jjcarr-49015 Self-styled criminal mastermind George Brain (Sid James) and his gang (Emery as Binns and Percival as Day) somehow manage to rob a bank, only to be caught by the police. Just before he's caught Brain manages to hide the loot in a hollow in a tree trunk. Because they won't tell where the money is the gang get fifteen years. After their release they determine to recover the money, with the aid of Brain's long suffering girlfriend Myrtle (played by the beautiful Sylvia Syms), only to find that a housing estate has been built on the farmland where the tree was. The tree still stands - behind the wall of the new police station. Mildred (Joan Sims), a widow with a grown daughter has two double rooms to let in a house opposite the station. Myrtle uses the double rooms and the 'respectable' widow to trick Brain into marrying her, though he's more interested in the money than consummating the marriage. Two further complications hinder their efforts. One is that the other lodger is an enthusiastic young policeman. The other is that they learn the tree is due to be cut down. The rest of the movie is taken up with the gang's increasingly elaborate efforts to recover the money. This cross-plays with the male-female relationships. The hapless Day has his eye on the daughter while the desperate widow has her eye on Binns. All the while the despairing Myrtle just wants Brain to spend the night with her instead of on his latest 'brilliant' idea. The film is unexceptional being neither particularly good nor particularly bad. What might have made a decent two part episode of a half-hour comedy show is drawn out to make a feature film. Some of the humour has dated badly. A mildly risqué remark that might have drawn a titter half a century ago won't do so now. The acting is as solid as the cast suggests with Emery, Syms and Sims the pick.

Leofwine_draca When is a Carry On film not a Carry On film? The answer is when it's THE BIG JOB, a fun, lighthearted CARRY ON movie in all but name, sharing the same major cast members, writer, producer, and director as the CARRY ONs. It's a film made in the same spirit too, with lots of humorous moments between the sexes mixed in with slapstick jokes and some old dependables giving solid performances as ever.The opening robbery scene is my favourite part of the film and after that it turns into a loose remake of A FIRE HAS BEEN ARRANGED, where a criminal gang are imprisoned but not before stashing their loot in an old tree. They're released fifteen years later only to discover that the tree now stands in the yard of a newly-built police station, so the rest of the film chronicles their efforts to retrieve it.THE BIG JOB suffers a little from a drawn-out narrative which sees some of the situations feeling rather aimless and unfocused; it's certainly not the finest comedy out there and it doesn't have the finesse of one of the best of the CARRY ONs. However, there's a lot to love. Sid James is on top form as the lead and gets plenty of laughs as the running time goes on. Lance Percival and Dick Emery are equally fun as his companions, and Sylvia Sims makes for an arresting presence as the female of the group. Later, the foursome are joined by the likes of a scatty Jim Dale playing a policeman, Joan Sims as the owner of a boarding house, and the incredibly beautiful Edina Ronay as her daughter.The best part of the film, aside from the hilarious opening sequence, is the climax, in which the criminals decide to dig a tunnel under the road to get to the tree. The gags with the spare earth which spoof all those prisoner of war films are simply delightful and constantly hilarious. There's not one but two strong twist endings as well, so it's just that slightly stodgy mid section that slows this down a bit. Not a lot though; CARRY ON fans will be in their element with THE BIG JOB, which feels like a forgotten instalment in the long-running series.

Caz1964 Haven't seen this film for years as its rarely shown on TV now days,and very hard to pick up on DVD.I was lucky i found a copy,and it is as funny as i remember it being. Sid James ,Dick Emery and Lance Percival rob a bank and while making their very short getaway Sid James who is known as the Big Brain hides the money in a tree.The hapless three get sent down for fifteen years,when they come out they go to the sight where the tree was hoping to retrieve the money only to find that a big housing estate has been built in the area,and worse still the tree they are after is directly opposite a newly built police station. They move into a lodging house opposite the police station along with Sids girlfriend played by Sylvia Syms,the four of them come up with plot after plot of attempts of getting back the money,unsurprisingly every plot fails. The Big Job is a very good British comedy,my twelve year old son loved it so it hasn't really dated apart from being black and white{but who cares}its funny. Sid James and Dick Emery acted really well together and you wonder why they didn't pair up again.Sylvia Syms is very good in a comedy role and gives a very likable performance its a shame she didn't do more roles like this.Jim Dale as the annoying policeman and Joan Sims as the landlady are both very good. Its a shame we don't make comedies like this anymore.

mcgoverngarrett This film about the antics of a group of inept bank robbers is British comedy at its finest. It's Carry-on in everything but name, with regulars such as Sid, Jim Dale and Joan Sims.There are some wonderful performances, but for my money it's Dick Emery who steals the show. I love the part where himself and Sid James have messed up again and are questioned by Jim Dale (the constable) about their antics the previous night. Dick, convinced they've been nobbled, turns to Sid and says "Did you see the look he gave us?It was loaded with handcuffs!"Priceless.This is what REAL comedy is all about and I'm eternally grateful to messrs Thomas,Rothwell and Rogers for providing us with moments like these we can cherish forever.