1950s British Musical Movies: Essay

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My essay on the 1957 British film musical of THE GOOD COMPANIONS

SONG AND DANCE IN BRITISH FILMS OF THE 1950's

Are any of the following song titles familiar to you?

'Where there's you there's me', 'Today has been a lovely day', 'If only' , 'Round the world in eighty minutes', 'You can't keep a good dreamer down,' 'My heart goes crazy', 'The 'ampstead way,' 'So would I', 'I'm in love for the very first time', 'I don't know whether to laugh or to cry', 'Midnight Madness', 'The light that lies in Liza's eyes'

If the answer is 'yes' you are familiar with the subject of this article, and do not need to be reminded that they all originated in British films made between 1946 and 1959. However, I suspect that these songs are unfamiliar to many readers, and some titles may be of interest. British attempts to produce musical films were made in the 1950's, some better than others, and I would like this largely unfamiliar territory for the benefit of readers who may be channel surfing through their local tv guide and come across one of the titles listed. Few are likely to be currently available for purchase on video or laserdisc. (Readers will find basic credits information on many of these films by clicking here on the site for The TV Guide Movie Database or All Movie Guide - For most people, the term 'British Film Musical' is a rather fuzzy concept, especially as far as the 1950's is concerned. The musical comedy films of the 1930's starring Jessie Matthews (whose FIRST A GIRL was a predecessor of VICTOR,VICTORIA), and who almost made it to Hollywood as the dancing partner of Fred Astaire, or Jack Buchanan, who actually did make it (in THE BAND WAGON (1953)), are fondly recalled by many, but the 1940's are largely remembered for Anna Neagle dancing with Michael Wilding in SPRING IN PARK LANE (1948) and its Technicolor sequel MAYTIME IN MAYFAIR (1949) to the luscious musical arrangement by Robert Farnon of the song 'The Moment I Saw You' (which was originally composed by Manning Sherwin (A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square) and Harold Purcell for West End Show Under the Counter (Phoenix Theatre, 1945). The period was also noted for the critical and financial failure of the extravagant LONDON TOWN (1946), Britain's first Technicolor musical, produced by the Rank organization in association with the American director Wesley Ruggles at a time of rationing and shortages of materials (perhaps this explains why so many of the girls costumes are muddy green or khaki) in the shell of 'Sound City Shepperton' (later renamed Shepperton Studios) which had just been made available as a film studio after being requisitioned during the war as a factory for aircraft parts - according to reports, part of the studio was still being used for this purpose during the production of LONDON TOWN. The music and lyrics were by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke, and the film is not without interest. Much of the material for the comedy sketches comes from comedian Sid Field's two West End wartime variety revues, Strike a New Note(Prince of Wales,1943) and Strike it Again (Prince of Wales,1944), which were highly successful with the public (followed by Piccadilly Hayride (Prince of Wales,1946). Strike it Again featured the golf sketch which is seen in LONDON TOWN. Thus the film provides a valuable historical record of 1940's variety, with comic sketches and musical production numbers, and all in Technicolor. Among those featured are Kay Kendall singing 'The 'ampstead way', and with 'The London Lovelies' (as they are billed in the film's press book), 'My heart goes crazy'; fourteen year old Petula Clark appears in a non singing role, and Tessie O'Shea, later to appear in Noel Coward's The Girl Who came to Supper (Broadway Theatre NY, 1963) demonstrates her ability to steal the show. LONDON TOWN was released in the US in a truncated form by United Artists in 1953 under the title MY HEART GOES CRAZY.

This failure seemed to frighten producers away from musical subjects, and it was widely and justifiably felt that British studios were incapable of competing with the Americans in this area, and US majors showed little interest in investing in British musical talent. This means that practically all the films mentioned in this article were produced by British production companies, the only exceptions being WHERE'S CHARLEY?(1952), produced by Warner Bros. and two MGM productions, INVITATION TO THE DANCE(1954) and TOM THUMB(1958).

