It's All Happening

One of Don Sharp's first films in colour was this quickie vehicle for Tommy Steele which constituted one of Anglo-Amalgamated's more commercial ventures.

Some earlier reviewers have criticised this film for featuring what then seemed like nine day wonders such as Shane Fenton long before he became a household name as Alvin Stardust; but seen today a record in colour of Stardust in his salad days is of archival values.

On the dramatic front Michael Medwin plays the inevitable obtuse manager and Bernard Bresslaw the usual gormless crook three years before he and Angela Douglas were reunited in 'Carry On Screaming'.

Tommy Steele tries his best but is overwhelmed by poor material,forgettable songs and outdated routines. Most of the musical acts are long forgotten and he would make far better films.

With the Beatles taking over Britain in 1963 it's hard to imagine just what the makers of this film were trying to do, is it just a twee sentimental story of Tommy the orphan, is a love story or is it a pop movie?, if it's the latter then the film falls apart after the first reel, grade c acts such as Shane Fenton who as the above writer states went on to become a superstar in the 70s as Alvin Stardust is the only saving grace in this movie for me, it is incredibly dated even for 1963 when this type of film was well on the way out and teenagers just did'nt want to dig squares like the movie recording artists are, I have a feeling this was made possibly a couple of years earlier as it had no say on what was going on in 63 at all. A fairly dire film with some toe curling songs, avoid at all cost unless you like this sort of garbage.

The film is well in the tradition of the classic Hollywood movie-a totally silly plot and great production numbers. Steele comes across as a convincing personality and unlike some of the Elvis musicals of the time he's not plugging his current single and in fact no one else is either. Marion Ryan performs a song which had no commercial possibilities being an extended production number on the lines of Sinatra's High Hopes and some of the other minor stars supposedly signed by EMI such as Dick Kallman and Johnny de Little never came to anything. Carole Deene appeared on a beach in the longest production number which also featured the stars of the George Mitchell Minstrels and this was one of the real highlights as the action switched from an office to a park.

Today a musical of such innocence couldn't exist but I would certainly rather watch one like this than Grease or Dirty Dancing In 1962 Tommy Steele recorded a version of Brook Benton's Hit Record which failed completely but was the kind of bragging song made in the 70s by David Essex ("Gonna make you a star").It would have served very well in this movie!