Geoffrey Hutchings and Samantha Spiro star as Sid james ansd Barbera Windsor in the TV drama Cor Blimey

Cor, Blimey!

Cor, Blimey! 2000

In all the Carry On Films we see Sid James’ character lusting after Barbera Windsor’s Character.  Whilst on screen it was for laughs, in real life James fell head first for his co-star.

Cor, Blimey! was a TV adaptation from the stage play: “Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick” which had debuted at the Royal National Theatre in 1998.

This 2000 TV film followed the relationship between Carry On film actors Sid James and Barbara Windsor.

The drama is a fictionalised account of the affair that happened between Windsor and James.  The film covers the period from 1964 to the pre-production of Carry On Emmanuelle after Sid James’ death on stage in 1976.

However, events are not necessarily depicted in chronological order and a few liberties are taken with continuity, for example Bernard Bresslaw is depicted acting as “Harold Crump” in Carry On Spying and “the Cardinal” in Carry On Henry when in fact these parts were played by Bernard Cribbins and Terry Scott respectively.  It also shows Barbara Windsor walking off the set of Carry On Emmanuelle in disgust at the poor script when, in reality, she never went near the studios.

Never the less it made a good piece of television.

Summary

The story begins with the arrival of Sid James’s new wardrobe assistant on the set of Carry On Cleo at Pinewood Studios.  Here we are introduced to Sid James, who the film portrays as a gambling womaniser, and Kenneth Williams.  The two men are depicted as bitter rivals with a genuine antipathy for each other.

Barbara Windsor is at Pinewood Studios to dub one of her scenes in Carry On Spying.  Sid James meets her and immediately falls for her, although it is seen by everyone else, including Barbara, as just infatuation, not real love.

Sid continues to pursue Barbara, and keep an eye on her during the infamous flying bikini top scene in Carry On Camping.  He becomes obsessed with her whilst on location for Carry On Girls.

During the shoot Barbara decides to let Sid have one night of passion with her, which Sid accepts.  Barbara suggests it believing that once he had slept with her Sid would lose interest in her.  However, the two end up having a long term affair.

By 1976 the affair is over and a few months later, Sid dies at the age of 62, following a heart attack on stage on the opening night of The Mating Season at the Sunderland Empire Theatre.

The drama ends with Kenneth Williams reassuring Barbara Windsor that Sid’s death was not her fault and Barbara attempting to encourage Kenneth to enjoy life more. For the final scene only Barbara Windsor plays herself.

Clips

 

[AdSense-A]

 

 

[AdSense-A]

 

 

Cast

Geoffrey Hutchings as Sid James
Samantha Spiro and Barbara Windsor as Barbara Windsor
David McAlister as Gerald Thomas
Adam Godley as Kenneth Williams
Hugh Walters as Charles Hawtrey
Steve Spiers as Bernard Bresslaw
Chrissie Cotterill as Joan Sims
Derek Howard as Kenneth Connor
Maria Charles as Alice Hawtrey
Abigail McKern as Olga Lowe

Details

Channel: ITV
Written and Adapted By: Terry Johnson
Directed By: Terry Johnson
Original Transmission Date: 24th April, 2000