The 1950s Part One : 1950 to 1954
You will find basic credits information on many of these films by clicking on the All Movie Guide and The TV Guide Movie Database pages

All films in Colour (except where indicated)

Please click below for further information on any movie title or soundtrack.

TITLE YEAR MUSICAL STARS SOUNDTRACK PRODUCTION COMPANY DIRECTOR SONGS BY

Dance Hall

B/W

Petula Clark

in Dance Hall

1950

Diana Dors

Petula Clark

Kay Kendall

With musical appearances by Ted Heath and his Music (drums/vocals: Jack Parnell), Geraldo and His Orchestra:vocalist Hy Hazell, Wally Fryer, Margaret Barnes

Stills from film

"You're Only Dreaming'' composed by Joyce Cochrane(m), Christopher Hassall (l) performed by Hy Hazell with the Geraldo Orchestra. Available on Vocalion CD.

Other Numbers: Sleepy Lagoon, La Cumparsita, There is a Tavern in the Town, Goodnight Sweetheart (All Geraldo): Saturday Night Drag, Palais Jive, Courtin' (vocal Jack Parnell), Dance Hall, That Lovely Weekend, Post Horn Boogie (All Ted Heath)

Ealing

 

Charles Crichton

Ballroom Dancing coach: Phyllis Hayler

Score by Ernest Irving

Song by Joyce Cochrane/ Christopher Hassall and musical items by others

Happy Go Lovely

DVD:

 

Stills from film

1950 Vera-Ellen

David Niven Bobby Howes, Kay Kendall, Douglas Scott and His Debonair Boys, Sandra Dorne

Vera-Ellen Page

Magic of Vera-Ellen

78: HMV B-10116 Vera-Ellen (voice: Eve Boswell) "One two three"; "Would you, could you?"

Vera-Ellen dance numbers: Mackintosh's Wedding; London Piccadilly ballet

Excelsior/ABPC Bruce Humberstone Mischa Spoliansky(m)

Jack Fishman (l)

The Lady Craved Excitement

B/W

1950 Hy Hazell Hy Hazell sings: The Lady Craved Excitement; Ladies of the Gaiety Hammer Francis Searle Songs by James Dyrenforth and George Melachrino
Let's Have a Murder

B/W

1950 Jimmy Jewel

Ben Warris

Kitty Bluett

Betty Paul sings: Hold Me in Your Arms Again Film Studios Manchester/ Mancunian John E. Blakeley  
Stage Fright

B/W

1950 Marlene Dietrich Marlene Dietrich sings: The Laziest Gal in Town (on CD); La Vie En Rose Warner Bros (UK)/ABPC Alfred Hitchcock  
Hotel Sahara

B/W

Available on DVD (UK)

1951 Peter Ustinov, Yvonne de Carlo Features songs:''I Love a Man'' and ''Say Goodbye Soldier Boy" (By "Ben Bernard" (Benjamin Frankel) (m) and Harold Purcell (l)

Recorded by Yvonne de Carlo (from film) on 78- Columbia- DB-2850

Tower/GFD

 

Ken Annakin Benjamin Frankel
Judgement Deferred

B/W

1951   Edmondo Ros Rhumba Band: My Favourite Samba; No,No Lolita; With a Kiss and a Sigh Group 3/ABPC John Baxter  
Lady Godiva Rides Again

B/W

1951 Pauline Stroud, Stanley Holloway

Diana Dors

Kay Kendall, Tommy Duggan, Joan Collins, Jimmy Young with Syd Dean and his Band.

Song - 'If I Painted a Picture' by David Heneker, Tommy Duggan

Performed by Jimmy Young with Syd Dean Band

Q: Recorded on Polygon 78rpm ??

