User reviews

I love most of the Carry on films, especially Cleo, Up the Khyber and my favourite Screaming. And I do admit I prefer in general the earlier entries, which had more fun and charm in alternative to the later entries some of which had an over-reliance on smut.

Carry on Matron may have some slow-moving scenes and a thin and predictable plot, with some odd moments of overly-smutty innuendos and crude slapstick. But thanks to the witty gags, sharp script and fun performances, even with its shortcomings it still manages to be one of the better and funnier later entries of the series.

The production values are pleasant, the music is suitably quirky and the direction is solid. What really drives the film are the performances. Hattie Jacques does a fine job in the title role and Charles Hawtrey is as good as ever. The wonderful Kenneth Williams is hilarious and has some of the best lines and scenes, and Sid James plays it straight in a somewhat atypical role. And I mustn't forget the lovely cameos of Kenneth Connor as the nervous dad-to-be and Joan Sims as the overdue mum either.

All in all, an entertaining film. 7/10 Bethany Cox

... and I've found most folks either love or hate the Carry Ons as a rule, and for many it's a generational thing (i.e., the films either evoke fond memories of their youth in a Britain that's vastly different from the UK of today, or they draw out unalloyed scorn for the lewd side of British comedy). And, truth be told, there's lots NOT to like about the Carry Ons, starting with the hit-or-miss quality and cheap production values of the series' entries as well as the broad style of humor found therein (a style that irritated more innovative British comics such as Tony Hancock). And, yes, for me the series proves scientifically the thesis that one film can have too many breast jokes. But, at the same time, when the core group (Sid, Hattie, Kenneth, Joan, Charles, etc.) is present and the humor is firing on all cylinders, you can see why these movies made a ton of coin: because at their best, they're hilarious.

Carry On, Matron has one of the dandiest premises in the series: a gang of crooks plans to steal birth control pills from a maternity hospital and sell them on the black market...just the kind of crime one would expect from a gang led by the ribald Sid James! Indeed, there are no prizes for good taste here, including a patient who's nine months pregnant (Joan Sims) who shows up at the hospital with false labor and then settles in to eat like a horse, and Sid's crooked son (Kenneth Cope) who dresses as a nurse in order to obtain a floor plan but ends up being harassed by the lecherous Dr. Prodd as well as distracted by his terminally curvaceous roommate (Barbara Windsor). Factor in Hattie Jacques' deft turn as Matron and Kenneth Williams, in spectacularly twitchy form, as a hypochondriac Chief of Staff, and you have yourself a movie that will keep you laughing in spite of yourself.

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.

The 23rd film in the Carry On series and the fourth (and last) of the medical themed adventures. Sid Carter (Sid James) leads a gang of thieves who plan to break into Finisham Hospital and steal a load of contraceptive pills to sell abroad. But where are they kept? Sid decides to send his son Cyril (Kenneth Cope) in undercover disguised as a nurse...

They probably seem like cheap gags now, but much mirth is mined from the scenarios set up by a man undercover as a female nurse. Cue him having to share a room with a foxy babe (Babs Windsor), having to fight off the attentions of the randy Doctor Prodd (a brilliant film stealing Terry Scott) and him getting involved with medical issues he has no idea about (yikes this is a maternity hospital!). Elsewhere Joan Simms portrays a human eating machine that is three weeks over due, while her poor railway worker husband (Kenneth Connor great as always) goes insane in the waiting room. Kenneth Williams is the hypochondriac hospital manager and the wonderful Hattie Jacques gets great scenes in a film thats title and script acknowledges her work in the medical Carry On films.

Briskly paced by the ever reliable Gerald Thomas, "Matron" is one of the more likable and funny Carry On entries of the 70s. 7.5/10

CARRY ON MATRON is the fourth and last of the hospital-themed CARRY ON films. It's a must for fans as it assembles a huge number of the series regulars although the sheer quantity of talent involved invariably means that some of the performers only get to shine in a scene or two (I mean you, Charles Hawtrey). The plot is an odd mix of gentle comedy and knockabout crime story, involving a gang of robbers who somewhat unbelievably decide to steal a huge quantity of pills from a maternity ward. Sid James takes a backseat here with an old-fashioned turn as the head of the criminal gang, although his 'Dr Zhivago' gag is a highlight.

