There is a simple test that will establish whether you are likely to prefer high culture or whether you enjoy more simple tastes. It is called the Caesar test.

The idea is to picture the death of Julius Caesar. As he breathes his last, what does he say? Highbrow folk will not only know that he cries out “Et tu, Brute!” but they will have noticed that Brute is in the vocative tense. For the rest us, though, there is only one answer. Caesar, fleeing from his assassin, makes a pitiful appeal to the gods: “Oh infamy! Infamy!” he wails. “They’ve all got it in for me.” It goes without saying that Caesar is played by Kenneth Williams.

For many people — me included — this is the highlight of the Carry On films. It is perhaps matched only by the moment, again featuring Williams, in which the British governor is paying his respects to the Khasi of Kalabar in Carry On . . . Up the Khyber:

Williams: “May the benevolence of the God Shevou bring blessing on your home.”

Sid James: “And on yours.”

Williams: “And may his wisdom bring success in all your undertakings.”

James: “And in yours.”

Williams: “And may his radiance light up your life.”

James: “And up yours.”

If you laughed a nostalgic laugh at that exchange, I bring momentous news. It was announced last week that a new Carry On film is to be made. Carry On London is the story of a limo firm hired to take celebrities to the Herberts, the British equivalent of the Oscars. The cast includes David Jason, Dale Winton, Daniella Westbrook, and Lady Isabella Hervey.

The filming starts next year, which is absolutely wonderful news. You see, there’s still time to stop it.

The first of the genre was Carry On Sergeant in 1958. It was black and white, starred Bob Monkhouse as a bridegroom called up for national service on his wedding night, and was almost unrecognisable from the films that followed. It was not until Carry On Nurse the following year that the successful recipe of puns, innuendo, slap and tickle, was established.

It is 45 years since Carry On Sergeant and the big problem that Carry On London, the 32nd film, would face is that Britain has changed completely.

Explore Film

• Film Reviews

• DVD

• Oscars

• Bollywood

Editor's choice

• The 100 Best Films of 2008
• Hitler and the Downfall mash-ups
• Britney Spears: The Circus