In the fifties there were really only ten films produced in Britain which could lay any claim to the status of 'musical', and most of these are seriously flawed, usually due (in the case of the adaptation of a stage work to film) to the excision or abbreviation of musical numbers by the producers. Six such films were adapted from theatre works: THE BEGGAR'S OPERA(1952)(Directed by Peter Brook, who was soon to direct House of Flowers(1954) and Irma La Douce(1960) on Broadway), was adapted from John Gay's 18th Century 'pastoral opera'. Two films were adapted from the world of operetta (both Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger collaborations, namely THE TALES OF HOFFMAN(1951) and OH ROSALINDA!!(1955), the latter inspired by the earlier success of a Broadway production of 1942 (Rosalinda), based on the same source, as was the West End production Gay Rosalinda(1945). KINGS RHAPSODY(1955)(Dir:Herbert Wilcox),with Errol Flynn, Patrice Wymore, Anna Neagle and a young featured dancer Lionel Blair, was from the operetta by Ivor Novello, first produced at the Palace Theatre London in 1949. The only other musicals of the period that originated on the stage were WHERE'S CHARLEY(1952)(Dir:David Butler), from Frank Loesser's Broadway success of 1948, which included members of the St. James Theatre Cast, Allyn McLerie and Ray Bolger, the latter repeating his stage triumph: EXPRESSO BONGO(1959)(Dir:Val Guest), a musically truncated version of the London Saville Theatre production of 1958, reworked as a vehicle for the latest teen singing sensation, Cliff Richard. What remains of the original score was by David Heneker and Monty Norman (music) and Julian More, Heneker and Norman (lyrics).

The remaining four films are original film musicals. Two were produced by Marcel Hellman for Associated British and both starred Vera-Ellen: HAPPY GO LOVELY(1950)(Dir:Bruce Humberstone) - which featured the British stage star of the 1930's Bobby Howes - and LET'S BE HAPPY(1957)(Dir:Henry Levin), which co-starred US singing star Tony Martin, with songs by Nicholas Brodsky and Paul Francis Webster. Two of the three episodes of Gene Kelly's INVITATION TO THE DANCE(1954)(Produced by Arthur Freed for MGM), namely the 'Ring Around the Rosy' and the 'Circus' episodes were filmed by Gene Kelly whilst in 'exile' in England, and they provide valuable screen exposure for European dance talent of the period. One of the featured dancers in 'Ring Around the Rosy', Irving Davies, also appears with Paddy Stone as one of Janette Scott's dance partners in the musical film remake of THE GOOD COMPANIONS(1957) (Dir:J. Lee Thompson, for Associated British), which features several tuneful songs by Paddy Roberts(m/l), C. Alberto Rossi(m/l) and Geoffrey Parsons (l). Roberts, incidentally, went on to make albums of his novelty songs ('Songs for Grown Ups' 'Live at the Blue Angel') for Decca (London) records in the late 1950's, and these are well worth seeking out. J.B. Priestley's classic English novel of 1929 first appeared as a musical in the West End in 1931 at Her Majesty's Theatre starring John Gielgud and Adele Dixon, with songs by Richard Addinsell, and was filmed in 1933; it was later to form the basis of a neglected musical version by Andre Previn and Johnny Mercer which played at the same theatre in 1974. This starred Judi Dench (from Cabaret (Palace Theatre,1968), A Little Night Music (Royal National Theatre,1996) and John Mills. The Previn/Mercer version of The Good Companions is currently available on CD (DRG 15020).

Beyond these films, musical numbers appeared in British films very sporadically, and the films in which they appear can be grouped as follows:

Films, mostly comedies, which include one or two songs.

