I always thought CARRY ON EMMANNUELLE was the worst of the Carry On films (not counting CARRY ON COLUMBUS, which is like some bastard cousin of the series), having seen it years ago and judged it to be pretty pitiful. However, having now watched all of the films, I can report that it's not the worst at all; that 'honour' goes to the preceding CARRY ON ENGLAND, which doesn't even feel like a proper Carry On.
At least this film features a lot of the old regulars back on screen for the final time: Kenneth Williams, Joan Sims, Kenneth Connor, Jack Douglas, and Peter Butterworth feature in this, and the latter foursome make a particularly good quartet in their scenes as various household staff. The bit where they sit around the kitchen table and recount their amorous escapades is the highlight of the film and recalls the glory days of the show, with Butterworth shining in particular as the doddering old butler.
A shame, then, that the main plot is such a boring rip-off of the classic erotic film series (and there's something typically cheap and tacky about the misspelling of EMMANNUELLE so as not to breach copyright). I don't know who thought that viewers wanted ample rear nudity from Kenneth Williams, but we get it. Suzanne Danielle is really pitiful as the lead and drags the film down whenever she appears, but on the plus side there are cameos from Victor Maddern and Beryl Reid which liven things up a bit. If you squint a bit, ignore all the tired sex jokes and nudity, and focus on the supporting characters, then you might just enjoy this. A bit.
At least this film features a lot of the old regulars back on screen for the final time: Kenneth Williams, Joan Sims, Kenneth Connor, Jack Douglas, and Peter Butterworth feature in this, and the latter foursome make a particularly good quartet in their scenes as various household staff. The bit where they sit around the kitchen table and recount their amorous escapades is the highlight of the film and recalls the glory days of the show, with Butterworth shining in particular as the doddering old butler.
A shame, then, that the main plot is such a boring rip-off of the classic erotic film series (and there's something typically cheap and tacky about the misspelling of EMMANNUELLE so as not to breach copyright). I don't know who thought that viewers wanted ample rear nudity from Kenneth Williams, but we get it. Suzanne Danielle is really pitiful as the lead and drags the film down whenever she appears, but on the plus side there are cameos from Victor Maddern and Beryl Reid which liven things up a bit. If you squint a bit, ignore all the tired sex jokes and nudity, and focus on the supporting characters, then you might just enjoy this. A bit.