The Carry On team parody the British Raj in this film with the kilt-wearing Brits (Third Foot and Mouth regiment) led by Sidney Ruff-Diamond (Sid James) and his hilariously coarse wife (Joan Sims) and the Raj led by the Khasi of Kalabar (Kenneth Williams) and his trusty henchman Bungdit Din (Bernard Bresslaw). Alas, there are dalliances and double-crossings between both sides.

The whole cast are on fine form here and we get Roy Castle in his only appearance in the series. And fantastic he is too.

The star of the show is Kenneth Williams however, with his exquisite Indian accent that he occasionally lapses out of and into Cockney for comic effect.

A special mention needs to be paid to Charles Hawtrey too as Private Widdel who even breaks the fourth wall when it’s discovered he’s been *shock horror* wearing underwear under his kilt. This leads to a later scene that is pivotal to the film. I wonder if the makers of Braveheart saw Khyber.

The dialogue is, as always, laced with innuendo and double entendres. Even the title is a smutty gag (‘Khyber Pass’ in rhyming slang means ‘arse’).

I’m also loved the fact that the film’s final act turns decidedly surrealist with a lavish meal being undertaken by Ruff-Diamond and his guests whilst their palace is under attack and being destroyed before their eyes but they pretend it isn’t happening.

Khyber is also a much more lavish film when it comes to locations and costumes and reminded me of Cleo in this respect.

A fantastic entry.

4 out of 5 stars