For example, songs performed by Jill Day in ALL FOR MARY(1955), Glynis Johns in MAD ABOUT MEN(1955), Brigitte Bardot in DOCTOR AT SEA(1955)(a song by Hubert Gregg, dubbed by Jill Day), and the song and dance number "Toys for Boys'' performed by Paddy Stone and Irving Davies in VALUE FOR MONEY(1955). This number was written by John Pritchett, Peter Myers and Alec Grahame, the composers of the 1955 West End musical A Girl Called Jo. Jeannie Carson, who appeared in the West End in Starlight Roof (with young Julie Andrews) (Hippodrome 1947), Noel Coward's Ace of Clubs (Cambridge Theatre,1950), and with teenage 'Carry On' star Barbara Windsor (then known as Barbara Deeks) in Hugh Martin's Love From Judy(Saville Theatre,1952), the 1960 NY revival of Finian's Rainbow, and Strike a Light(Piccadilly Theatre London,1966), performs two songs ('Midnight Madness' and 'I'm in love for the very first time') in AN ALLIGATOR NAMED DAISY(1955). The latter, composed by Paddy Roberts, was quite a hit on radio at the time, and is a perfect example of a catchy, but forgotten film song of the period, which could have easily have derived from a British stage musical. Jeannie Carson also appears in a song and dance number ('My Crazy Little Mixed Up Heart') in AS LONG AS THEY'RE HAPPY(1955), with songs by Sam Coslow. This film was adapted by Alan Melville from a successful West end comedy by Vernon Sylvaine which satirised the Johnny Ray phenomenon of the period. One song ('I guess the joke is on me') which is first performed by the Johnny Ray type crooner (played by Jerry Wayne, star of Guys and Dolls at the London Coliseum,1953) sounds pretty routine, but towards the end of the film it is transformed into something completely magical in a valedictory performance (the last musical number he filmed) by Jack Buchanan.

Other comedies with songs include the films of Norman Wisdom (MAN OF THE MOMENT(1955), UP IN THE WORLD(1956) and FOLLOW A STAR(1959), the latter containing five numbers, including a production number written by Peter Myers and Alec Grahame (''You Deserve a medal for that'') which almost turns the film into a mini musical). Wisdom also appearered in the West End in The Wonderful Lamp (Palladium 1956), Where's Charley?(Palace Theatre 1958), The Roar of the Greasepaint (UK tour 1965), on Broadway in Walking Happy (Lunt Fontanne Theatre 1966), and on US television with Noel Coward in Richard Rodgers Androcles and the Lion(1967).

IT'S GREAT TO BE YOUNG(1956) features the jazz standard 'Rhythm is our Business', and big band music was featured in the musical interludes by Ted Heath and his orchestra in the comedies IT'S A WONDERFUL WORLD(1956) and JAZZBOAT(1959). The latter featured Anthony Newley, whose career moved from being a child actor in David Lean's film of OLIVER TWIST, to small cameo character actor , to actor/singer following the hit parade success of one of his four 'pop' numbers in IDLE ON PARADE(1959)(US: IDOL ON PARADE). Although he had appeared with Annie Ross in London(New Watergate Theatre 1955) and on Broadway(Bijou Theatre 1956) in the British revue Cranks, it was the fame resulting from IDLE ON PARADE that helped to springboard his career into musial theatre with Stop the World, I Want to get Off (Queens Theatre London 1961 followed by Schubert Theatre NY 1962). The show was later filmed in Britain in 1966, starring Tony Tanner and Millicent Martin in the principal roles, and this has been released on video in the USA.

The children's fantasy TOM THUMB(1958)(Dir: George Pal) featured a song from 1930's star Jessie Matthews, but the voice was dubbed.