London Films/ British Lion

Made at Shepperton Studios

Frank Launder Song: David Heneker/ Tommy Duggan/Leo Towers Frankie Russell

The Tales of Hoffman

Stage (opera)

DVD:(Criterion USA)/Optimum (UK)

1951 Robert Rounseville, Moira Shearer

Ann Ayars

Articles on this film

Now on CD ! at Amazon.co.uk

Conductor: Sir Thomas Beecham

Performers: Ann Ayars, Dorothy Bond etc. Royal Philharmonic

CD: Somm SOMMBEECHAM132

Released: August, 2002 Number of Discs: 2

Record Set (6 disc box with book) is on Decca/London Records  ARL-735

LPs:Decca/ London LXT2582-4, LLP- A4, AX497-511 with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Sadler's Wells Chorus cond. by Sir Thomas Beecham.

The Archers/ London Films Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger Jacques Offenbach

Tin Pan Alley

(Short)

1951

Petula Clark

Joe "Mr. Piano" Henderson

Vera Lynn

Billy Cotton

The Beverley Sisters

Pat Kirkwood

Geraldo

Henry Hall

The Keynotes

Billy Ternant

Eric Winstone

Song: "Last Night's Kisses" by Sam Brown, Ray Harley and Jimmy Kennedy. Pathe Pictorial/ABPC Terry Ashwood Sam Brown, Ray Harley and Jimmy Kennedy.
The Beggar's Opera

 

Stage (late 18th Century)

Available on DVD R2 UK

1952 Laurence Olivier, Stanley Holloway, DaphneAnderson, Kenneth Williams

+Adele Leigh (voice only)

Laurence Olivier

Laurence Olivier(2)

  Imperadio /British Lion Peter Brook Sir Arthur Bliss (m), Christopher Fry (l) based on John Gay
Meet Me Tonight 1952 Ted Ray

Kay Walsh

Staging by Freddie Carpenter

Ted Ray/Kay Walsh perform: Men About Town; Has Anybody Seen Our Ship? by Noel Coward British Film Makers/GFD Anthony Pelissier Songs by Noel Coward

Noel Coward Society

Moulin Rouge

DVD:

 

1952 Jose Ferrer, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Colette Marchand, Tutte Lemkow

Zsa Zsa Gabor performs 'Song of the Moulin Rouge'(voice: Muriel Smith)

Recorded by 'Les Compagnons de la Chanson' on EMI Pathe 78. Available on CD (UK) 'Paris by Night' CD-CZ 316

Recorded by Percy Faith/Felicia Sanders. On SEPIA CD

Romulus/IFD

Made at Shepperton Studios

John Huston Georges Auric, Jacques Larue
Sing Along With Me

B/W

1952 Donald Peers 78s Columbia Donald Peers sings: Take My Heart;If You Smile at the Sun; Hoop Diddle-i-do-ra- li-ay;Down at the Old Village Hall;I Left My Heart in a Valley in Wales HH Films-

Merton Park Studios

Peter Graham Scott  
The Tall Headlines

B/W

1952 Celia Lipton 78: Parlophone -3259 Grand National Terence Young  
Tread Softly

B/W

1952 Frances Day, Patricia Dainton, Betty Baskomb, and Colin Croft (dancer) Frances Day sings: Tread Softly Albany David Macdonald  
Where's Charley?

Credits

Stage (NY 1948)

DVD due in 2008 (R1 USA)

1952 Ray Bolger, Allyn McLerie, (Both from NY cast), Horace Cooper, Mary Germaine Robert Shackleton LP (USA) ECNAD-216 (title of LP: 'Charley's Aunt') Warner Bros (UK) David Butler Frank Loesser (m/l)

Musical Director: Louis Levy

Arranger:

Robert Farnon

 

Always a Bride

B/W

1953 Peggy Cummins, Terence Morgan, Jill Day Features song: ''I Love You Toujours"

(By "Ben Bernard" (Benjamin Frankel) (m) and Harold Purcell (l))