Elsewhere, the emphasis is on staff rather than patients for a change, although there are some nice roles for the female talent as you'd expect: Joan Sims, Valerie Leon, Madeline Smith, and Margaret Nolan all contribute efficient minor turns. Less impressive is Kenneth Cope in thankfully what was to be his last role in the series; his out of place pratfalls just serve to remind you how classy Jim Dale was in comparison. It's also disappointing that the likes of Kenneth Williams, Patsy Rowlands, and Hattie Jacques have to contend with broader (read: more lowbrow) humour than before, but the quantity of gags and fast pacing means that this is hard to dislike. Kenneth Connor is a real plus.

This is excellent. The only word to describe this film is excellent.Its a real treat from beginning to end.For those who have not seen this film you haven't lived!!!. Everyone is enjoying themselves in the Finisham maternity hospital. The film has the lot Innudendo gags saucy jokes and all good clean fun!! Sid Bernie Hattie Charlie Kenny Williams and Kenny Connor, Babs as Nurse Susan Ball. Terry Scott Dr Prodd. Joan Sims plays the ever expectant mother. Jacki Piper and Patsy Rowlands are joining in the fun. The film is great along with Doctor the best medical carry on film!!.Patsy has short screen time which is a shame. This was the highlight of the carry on series. A good film for Terry Scott to leave the series from as with Jacki Piper.10/10

One of the weaker Carry On adventures sees Sid James as the head of a crime gang stealing contraceptive pills. The fourth of the series to be hospital-based, it's possibly the least of the genre. There's a curiously flat feel throughout, with all seemingly squandered on below-par material. This is far from the late-70s nadir, but Williams, James, Bresslaw, Maynard et al. are all class performers yet not given the backing of a script equal to their ability.

Most of the gags are onrunning, rather than episodic as Carry Ons usually are. So that instead of the traditional hit and miss ratio, if you don't find the joke funny in the first place you're stuck with it for most of the film. These continuous plot strands include Williams – for no good reason – worrying that he's changing sex, and Kenneth Cope in drag. Like the stagy physical pratt falls, the whole thing feels more contrived than in other movies, and lacking in cast interest. Continuing this theme, Matron lacks the customary pun and innuendo format, largely opting for characterisation and consequence to provide the humour. In fact, the somewhat puerile series of laboured misunderstandings and forced circumstance reminds one more of Terry and June ... so it's appropriate that Terry Scott is present, mugging futilely throughout.

Some dialogue exchanges have a bit of the old magic, such as this between Scott and Cope: "What about a little drink?" "Oh, no, no, I never touch it." "Oh. Cigarette then?" "No, I never touch them." "That leaves only one thing to offer you." "I never touch that either." That said, while a funny man in his own right (livening up the duller episodes of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) no end), you do feel that Cope isn't quite tapped in to the self-parodying Carry On idealology and that Bernard Bresslaw dressed as a nurse would be far funnier. This does actually happen, in part, though only for the last fifteen minutes.

Williams attempting to seduce Hattie Jacques while Charles Hawtrey is hiding in a cupboard is pure drawer room farce, but lacks the irony to carry it off. That said, Williams's description of premarital relations is priceless: "You don't just go into the shop and buy enough for the whole room, you tear yourself off a little strip and try it first!" "That may be so," counters Jacques, "but you're not going to stick me up against a wall." Williams really comes to life in his scenes with Hattie, and you can never get bored of hearing a tin whistle whenever someone accidentally flashes their knickers.

Carry On Matron is not a bad film by any means, just a crushingly bog-standard one.

Carry on Matron is one of the funniest carry on movies i have ever seen in my life. This movie was made in 1972, starring Sid James, Hattie Jacques, Terry Scott, Kenneth Williams, Barbara Windsor. Those actors/actresses are fantastic ones. Thye are very funny and i think they have chosen the perfect roles for the carry on movies they have starred in. Sadly though, now these days, there is only Barbara Windsor still alive that i have mentioned earlier. Sid James, Terry Scott, Hattie Jacques and Kenneth Willams sadly died years ago. Carry on Doctor, Carry on Again Doctor, and Carry on Nurse are another example that is simalar ot Carry on Matron. I give this movie 10 out of 10.

