Linda

For a long time a lost film but today revived thanks to Talking Pictures.

Depicting a working class Romeo & Juliet played by Alan Rothwell and Carol White - the latter described by the former as "the one with the bird's nest" - 'Linda' is absent from most recent appraisals of the films of Don Sharp; but was once described in 'Films and Filming' as "the film that breathed life into the British second feature".

You have Quadrophenia and you have Absolute Beginners. Films dealing with young love and gang violence.

Linda is a quickly made B movie starring the then unknowns Carol White and Alan Rothwell.

White later starred in the landmark drama Cathy Come Home. Rothwell was an original cast member of Coronation Street.

Rothwell plays Phil who joins a South London gang. Then tries to leave the world of petty violence behind when he falls for pretty Linda (White.)

Only the gang chief does not want Phil to go or have a happy ending with Linda.

The film has shades of Romeo and Juliet and it catches the news headlines of the era. It is unpretentious and rather basic.

The film was deemed to be lost but has now reappeared.

Linda 1960

Lovely girl meets boy movie in which the principal leads shine in a gentle nostalgic kind of way.

Starring Carol White (in a role predating Cathy Cones Home) and Alan Rothwell (well for us Brits of a certain age, Picture Box) Linda (White) falls for Phil (Rothwell) a rough diamond, who invariably will end up in trouble, he's in a gang lead by the "chief" who appears to be a perpetual bully with little purpose other than protecting his territories. All the other gang members have hobbies, passions and ambitions, I guess that's the moral of the story.

Well done Talking Pictures TV for showing this lost gem.

A worthy 7/10.

Recorded from Talking Pictures TV, 2025.

I really enjoyed this film.

I was reminded of Quadrophenia, although this predates it by many years. Also, it could be classed within the "kitchen sink" genre. It has that feel.

It carries a moral for those of the time tempted by the wrong side of the tracks/law.

The leads are excellent, particularly Carol White in her first starring role.

Both her and Alan Rothwell (Ken Barlow's brother in the initial Coronation Street) were very believable as the teenagers finding love for the first time.

There was a rather clumsy attempt to lead the viewer astray near the end when Linda claims to feel sick.

Firstly I did meet Jack Fishman,one of the music composers. He had a dachshund named Pedro who went with him eveywhere. His music publishing company was called Pedro Music.

The film showcases a very young Carol White in a fairly slight story.

Incidentally the gang leader is played by a 24 year old actor. Hardly a teenager.