one. Henry VIII is still one of the most interesting and fascinating figures in British history, Sid James was one of our best loved Carry on actors, couple that with one of the best scripts and some rather good production values and you get this bawdy, funny Royal romp.Some of the costumes wouldn't have looked out of place in a BBC production of the tudors, some really are exceptional, I suppose there wouldn't have been quite so many heaving bosoms.Lots of the carry on regulars are on good form, being the lead I think it's fair to say the show is all about Sid, it's one of his best performances. Charles Hawtrey is also at his best as Sir Roger de Lodgerley, his his dialogues with Kenneth Williams and his torture scenes are hilarious.Brilliant film 9/10

The 21st film of the long running Carry On series is a bawdy trip into the court of King Henry VIII (Sid James). The King has recently married Queen Marie of Normandy (Joan Sims) but since she eats too much garlic, thus putting the King off his conjugal rights, he plots to get her out the way. However, he must tread carefully as a war with France could easily arise should anything happen to the Queen.Some of the best colour Carry On movies would turn out to be set in an historical period. Carry On Henry is not one of the best from the historical romps, but it's a goodie and for those who like the saucy side of the series then it has plenty of appeal.The presence of James on womanising and boozing form, and Barbara Windsor doing her no brain all sexuality act, gives this entry its saucy soul, while Terry Scott (superb visual ticks), Kenny Williams (a continuously wonderful foil for Scott) and Charles Hawtrey mince about with gleeful abandon. The energy of the comedy is high and sustained throughout, while the art design and costuming is regal in production. The gunpowder plot forms a side-bar narrative, which is joyous but also shows us that Kenneth Connor is sadly under used, but the innuendo and purposely groan inducing gags are always on hand to tickle the senses of those so inclined towards this splinter of the popular British institution. 7/10

The historical Carry Ons tend to be among the better ones and this is no exception. Set in the Court of Henry VIII, the king is having marital difficulties. He has had one wife beheaded so that he can marry Maria, the cousin of the King of France. All appears to be going well until the time comes to consummate the marriage... Maria may be attractive but she reeks of garlic and refuses to stop eating it. Getting rid of her won't be easy either as the Vatican wants a large bribe to annul the marriage and even then it would risk war with France. It looks like they have found a solution when the Queen becomes pregnant... they just have to get the man who did it to confess; the man concerned is Sir Roger de Lodgerley and it will take a lot of persuasion to make him to confess... and by the time he does the situation has changed so an equally long time must be spent extracting a retraction! The situation is made harder for the king when he meets Bettina; a pretty lass who believes in waiting till she is married.This film is as funny as it is because the casting is spot on; Sid James does a fine job as the randy king doomed never to get any; Kenneth Williams does equally well as the scheming chancellor Thomas Cromwell and Charles Hawtrey is hilarious as Sir Roger, the man who bedded the queen and grew a couple of feet after a stretch on the rack! Joan Sims and Barbara Windsor were also good as rivals for the king's attention Maria and Bettina. Some later Carry On films rely on smut and innuendo rather too much; thankfully this one has plenty of funny clean jokes and what innuendo there is usually raises a chuckle. Fans of the series will almost certainly enjoy this and even people who aren't usually keen on Carry Ons should get a few laughs; just don't expect historical accuracy.

This is a fabulously funny send up of history and the Carry on cast are in great form. Leading the fun is Sid James who plays Sid James playing Henry. Sid always played Sid and when he was in top form as a lovable rogue or old lecherous womaniser few could be better. He is wonderful here and I agree with others here who say the old boy was born to play this part. It is his movie but he does get great support. The great stalwarts are there Williams, Hawtrey and Sims. There's lovely work from Terry Scott. A real stand out is a brilliant cameo from an actor I know little about. Julian Orchard is brilliant and he camps it up deliciously.What a superb actor this man is, must read more about him. He had me in stitches. I normally found Kenneth Connor annoying but in this he shows he was actually a good actor when he was not stuck playing annoying mannerisms and clichés. His slap stick in other movies is awful and unfunny, here is restrained and good to watch. The carry on movies are attacked because they objectify women and are not politically correct. Not so. If you look at the movies very carefully surely it's at least commendable that the sexy women are not the anorexic women cast as sex idols today. Barbara Windsor is superb in this. She always was. She is certainly sexy but she was a full rounded, buxom woman with womanly features. She was not a match stick. The carry on movies are never given credit for this.Today anorexia is rife amongst young women and the carry on movies showed that you do not have to be slim to be sexy. Windsor was and even today is sexy. A glamorous great star.The gag of the garlic does not work today because this was made at a time when garlic was not something popular with the conservative English diet. Today we have all developed a love and taste for garlic. Back then it was exotic and most people, including those who never tried it, hated it.It was odd continental stuff and it stunk. We are all over that now. Garlic actually smells quite sexy, especially if you both are eating it. We also know its very good for you, natrures medicine. It was never eaten here in Australia until Italians immigrated. So its odd to us today to quite connect with the attitude that garlic was something horrible. Henry is however a classic Carry On and I loved it. The pace of the movie is zesty and crackles along brightly. It looks great with lovely costumes and sets. The music is wonderful. Its one of the best. I loved it.