Don't Lose Your Head
Don't Lose Your Head is a 1967 British comedy film, the 13th in the series of 31 Carry On films (1958–1992). It features regular team members Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Jim Dale, Charles Hawtrey and Joan Sims. Set in France and England in 1789 during the French Revolution, it is a parody of Baroness Orczy's The Scarlet Pimpernel.
Don't Lose Your Head | |
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![]() Original UK quad poster by Renato Fratini | |
Directed by | Gerald Thomas |
Produced by | Peter Rogers |
Written by | Talbot Rothwell |
Starring | Sid James Kenneth Williams Jim Dale Charles Hawtrey Joan Sims Dany Robin Peter Butterworth |
Narrated by | Patrick Allen |
Music by | Eric Rogers |
Cinematography | Alan Hume |
Edited by | Rod Keys |
Distributed by | Rank Organisation |
Release date |
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Running time | 90 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Budget | £200,000 |
The first Carry On to be produced by the Rank Organisation, Don't Lose Your Head was not conceived as a part of the series and was first released without the Carry On prefix. However, the ongoing popularity of the series persuaded Rank to add the prefix to the titles of this and the following film, Follow That Camel, when they were re-released.
French actress Dany Robin makes here her only Carry On appearance.
Plot
It is the time of the French Revolution, whilst the French aristocracy are losing their heads, two bored English noblemen, Sir Rodney Ffing (pronounced "Effing") and his best friend Lord Darcy Pue (played by Sid James and Jim Dale respectively), bored with the endless round of country pursuits, the social scene and “the same old balls”, decide to have some fun and save their French counterparts from beheading by the guillotine.
Enraged, but barely competent, revolutionary leader Citizen Camembert (Kenneth Williams) and his toadying lackey, Citizen Bidet (Peter Butterworth), scour France and England for the elusive saviour of the French nobles, who has become known as “The Black Fingernail” after his calling card of “two digits rampant”. After a series of audacious rescues the Black Finger Nail succeeds in rescuing the Duc de Pommes Frit (Charles Hawtrey), whilst disguised as an insurance salesman, and in the process tricking Citizen Camembert into guillotining his own executioner. Citizen Camembert is chastised by his superior Maximillien Robespierre (Peter Gilmour) and threatened with the guillotine.
During his escape from France Sir Rodney meets his true love, Jacqueline (Dany Robin), leaving her with a silver locket containing a set of his mother’s false teeth. On discovering Jacqueline, Camembert and Bidet imprison her. Using the locket as a trap, they travel to England, to uncover the real identity of The Black Fingernail. They are accompanied by Camembert’s lover, Desiree (Joan Sims), who is on the lookout to marry a man with a title, disguised as the Comte and Comtesse de la Plume de ma t’Ante. Desiree pretending to be Camembert's flamboyant sister, whilst wearing the locket.
After a series of intrigues at a ball at Ffing House, everyone’s identity is unknowingly revealed. As foppish Sir Rodney challenges Camembert to a rigged duel in order to get a head start on his journey to Paris to rescue Jacqueline. Desiree is now herself in love with the hero and will do all she can to save him from the guillotine in return for his promise that she will marry her titled man.
After arriving in Paris, The Black Fingernail discovers that Jacqueline has been moved from the Bastille to the Chateau Neuf (Waddesdon Manor), the former home of an avid art collector and member of the aristocracy, recently present to Citizen Camembert, by himself. The Black Fingernail travels there, with Lord Darcy and the Duc de Pommes Frit to rescue her.
During the ensuing fight between the rescuers and the French soldiers, most of Citizen Camembert’s new art collection is destroyed. With the help of Desiree, Jacqueline is rescued. All five, The Black Fingernail, Jacqueline, Desiree, Lord Darcy and the Duc de Pommes Frit, flee the collapsing chateau to safety.
For their incompetence Citizen Robespierre orders the guillotining of Citizens Camembert and Bidet. Their final constellation being that The Black Fingernail is not there to see it, until the executioner reveals his identity as none other than The Black Fingernail himself. Afterwards, in England, The Black Fingernail marries Jacqueline, who becomes Lady Ffing, whilst he keeps his promise to Desiree, who has married the Duc de Pommes Frit Much to her own chagrin.
Cast
- Sid James as Sir Rodney Ffing/The Black Fingernail
- Kenneth Williams as Citizen Camembert
- Jim Dale as Lord Darcy Pue
- Charles Hawtrey as Duke de Pommefrite
- Joan Sims as Desiree Dubarry
- Peter Butterworth as Citizen Bidet
- Dany Robin as Jacqueline
- Peter Gilmore as Maximilien Robespierre
- Marianne Stone as Landlady
- Michael Ward as Henri
- Leon Greene as Malabonce
- Richard Shaw as Captain
- David Davenport as Sergeant
- Jennifer Clulow as 1st lady
- Valerie Van Ost as 2nd lady
- Jacqueline Pearce as 3rd lady
- Hugh Futcher as Guard (uncredited)
- Nikki van der Zyl as Messenger (uncredited)
- Julian Orchard as Rake (uncredited)
- Elspeth March as Lady Binder (uncredited)
- Joan Ingram as Bald dowager (uncredited)
- Michael Nightingale as "What locket?" man (uncredited)
- Diana MacNamara as Princess Stephanie (uncredited)
- Ronnie Brody as Little man (uncredited)
- Billy Cornelius as Soldier (uncredited)
- Patrick Allen as Narrator (uncredited)
- Monica Dietrich as Girl (uncredited)
- Anna Willoughby as Girl (uncredited)
- Penny Keen as Girl (uncredited)
- June Cooper as Girl (uncredited)
- Christine Pryor as Girl (uncredited)
- Karen Young as Girl (uncredited)
Filming and locations
- Filming dates – 12 September–28 October 1966
Interiors:
- Marble Hall, Clandon House, Guildford, Surrey, England
- Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire
Exteriors:
- Clandon House, Guildford, Surrey, England
- Claydon Park, Claydon, Buckinghamshire, England
- Cliveden, Buckinghamshire, England, UK
- Waddesdon Manor, Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire, England, UK
- Black Park, Buckinghamshire, England, UK
Bibliography
- Bright, Morris; Ross, Robert (2000). Mr Carry On – The Life & Work of Peter Rogers. London: BBC Books. ISBN 978-0563551836.
- Davidson, Andy (2012). Carry On Confidential. London: Miwk. ISBN 978-1908630018.
- Eastaugh, Kenneth (1978). The Carry On Book. London: David & Charles. ISBN 978-0715374030.
- Hibbin, Sally & Nina (1988). What a Carry On. London: Hamlyn. ISBN 978-0600558194.
- Hudis, Norman (2008). No Laughing Matter. London: Apex. ISBN 978-1906358150.
- Rigelsford, Adrian (1996). Carry On Laughing – a celebration. London: Virgin. ISBN 1-85227-554-5.
- Ross, Robert (2002). The Carry On Companion. London: Batsford. ISBN 978-0713487718.
- Sheridan, Simon (2007). Keeping the British End Up – Four Decades of Saucy Cinema (third edition). Reynolds & Hearn Books.
- Sheridan, Simon (2011). Keeping the British End Up – Four Decades of Saucy Cinema. London: Titan Books. ISBN 978-0857682796.
- Webber, Richard (2009). 50 Years of Carry On. London: Arrow. ISBN 978-0099490074.
References
- "Don't Lose Your Head". IMDB. 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2018.