Vehicles for Singers

Popular singers of the period who featured songs in their films included Max Bygraves (who appeared in the West End production of Do Re Mi (Prince of Wales Theatre 1961) in CHARLEY MOON(1956), A CRY FROM THE STREETS and BOBBIKINS (both 1959); Tommy Steele, later to appear in London (Cambridge Theatre 1963), New York (Broadhurst Theatre 1965) and in the film of HALF A SIXPENCE (made in England in 1967 by George Sidney) earlier appeared in THE TOMMY STEELE STORY(1957)(US: ROCK AROUND THE WORLD), THE DUKE WORE JEANS(1958), TOMMY THE TOREADOR(1959), with songs by Lionel Bart. Prior to his trip to Hollywood to appear in LET'S MAKE LOVE(1960) with Marilyn Monroe, Frankie Vaughan featured songs in THESE DANGEROUS YEARS(1957)(US: DANGEROUS YOUTH), WONDERFUL THINGS(1958), THE LADY IS A SQUARE(1958) and THE HEART OF A MAN(1959). Harry Secombe, star of Pickwick (Saville Theatre London 1963 and 46th Street Theatre NY 1965) and The Four Musketeers (Drury Lane 1967) appeared in DAVY, produced by Ealing Studios in 1957.

Biography, Music Hall, Nostalgia

In this category are THE STORY OF GILBERT AND SULLIVAN(1953),a biopic of the opera singer Nellie Melba, played by Patrice Munsel in MELBA (1953), and of the music hall star Vesta Tilley, played by Pat Kirkwood in AFTER THE BALL(1957). Films featuring variety acts included COME DANCE WITH ME (1950), SING ALONG WITH ME (1952) featuring radio balladeer Donald Peers, STARS IN YOUR EYES(1956) featuring Dorothy Squires and Pat Kirkwood, and HELLO LONDON(1958) with Sonja Henie, Michael Wilding, Ronny Graham (New Faces of 1952) and Stanley Holloway and Robert Coote (both My Fair Lady NY 1956 and London Drury Lane 1958).

Pop Music Films and Musical Shorts

These are really outside the scope of this article but are mentioned for purposes of historical record. Titles include ROCK YOU SINNERS(1957), THE GOLDEN DISC(1958) and SIX FIVE SPECIAL(1958), featuring Petula Clark and Lonnie Donnegan. Several 30 minute musical shorts were produced by Hammer films on a sound stage at Elstree studios, often in colour and CinemaScope, and some recorded in stereophonic sound, films which featured dance bands and singers of the period: Cyril Stapleton(1955), Eric Winstone(1955), Just For You(1955), Eric Winstone's Stagecoach(1956), and Parade of the Bands(1956). FIVE GUINEAS A WEEK, produced by Archway Films in 1956 is also of historical importance as it featured Georgia Brown, who appeared in The Threepenny Opera in the same year (Royal Court Theatre London 1956), and who was later to appear in the London (New Theatre 1960) and NY (Imperial Theatre 1963) productions of Lionel Bart's Oliver, later filmed without Georgia Brown in 1968.

Finally a note of caution for television viewers. Readers will be only too aware that stations regularly edit films to fit advertising breaks and time slots, and invariably, the first thing to go are the musical numbers. In many of these films, the musical numbers are of more interest than the plot. I hope that this brief account of those performers associated with song and dance in British films of the 1950's, and the links made with their stage appearances in both London and New York is of interest.

For the first part of this article, I provide a more detailed account of one particular film that has been previously mentioned, namely the 1957 film of THE GOOD COMPANIONS. This disgracefully undervalued film has been out of circulation for many years, and has been rarely seen since its premiere in 1957, and its showing on black and white television in 1964 . In 1997, a sparkling new colour print was shown on UK television (C4, July 1997), and is revealed as one of the most visually elegant and entertaining films of the decade. Go from here to:

My essay on the 1957 British film musical of THE GOOD COMPANIONS

If you have an interest in, or any comments about the subject of this article, or any notes for corrections and additions, please contact the author : rogerdebris@lycos.com

A Note Regarding Enquiries Concerning the Availability of Videos and Recordings: Sadly, few of the films mentioned in this essay are available on video anywhere. ('The Good Companions' (1957) has never been released on video) - Do check the BritMusfilm site to see what is currently available from Amazon.com. Please note that I am not able to provide unauthorised copies of copyright materials (videos or recordings) that are not currently available from Amazon. com and other recognised retail outlets. Please do not ask me to do this !