Performed by Jill Day

Recorded by Line Renaud (voc) with Ray Martin Orchestra on 78- Columbia DB-33739 (Not S/T)

Clarion/GFD (Rank) Ralph Smart Benjamin Frankel
Forces Sweetheart

B/W

1953 Hy Hazell

Harry Secombe, Leslie Roberts Television Girls

Hy Hazell sings: I'm Your Sweetheart Maybe; I'm The Girl the Forces Fight For; All Through the Year

Leslie Roberts Television Girls perform: Charlie Chaplin Dance

Harry Secombe :All through the year; One love one lifetime; She knows me

E.J. Fancey /New Realm Maclean Rogers  
It's a Grand Life

B/W

On DVD (UK)

1953 Frank Randle Diana Dors, Winifred Atwell

Winifred Atwell plays: Dixie Boogie, Britannia Rag

On Decca 78 ?

Film Studios Manchester/ Mancunian John E Blakeley  
Laughing Anne 1953

Margaret Lockwood,

Daphne Anderson

Margaret Lockwood sings: 'I've Fallen in Deep Water', 'The World is Mine on Sunday' on 78: Philips PB-186

Wilcox-Neagle/ Republic Herbert Wilcox Anthony Collins
The Limping Man

B/W

1953 Lloyd Bridges, Moira Lister, Helene Cordet

Features an appearance by Lionel Blair and his Dancers

  Banner/Eros Cy Enfield  
The Love Lottery 1953

David Niven

Anne Vernon, Peggy Cummins, Herbert Lom

 

Song "It May Be You'' (By "Ben Bernard" (Benjamin Frankel) (m) and Harold Purcell (l)

Recorded By Ron Goodwin and his Concert Orch. (non vocal) on 78- Parlophone -R-3831 and on 45- MSP-6085

Ealing Charles Crichton Benjamin Frankel
Melba 1953 Patrice Munsel

LP (10") RCA LM-7012

Patrice Munsel sings: Ave Maria; Serenade; Comin' Through the Rye; On Wings of Song;

Is This The Beginning of Love?* ; The Melba Waltz* (* on 78rpm HMV B-10532 )

Soundtrack LP is available on a Patrice Munsel CD

'The Melba Waltz' on 78 Parlophone MSP 6044, and 45rpm R 3736

Horizon Lewis Milestone

Misha Spoliansky/

various

The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan

Page on the film

Martyn Green on the film

1953 Ian Wallace, Owen Brannigan, [and voices of Webster Booth, Elsie Morrison, John Cameron] ? London Films Sidney Gilliat Arthur Sullivan(m), W.S. Gilbert(l)
Three Steps to the Gallows (US: White Fire)

1953

(released 1955)

Scott Brady,

Mary Castle

Mary Castle (voice?) sings songs, "No Way Out" and "You're Gone" Tempean/Eros John Gilling

Music: Stanley Black

Lyrics: Barbara Killalee

Trouble in Store

B/W

On DVD (UK)

1953 Norman Wisdom

 

78 Philips PB-223

Norman Wisdom sings 'Don't laugh at me'*, 'I'd Like to Put on Record'

*On CD Norman Wisdom: The Wisdom of a Fool, See For Miles SEE CD 477

Two Cities/Rank John Paddy Carstairs Mischa Spoliansky
The Wedding of Lilli Marlene

B/W

1953 Lisa Daniely, Jack Billings   Monarch

Made at Southall Studios

Arthur Crabtree

Dances staged by Jack Billings

Song by Tommy Connor and Johnny Reine
Face The Music (US:The Black Glove)

B/W

On DVD (R1 USA)

1954

Alex Nicol, Paul Carpenter, Kenny Baker's Dozen

Kenny Baker's Dozen perform: Carnival of Venice, I've Got a Man, Got You on My Mind Hammer Terence Fisher  

Impulse

B/W

1954

Arthur Kennedy,

Constance Smith

Constance Smith (voice?) sings "You're Gone" Tempean/Eros Charles de la Tour, Cy Enfield  
Invitation to the Dance