Around the time that Carry On Matron was made there was a concern in the United Kingdom about a declining birthrate. You couldn't prove it here by all the kanoodling and attempted kanoodling going on at this maternity hospital.

Birthing babies and the prevention of that is the subject for the satire of Carry On Matron. Right about then birth control pills were at a premium in the British Isles and Sid James and his cronies have an idea to rob the Maternity Hospital of its supply of the pills. But first in order to pinch them they have to know where the hospital keeps them.

That's when James gets the idea to have his son Kenneth Cope go in a disguise drag as a new matron. Of course Cope is a red-blooded British male and the job proves difficult to concentrate on, especially after he's roomed with Barbara Windsor who packs naturally what he has to use some socks to convey.

Carry On regular Joan Sims is the way overdue expectant mother who is enjoying all the service the hospital provides and milking every bit of it while her husband Kenneth Connor a railroad worker has taken up residence in the waiting room waiting for his first child. Kenneth Williams is the head of the hospital, a man with issues whom he hopes that head nurse Hattie Jacques will solve. Solving everyone's issues is hospital psychologist Charles Hawtrey.

It was with poignancy also that I watched Kenneth Williams pursuing Jacques and trying to explain his problems. It was a little too close to home for the real Kenneth Williams.

The final robbery is borrowed somewhat from The Lavendar Hill Mob which is only right since Sid James was in that film as well.

A real Carry On classic.

The Carry On films remind of a friend I once had as a kid. This friend was a great laugh until I reached the age of 13 or 14. He was a couple of years younger than me, and although he hadn't changed, he seemed to become, almost overnight, an annoying little twerp, and the jokes that once kept me entertained I suddenly found intensely childish and irritating. When I was a kid I loved the Carry On films, but now you could probably compile all the genuinely funny bits from the countless films into a one-hour TV special.

To be fair, Carry On Matron probably isn't the best film with which to reacquaint oneself with the series after a gap of some thirty years, and I'm sure if I watched Spying or Screaming my opinion would be a lot less unforgiving. In this one, the cast of regulars simply seem to be going through the motions, and you get the impression that the writers struggled to write parts for all of them. Everything's disjointed, and Sid James seems to be in another film for much of the time. By now the series was winding down and its best years were behind it. British cinema screens were awash with home-made sex comedies featuring familiar actors which were prepared to go that little bit further in order to entice its primarily teen audience into the cinema, and the Carry On films started looking dated.

This one has a typically daft plot involving Sid and his gang planning to rob Finishem maternity hospital of its supply of contraceptives. In order to do that, they need an inside man to get a plan of the hospital's layout, which is obviously the cue for one of their number (Kenneth Cope) to dress up as a nurse. Once in the hospital he finds himself sharing a room with busty Babs Windsor who wastes no time in stripping down to her underwear and asking him to undo her bra. Naturally, our hapless 'hero' makes a run for it. It's difficult to single out anyone as giving a better performance – everyone knows what's expected of them and duly obliges. There are a few funny one-liners ('By the way – you're mail,' says matron Hattie Jacques to Kenneth Williams, who mistakenly believes he is turning into a woman. 'Yes, I am!' Williams exclaims. 'And I can prove it, d'you hear? Prove it!'), but little else to get enthusiastic about.

A group of thieves plan to make a killing by stealing a large shipment of contraceptive pills that have been delivered to Finisham maternity hospital. Sending young Cyril in undercover, nobody planned that he would end up dressed as a nurse, living in the nurse's dorms and trying to convince everyone that he is a woman – rather too well in the case of amorous doctor Prodd. Cyril keeps trying to find the pills while being helped by his father Sid and the rest of the gang. Meanwhile the staff of the hospital carry on a collection of less-than-subtle and sordid affairs behind closed doors.

