Les folles nuits de Sammy Lee

Made and released in 1963, this film gave Newley a real meaty role instead of the light comedy, musical roles he was usually cast in. The original BBC play was a one man, one scene event, but the full Soho, London locations gave the film a more murky, underworld feel and you really felt for Sammy Lee, although you realised he was his own worst enemy! Beautifully photographed in black and white, atmospheric and with Newley at his acting best. Well worth a viewing. Excellent support from Wilfred Brambell (Steptoe) as Newley/Sammy's dresser, and Julia Foster putting in a suitable innocent performance as the love interest who has fallen for Sammy's charms (lies).

This film portrays exactly how it was in Soho in the sixties and having worked in Soho during that period i can easily identify with the streets and establishments shown throughout the film . The story of this film is so credible , as , from experience , the plot defines exactly how it was around that time . I do know that it was precisely what used to happen in the sixties and later . What a treat to see the actual environment for what it was and not to be limited to studio scenery . Newley is at his brilliant best here and is the ideal candidate for this type of role. Wilfrid Brambell also shows his talents as a straight actor in this film although many people only associate him with comedy roles . Wilfrid really shines as Sammy's errand boy here , what a pity we haven't seen him in more 'straight' roles over the years . Poor Julia Foster , she also plays a blinder in this one too . She is so smitten with Sammy and refuses to admit that there cannot be any future between them as they really have completely different lifestyles . All in all , i think this film is so true to life that the Producer really does deserve an award , not only for the storyline but for casting the correct actors to portray the right roles in this.

This is a big screen version of a BBC TV play. Anthony Newley, whose string of Top 20 pop hits had just come to an end, puts in a surprisingly good performance as Sammy Lee, a strip club compère whose gambling debts land him in trouble with gangsters. Newley was a quirky actor and takes some getting used to. Always nice to see Julia Foster who plays a doting innocent, and there are memorable cameos from Warren Mitchell and Miriam Karlin as his brother and his sister-in-law. Set before strip clubs and gambling were entirely lawful, the film is in black-and-white which enhances the period atmosphere. Jazz fans may care to note that the original music is composed by tenor saxist Kenny Graham.

I was engaged by the U.S. Distributor, Seven Arts Films, to produce a trailer for the film. Notwithstanding that both the film and my trailer were quite good, it did not enjoy good box office. Seven arts changed the title to "The Small VIOLENT World of Sammy Lee", had me do a new, more action oriented trailer, and they rereleased it under that title. It did somewhat better in that incarnation, but was still not the blockbuster they had hoped it would be.

As an additional aside, in addition to the BBC t.v. play, there was a U.S. version of the television show, as well. If memory serves, it starred Mickey Rooney.

Anthony Newley is at the top of his game here as the eponymous nightclub host who is way past his best. His lame one-liners have long since stopped engaging his dwindling number of punters who now only show up for a cheap drink and a eyeful. His on stage failures are not his only worries. He couldn't pick a winner in an one-horse race and is in hock to his bookie for money he can never hope to raise, and they are not about to let him off. He is also in love - but even that's complicated with "Patsy" (Julia Foster) being embroiled in the business he shares with the odious and sleazy "Gerry" (Robert Stephens). There's a who's who of solid supporting British characters here that help depict a Soho, now long gone, that did deserve it's nickname as a square mile of vice and depravity. Wilfred Brambles, Warren Mitchell and Roy Kinnear all add a gritty richness to the poignant adaptation of his BBC play by auteur Ken Hughes and it's clear from early on that an happy ending - for anyone - is most unlikely. Hughes conveys the seediness and the ghastliness cleverly. There's virtually nothing graphic, or even especially violent - here. That's all left to our imagination and to the gradually increasing sense that "Sammy Lee" has seen his finest hour. He just has to hope it's not soon to be his last. I didn't always like the Newley brand of Londoner, but in this he delivers engagingly and I almost felt sorry for him at times!