Part filmed in UK at Elstree in 1952

Credits

VHS:

1954 Gene Kelly

David Paltenghi, Tommy Rall, Irving Davies

Gene Kelly Page

 

MGM

Filmed at MGM Elstree (two parts out of three) in 1952

Gene Kelly Music by:Andre Previn, Jacques Ibert

Commissioned but unused Score for "Ring Around the Rosy" by Robert Farnon replaced by Previn score

 

Mad About Men

(On DVD UK: Donald Sinden Icon Collection)

1954 Glynis Johns, Donald Sinden Columbia 78/45 SCM-5149 DB-3537

Song:"I Can't Resist Men" by "Ben Bernard" (Benjamin Frankel) Performed by Glynis Johns (With Ray Martin orch)

Group/GFD

(Rank)

Ralph Thomas Benjamin Frankel
The Man who Loved Redheads 1954 Moira Shearer

Moira Shearer article

John Justin

Features ''Madame, Madame" with music and lyrics by "Ben Bernard'' (Benjamin Frankel) 78-Decca 5877

Also Recorded by Erwin Lehn and his Dance Orchestra (non-vocal) on 78- Col- DW-5376 (Germany)

London Films/ British Lion Harold French

Benjamin Frankel

One Good Turn

B/W

On DVD (UK)

1954 Norman Wisdom Joan Rice

Shirley Abicair

Shirley Abicair feature

 

Norman Wisdom sings: Please opportunity/ Take a Step in the Right Direction

Shirley Abicair sings: Botany Bay

Two Cities/GFD (Rank) John Paddy Carstairs Norman Wisdom (m/l)*

Norman Newell (m/l)**

To Dorothy, a Son

(US:Cash on Delivery)

B/W

1954 Shelley Winters "Give me a Man" by Paddy Roberts (m/l) performed by Shelley Winters

''You're the Only One' by Jacques Abrahm

Welbeck/ IFD/British Lion Muriel Box Paddy Roberts, Jacques Abrahm

 

The list below includes selected MUSICAL MOVIES MADE IN THE USA, BUT WITH A BRITISH CONNECTION (the Film may be set in England/Scotland/Wales/Ireland -OR- It features British performers -OR- The technical crew is British (Director of photography etc). If the studio used for a film's production is in the UK, it is generally classed as a 'British' movie. British stars in US produced movies are shown in BLUE

Wedding Bells

(US:Royal Wedding)

Made in USA

Review Page

DVD:

 

1951 Fred Astaire Jane Powell

 

Sarah Churchill

LP(10") MGM-543

CD:

MGM Stanley Donen Burton Lane(m), Alan Jay Lerner(l)
The Band Wagon

Review Site

Made in USA

Review from:The Guardian

DVD:

1953 Fred Astaire, Jack Buchanan

 

CD:

MGM Vincente Minnelli Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwarz
The Story of Three Loves

Made in USA

1953 Moira Shearer

Moira Shearer article

James Mason

  MGM Vincente Minnelli/ Gottfried Reinhardt Miklos Rozsa

Brigadoon

Made in USA: set in Scotland

Stage (NY 1947)

DVD:

Review Of DVD

1954

Gene Kelly

Cyd Charisse (Voice:Carol Richards)

Jimmy Thompson Barry Jones

 

 

LP MGM-3135

CD:

MGM Vincente Minnelli Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe
The Glass Slipper

Made in USA

1954 Michael Wilding Leslie Caron Songs: Son Of A Cook; Take My Love MGM Charles Walters

Choreography: Roland Petit

Bronislau Kaper (m), Helen Deutsch (l)
A Star is Born

Made in USA

Essay

DVD:

1954 Judy Garland James Mason

 

CD:

Warner Bros. George Cukor Harold Arlen, (m)

Ira Gershwin (l)