Queen Victoria’s governor in the Indian province of Kalabar, close to the Khyber Pass, is Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond. The fearsome 3rd Foot and Mouth Regiment, who are rumored to have nothing on underneath their kilts, defends the province.
The warlord Bungdit Din, the chief of the warlike Burpa tribe, encounters an incompetent soldier named Private Widdle, who is later discovered wearing underpants. The Khasi of Kalabar intends to use this information to incite a rebellion in Kalabar.
By revealing that, contrary to popular belief, the Devils in Skirts actually wear underpants underneath their kilts, he hopes to dispel the “tough” image of them.
The British then launched a diplomatic effort, but they were unable to provide evidence in public that the incident was an anomaly. In an attempt to lure the Khasi into bed with her, the governor’s wife snaps a picture of an inspection in which a large number of the soldiers are discovered to be wearing underpants and give it to him.
The Khasi would be able to gather a fierce Afghan invasion force, storm the Khyber Pass, and seize India from the British with this hard evidence in hand, but Lady Ruff-Diamond demands that he have a sexual relationship with her before she gives up the picture. Because of her ugly appearance, he hesitates before bringing her to Bungdit Din’s palace.
The intruders, dressed as Afghan generals, are taken to the palace where they are presented to Bungdit Din’s seductive concubines on the Khasi’s suggestion. As they are enjoying the women in the harem, they are unmasked in the middle of a ridiculous orgy, put in jail, and told that they and the Governor’s wife will be executed at dusk.
Princess Jelhi helps them escape by dressing up as dancing girls, but the Khasi, who is disdainful of the fakir’s performance and demands to see the dancing girls instead, interrupts the group while the Afghan generals are being entertained.
The British and the Princess escape after their disguises are discovered, but Lady Ruff-Diamond forgets the picture as she passes out of the palace through the gardens.
Every attempt to halt the Afghan invaders’ advance is utterly unsuccessful, and a precipitous withdrawal is made to the Residency. While this is going on, the Governor has been entertaining the Khasi’s fifty-one wives in numerical order.
Each of them wants to “right the wrong” that the Khasi and his own wife are said to have committed against him. Following some reprimands from his spouse, Sir Sidney convenes a crisis meeting to discuss the invasion, during which he decides to “do nothing”.
That evening, a dinner dressed in black tie is planned. A protracted penultimate scene features dinner, during which the officers and women ignore the destruction as they eat together while contrapuntal footage of the Khasi army destroying the Residency’s exterior plays.
Filming Locations
Ahh, the witty old classic! Carry On Up The Khyber to financial constraints, The Khyber may not have filmed in the actual Khyber Pass, but it still provided some breathtaking scenery with some inventive location selections.
It was filmed from April 8, 1968, to May 31, 1968. Filming for interiors took place at Buckinghamshire’s Pinewood Studios. The governor lived in Heatherden Hall, the Pinewood Studios administration building.
A memorial plaque honoring the Carry On Up the Khyber filming is located in Llanberis, Wales. Filming for the North West Frontier took place in North Wales, beneath the peak of Snowdon.
The Khyber Pass, complete with a border gate and garrison, was located at the foot of the Watkin Path. At the location where the movie was filmed in Snowdonia, a plaque was unveiled in September 2005.
Snowdonia, Wales
The “North West Frontier” scenes were filmed in Snowdonia’s striking landscapes. The Khyber Pass was represented by the lower reaches of the Watkin Path, a mountain trail that leads to the summit of Mount Everest. In 2005, a plaque was erected on the location to honor the filming.
Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire
The majority of interior photos were shot at Pinewood Studios. Pinewood’s administrative headquarters, Heatherden Hall, was converted into the Governor’s Mansion. The backlot of the studio housed a number of sets for scenes, such as the exterior of Bungdit Din’s palace.