With the 1970's came the gradual end of the Carry On series of films that had run since the 1950's and, although the seventies had one or two that were genuinely good, it also had a couple that barely reached the standard set by the poor sex "comedies" that were being mass produced by the UK during this decade. While Matron is not one of the latter, it certainly is not one the stronger films of the decade – although there are moments that are very enjoyable. The plot is pretty terrible and the robbery of pills fails to engage simply because it is so damn stupid from start to finish; I know it is a comedy but if ever a man was a less convincing woman than Kenneth Cope then I don't know who it would be – it is a problem that the lynch pin of the narrative is him passing himself off as a nurse. The subplots are actually better and the best scenes feature great witty interplay between series legends Williams, Hawtrey and Jacques. There are also some nice little additions such as Connor's waiting station master and little throwaway gags such as one of the wards being known as "The Bunn Ward"! These aspects threw up the odd laugh but anytime it fell back to the central narrative it tended to be weak and just be a series of obvious jokes and clumsy chases/pratfalls.

The cast are pretty good if they have the material – in particular the trio of Jacques, Williams and Hawtrey. Scott has a basic role but is quite entertaining in his last appearance in the series but you do have to feel for Sid James who is dumped on the edge of the film with the weak plot to carry with little help from Bresslaw and Maynard. Windsor does her usual stuff but Cope is poor from the start to finish and cannot do anything with the silly narrative and pratfalls. Sims has little to do but it is nice to have as many of the faces as possible in the film.

Overall this is an average entry in the series; the plot is weak and can't provide much in the way of structure or laughs but the subplots provide some classic moments and some good material for the cast members lucky enough to get it. There are much worse films in the series than this one but there are much, much better ones as well; fans of the series will enjoy the classic moments and be patient with the rest, but it is unlikely that this film will be the one to win converts to the series.

Petty criminal Sid Carter masterminds a scheme to steal a stock of contraceptive pills from a maternity hospital and sell them abroad. In order for Sid's gang to gain entry to the hospital, his son Cyril has to pose as a nurse.

Another entertaining carry on, the fourth and the last of the medical ones, and has the usual smatter of innuendo, but it's the performances that really make this a fun watch. The interaction between Kenneth Williams and Hattie Jacques is great; Charles Hawtrey and Sid James are at their usual best. It doesn't matter how predictable the shenanigans can be, it's just sheer fun that puts a smile on one's face. Joan Sims as the patient who is pregnant seven years and loves eating does well in a small role.

This is not to bad, not as good as the last ........Convenience', but still Ok. Some daft goings on in the hospital, with bungling thieves headed by Sid James trying to steal pills.

Apart from Sid the other Carry On regulars are :- Ken Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims, Hattie Jacques, Bernard Bresslaw, Terry Scott, Barbara Windsor, Kenneth Connor, Bill Maynard, Patsy Rowlands, Valerie Leon, Margaret Nolan and Jacki Piper, Jacki was on her last, she was a late starter and only did 4, but she was a welcome addition to the team, if only for a short while, she had a god career in acting, retiring in 2012, but still with us, now aged 73.

Kenneth Cope was also on his last, he only did 2, this and .... Convenience', but he raised them a little, he has had a longer career than Jacki, retiring in 2009, he is now aged 89. There were a few actors who played small bit part roles, that have done a few,, whom you may not have heard of :- Michael Nightingale, who did 13 Carry Ons, plus 2 of the spin offs and the TV series 'Carry On Laughing', Brian Osborne who did 6, 1 spin-off film and the TV series, this was his first, Alan Harris, who did 5, Amelia Bayntun who did 5, usually as a nagging mother figure and Gwendolyn Watts who did 4, this was her last, she had a long career, starting in 1958, until 1995, mostly in small roles, sadly she passed away in 2000 aged 62. Valerie Shute also did 4, this was her last as well, but she only had a short career from 1969 until 1983, just 13 roles, mostly in Carry On's, 'Carry on Camping' was her first film, happily she is still with us, now aged 75.

Another actor who plated a small role and went on to do a few more was Jack Douglas, one of the most annoying actors ever, with his big shoulder twitch acting trait which brought attention, because he could not act.

