This early outing for the 'Carry On' team may not be one of the best but it is better than many of the later outings. As the title would suggest this film finds the team teaching in a typical school. As the end of term approaches the acting head master is hoping to find a permanent post in a rural school but before he can do that he must survive a week long visit from a strict school inspector and a liberal-minded psychologist
to make matters worse one of the boys has overheard all this and sets about ensuring the inspection does not go well. The rest of the film sees the teachers falling victim to a series of pranks which range from putting itching powder in the staff room to spiking the teachers' tea with alcohol stolen from the labs. Away from all the pranks two inspectors find themselves taking a romantic interest in two of the staff! As the film approaches its climax the school is preparing to put on a performance of Romeo and Juliet
not surprisingly things do no go well.
I enjoyed many of the other early Carry On films but this one seems weaker than most; for the most part it was just a series of practical jokes without the wit of the better films. That isn't to say it wasn't totally without laughs; I did enjoy the finale where their production of Romeo and Juliet descended into a farce. The main problem with many of the jokes was that the pranks seemed malicious if not downright malevolent at the time we do later learn why the children did it but by then it is too late. The cast includes many of the regulars including Kenneth Connor, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims and Hattie Jacques; they do a good enough job although it isn't their best work. I'd only really recommend this to fans of the series although children would probably find the various pranks hilarious and unlike later instalments in the series there is nothing too rude for them to see.
I enjoyed many of the other early Carry On films but this one seems weaker than most; for the most part it was just a series of practical jokes without the wit of the better films. That isn't to say it wasn't totally without laughs; I did enjoy the finale where their production of Romeo and Juliet descended into a farce. The main problem with many of the jokes was that the pranks seemed malicious if not downright malevolent at the time we do later learn why the children did it but by then it is too late. The cast includes many of the regulars including Kenneth Connor, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Joan Sims and Hattie Jacques; they do a good enough job although it isn't their best work. I'd only really recommend this to fans of the series although children would probably find the various pranks hilarious and unlike later instalments in the series there is nothing too rude for them to see.