Carry On Cabby

CinemaSerfJul 2023

3.0

This is another of my favourite "Carry On" films. Poor old "Charlie" (Sid James) has built up a successful business with his wife "Peggy" (Hattie Jacques) but his dedication to cabbing is causing him to neglect her and she is getting narked. When the boys threaten to walk out if he uses "Flo" (Esma Cannon) as a driver, the last straw breaks the camel's back and she decides to start her own company - using only woman drivers. Needless to say, this is a roaring success and "Charlie" suddenly finds his fares drying up and he must find a solution... Although a few of the regulars still feature here, this is essentially an enjoyable duel between the two and it's fun. I always had a soft spot for the Una O'Connor/Mildred Natwick style of characters and Cannon fills that role nicely here as the story ebbs and flows before it culminates in a co-ordinated taxi chase and a niftyile exercised motorised pincer movement. It takes a swipe at sexism and the daft excesses of trade unionism, whilst reminding us that there is more to life than running a successful enterprise.