Anyway, it was ok, not too much in the way of sex antics, which improved it a little, but still too much sexual innuendo, it was the 70's!

CARRY ON MATRON was released in 1972 and it's becoming clear that the series has reached a natural end with the best entries like CLEO , UP THE KYBER and SCREAMING being from the mid to late 60s

In itself MATRON is by no means bad it's just that we've seen it all before with a thin plot ( A bunch of spivs trying to break into a hospital to steal a supply of contraceptive pills which they plan to sell to third world countries ) surrounded by gags of a slightly amusing though unsophisticated nature . I think that's where the problem lies - The gags aren't all that amusing with the unsophisticated nature starting to show its age . Did we need another movie that uses a man dressed up as a woman in order to drive the plot ? Perhaps the worst criticism I can make is that I saw CARRY ON MATRON this afternoon , less that twelve hours ago and I have a problem in trying to remember a very funny line . That's a serious problem for a comedy

You can tell that the producers were beginning to run out of ideas for these as this hybrid of "Carry on Nurse" (1959) and "Carry on Doctor" (1967) hits the screen. This time Sid James isn't a patient. He is "Carter", audaciously planning to rob the "Finisham" hospital of it's supply of valuable drugs. To facilitate this crime, he decides that his son "Cyril" (Kenneth Cope) should don the garb of a nurse an impersonate one until he can get the lay of the land for their burglary. Meantime, "Dr. Prodd'' (Terry Scott) has the job the philandering bumbler, Hattie Jacques is this time a less ruthless matron and Joan Sims takes the cake as the eternally pregnant "Mrs. Tiday" who is quite happy to eat the place out of house and home while her poor railwayman husband (Kenneth Connor) grows steadily older and more frustrated in the waiting room. At times, there are still traces of the old style of slapstick humour; the writing is quite funny now and again and there is plenty of "how's your father" - real or imaginary for us to chortle at. It's not the best, nor anywhere near - but it's got plenty going on before an ending that did actually smack of sequel coming!!

I love all these "terrible old fashion" Carry On movies, since I can remember. And "Carry On Matron" is absolutely great. I have to laugh all the time. Kenneth Williams is sooo funny in this movie, and with Hattie Jaques they are the funniest

couple in the film history. he is very thin and she is so big.

Carry on - Laughing !!!

One of my favourite Carry On films, and my favourite medical Carry On. Like 'Camping' this is a breezily paced fun comedy where nearly all the well-known regulars appear, and they are all very well cast as staff and patients of a maternity hospital.

Hattie Jacques as matron is given a warm funny character and large role where she can really shine. Kenneth Williams flails about in an enjoyable turn as a hypochondriac doctor. He lapses into lots of slapstick and "stop messin' about" silliness here. Barbara Windsor plays a friendly nurse with less sexiness and nudity than some of her other roles. Extra laughs come from Joan Sims as gluttonous patient Mrs Tidy, and Kenneth Connor as her impatient husband waiting endlessly for her overdue baby to appear. Charles Hawtrey has a fun supporting part as affable psychiatrist FA Goode who gets involved in a funny bedroom farce bit with Jacques and Williams.

Sid James plays his usual type, though here the lecherous angle is de-emphasised. He heads a criminal gang of his conscientious son Cyril (Kenneth Cope), dim Ernie (Bernard Bresslaw) and the sarcastic Freddy (Bill Maynard). Cyril reluctantly dresses as a nurse and is sent to the hospital to find the store of contraceptive pills that Sid plans to steal. Unfortunately Cyril finds himself quickly enmeshed in hospital routine, falls for Windsor, and attracts the attentions of the amorous Dr Prodd (a hilarious Terry Scott in his last Carry On). Cope hits all the right notes and also manages to be funny in a role crucial to the overall story.

I always enjoy Bill Maynard's performances and here he has a bigger part than usual, and lots of funny lines. Derek Francis is great as the quizzical porter, and Margaret Nolan, Madeline Smith, Wendy Richard and Amelia Bayntun contribute fun cameos as various patients. With so many in good parts it sadly leaves little for Patsy Rowlands and Jacki Piper to do, but nice to see them anyway.

Good production values overall and the music is great.