Carry On At Your Convenience

PLOT

In bathroom ceramics factory W.C. Boggs & Son, the traditionalist owner W.C. Boggs (Kenneth Williams) is having no end of trouble. Bolshy and lazy union representative Vic Spanner (Kenneth Cope) continually stirs up trouble in the works, to the irritation of his co-workers and management. He calls a strike for almost any minor incident – or because he wants time off to attend a local football match. Sid Plummer (Sid James) is the site foreman bridging the gap between workers and management, shrewdly keeping the place going amid the unrest.

Prissy floral-shirt-wearing product designer Charles Coote (Charles Hawtrey) has included a bidet in his latest range of designs, but W.C. objects to the manufacture of such "dubious" items. W.C. will not change his stance even after his son, Lewis Boggs (Richard O'Callaghan), secures a large overseas order for the bidets. It is a deal that could save the struggling firm, which W.C. has to admit is in debt to the banks.

Vic's dim stooge Bernie Hulke (Bernard Bresslaw) provides bumbling assistance in both his union machinations and his attempts to woo Sid's daughter, factory canteen worker Myrtle (Jacki Piper). She is torn between Vic and Lewis Boggs, who is something of a playboy but insists he loves her.

Sid's wife is Beattie (Hattie Jacques), a lazy housewife who does little but fuss over her pet budgie, Joey, which refuses to talk despite her concerted efforts. Their neighbour is Sid's brassy and lascivious co-worker Chloe Moore (Joan Sims). Chloe contends with the endless strikes and with her crude husband, travelling salesman Fred (Bill Maynard), who neglects her and leaves her dissatisfied. Chloe and Sid enjoy a flirtatious relationship and are sorely tempted to stray. Unusually for Sid James, his character is a faithful husband, albeit a cheeky and borderline-lecherous one.

Sid and Beattie find that Joey can correctly predict winners of horseraces – he tweets when the horse's name is read out. Sid bets on Joey's tips and achieves several large wins – including a vital £1,000 loaned to W.C. when the banks refuse a bridging loan – before Benny (Davy Kaye), Sid's bookie, fed up with having made these payouts, refuses to accept further bets from him.

The strikers finally return to work, but it is only to attend the annual works outing, a coach trip to Brighton. A good time is had by all with barriers coming down between workers and management, thanks largely to that great social lubricant, alcohol. W.C. becomes intoxicated and spends the day – and, it appears, the night – with his faithful, adoring secretary, Miss Hortense Withering (Patsy Rowlands). Lewis Boggs manages to win Myrtle from Vic Spanner, giving his rival a beating, and the couple elope. After arriving home late after the outing and with Fred away, Chloe invites Sid in for a cup of tea. They fight their desires and ultimately decide not to have the tea, fearing that neighbours might see Sid enter Chloe's home and get the wrong idea.

At the picket lines the next day, Vic gets his comeuppance – partly at the hands of his mother (Renée Houston), who spanks him in public – and the workers and management all pull together to produce the big order to save the firm.

CAST

Sid James as Sid Plummer

Kenneth Williams as WC Boggs

Charles Hawtrey as Charles Coote

Hattie Jacques as Beattie Plummer

Joan Sims as Chloe Moore

Bernard Bresslaw as Bernie Hulke

Kenneth Cope as Vic Spanner

Jacki Piper as Myrtle Plummer

Richard O'Callaghan as Lewis Boggs

Patsy Rowlands as Hortense Withering

Davy Kaye as Benny

Bill Maynard as Fred Moore

Renée Houston as Agatha Spanner

Marianne Stone as Maud

Margaret Nolan as Popsy

Geoffrey Hughes as Willie

Hugh Futcher as Ernie

Simon Cain as Barman

Amelia Bayntun as Mrs Spragg

Leon Greene as Chef

Harry Towb as Film doctor

Shirley Stelfox as Bunny waitress

Peter Burton as Hotel manager

Julian Holloway as Roger

Anouska Hempel as New canteen girl

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 the 22nd release in the series of 31 Carry On films (1958–1992), and was the first box office failure of the series.

 known as Carry On Round the Bend outside the United Kingdom