Instant Favorite.

Absolutely the worst movie.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

When I realised that this outing for the Carry On team was set in a maternity hospital I feared it would feature too many puerile jokes of the kind that spoilt many of the later films; thankfully there were too many and those that there were weren't too bad. The film had a decent, if rather silly plot; Sid James plans to break into the hospital to steal the contraceptive pills stored there and to do that he will need somebody on the inside disguised as a nurse… his son. His son Cyril isn't keen on the idea and it is surprising that he isn't spotted as a man straight away; in fact he ends up being chased by the amorous Dr Prodd, sharing a bedroom with Barbara Windsor and delivering triplets to a film star! Away from his antics the hospital's matron is attracted to the hypochondriac chief consultant and Joan Sims is a week overdue.After the unpromising start things picked up; yes there were one or two slightly dodgy jokes… even in the '70s a doctor trying to force himself onto a nurse is creepy rather than funny. The acting was good enough with the regulars playing the same sort of characters the always play; Sid James is the rogue, Hattie Jacques is the voice of authority and Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey are somewhat camp. If you've seen other carry on films you will know the sort of thing to expect; some innuendo but nothing saucier than seeing Barbara Windsor in her underwear… and even that is in a fairly innocent scene.

This is another madcap comedy from the Carry On group, this time set in a maternity hospital. The whole group is here and its a fun film. Kenneth Williams deftly plays the hospital administrator Sir Bernard Cutting, who is obsessed with his manliness, Kenneth Cope plays Cyril, who dresses as a nurse to try to find out where "the pill" is stored, while Sid James plays his father, who is the mastermind of the group looking to steal the pills to sell them on the black market. There are sight gags, mistaken notions etc, just what you would expect. Hattie Jacques deftly plays the matron of the title. Its a fun comedy, at a time when the Carry On films were hitting their stride. You should check it out.

Sid Carter (Sydney James) is a leader of a gang of thieves and he persuades his son Cyril (Kenneth Cope) to dress up as a female nurse and infiltrate the "Finisham Maternity Hospital" so that he can get the gang a plan of the place enabling them to steal vast quantities of "The Pill". "I know a couple of countries who'll go mad for the stuff" says Sid.Occasionally funny entry in the long running series. The funniest moments include the scene where the Matron (Hattie Jacques) visits the registrar Sir Bernard Cutting (Kenneth Williams) in order to bring him his morning post. Sir Bernard is a proper hypochondriac who thinks he's on the verge of a sex change, "Your mail" says Matron handing him the letters, "I know and I can prove it do you hear prove it" screams Sir Bernard not aware of what she really meant. Another stand out moment is when Syd Carter and his gang arrive at the hospital to pull off the raid, Syd is disguised as a doctor sporting a laughable beard and dark glasses. "I am Dr Zhivago" he says. When the film isn't funny it gets by because it possesses a charm that many of the other less funny Carry On's have, a charm that one journalist described as "an England that never was" and besides that there is the assured presence of all the regulars including Charles Hawtery, Joan Sims, Barbara Windsor and Bernard Bresslaw, but Kenneth Williams, Hattie Jacques and Syd James ultimately steal the show.

CONTAINS SPOILERSThis "Carry On" film was made in 1972, when they were considered to be "past it". It is set at Finisham Maternity Hospital where Sid James plans to steal some pills. He is assisted by dumb Bernard Bresslaw, cockney Bill Maynard and Sid' son Kenneth Cope, disguised as a nurse.The hospital staff include Hattie Jacques as Matron, Kenneth Williams as head surgeon Sir Bernard Cutting, Charles Hawtrey as Dr FA Goode, a psychiatrist, Barbara Windsor as the nurse and Terry Scott as lecherous Dr Prodd.There is also a good supporting turn from Joan Sims as an "eating machine" expectant mother who is a month overdue and Kenneth Connor as her fed-up husband.This film ends with Sid's gang getting away and wedding bells for Hattie Jacques and Kenneth Williams.10 out of 10!