Carry On Spying

Carry On Spying is a 1964 British spy comedy film, the ninth in the series of 31 Carry On films (1958–1992). It marks Barbara Windsor's first appearance in the series. Series regulars Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, and Jim Dale are present. Bernard Cribbins makes the second of his three Carry On appearances (although it would be 28 years before he returned in Carry On Columbus). Eric Barker appears for his third entry (his final appearance would be in Carry On Emmannuelle 14 years later). Dilys Laye returns after her series debut in Carry On Cruising. This is the last film of the series to be shot in black and white.



Plot
A top-secret chemical formula has been stolen by STENCH (the Society for the Total Extinction of Non-Conforming Humans). Fearful of the formula falling into the wrong hands, the chief of the Secret Service reluctantly sends the only agent he has left, the bumbling and silly Agent Desmond Simpkins (Kenneth Williams), and his three trainees—Agent Harold Crump (Bernard Cribbins), Agent Daphne Honeybutt (Barbara Windsor), and Agent Charlie Bind (Charles Hawtrey)—to retrieve the formula.

The agents travel separately to Vienna, where each makes contact with Carstairs (Jim Dale), who assumes a different disguise each time. Next, they rendezvous at the Cafe Mozart and later travel on to Algiers. Upon the way, they encounter STENCH agents the Fat Man and Milchmann (who stole the formula whilst disguised—befitting the English translation of his German name—as a milkman). Unfortunately, the agents' ineptitude results in Carstairs being floored in an encounter with the Fat Man.

Daphne and Harold attempt to steal the formula back whilst disguised as dancing girls in Hakim's Fun House, where the Fat Man is relaxing. The agents also encounter the mysterious Lila (Dilys Laye), whom they are uncertain to trust. With the STENCH henchmen close on their heels, the agents have no other choice but to have Daphne memorise the formula with her photographic memory, before the four of them destroy the formula papers by eating them with soup and bread.

The four agents end up captives of STENCH. Daphne is interrogated by the evil Dr Crow (played by Judith Furse and voiced by John Bluthal), head of STENCH, but she fails to succumb until she accidentally bumps her head, causing her to reveal the formula. Simpkins, Crump, and Bind manage to escape their cell and to collect Daphne and Dr. Crow's tape recording of Daphne's recitation, but are caught up in an underground automated factory process, from which they escape only when Lila pulls a gun on Dr Crow, forcing her to reverse the process.

Simpkins sets the STENCH base to self-destruct before rushing into a lift with the other agents, as well as Lila and Dr Crow. As the lift ascends, Lila reveals to Simpkins that she is a double agent working for SNOG (the Society for the Neutralising of Germs) and that she has a crush on him. The lift reaches the surface, which is revealed to be the office of the chief of the Secret Service; the headquarters of STENCH is right below the streets of London. STENCH headquarters self-destructs, choking the chief's office in a thick cloud of smoke.