Some People

I heard of this film from my brother-in-law basically because it was filmed in my home city. I thought it was fantastic, with all the scenes of Bristol before I was born. It was great fun trying to guess where it was filmed. Clifton, Filton, probably Patchway, Broadmead (but which store?), City centre, Totterdown, The Downs, The Portway and the now re-built bus station. Kenneth More is brilliant as ever. It might have been a bit corny but not as bad as a Cliff film. I purchased a DVD of it off ebay (not great quality as it had been transferred from video) and really enjoyed it. When will it be available on DVD in all its remastered glory?

It is often said that 1963 was the first year of the sixties. "Some People" perfectly captures the pre-63 restlessness of youth in its quest to find its own voice and style. American rock and roll and leather jackets, motorbikes and Teddy boys, tight jeans (worn in a bath to make them skin tight) and quiffs - not to mention the brothel creepers and winkle-pickers. Man!

The Beatles in '62 looked exactly the same as the boys in "Some People" before they helped sweep youth into a new phase. What an exciting time it was but it was made so much more exciting by the fact that youth in the UK had struggled so hard to be different in the greyness of life after the war.

"Some People" stands up well. It has an authentic feel to it as it documents a moment on the cusp. No one could have been aware of what was to come and so it aims at what was happening rather than trying to give hints about its place in future history. "That'll Be the Day" did a very good job of documenting pre-63 UK youth but, because it was made in retrospect, it doesn't quite have the same effect.

Bill as played by David Andrews - like John Milner in "American Graffiti" - feels like he and his tough guy motorbike culture is being left behind by his friends. Bill represents the choice Johnnie has to make. It was bit like the Beatles choosing to accept the suits as opposed to their black leather gear from their rocker image days. As John Lennon found out, there is always a price to be paid if you want to go forward. Some, perhaps like Paul in the Beatles and Bert in the band in "Some People", gladly pay it. Others, like Johnnie and perhaps John Lennon, know that they will always be dogged by doubt and a sense of uneasiness. Isn't it another sign of what was to come as the band initially plays hard driving booggie woogie and guitar instrumentals but develop into a softer sounding pop band that uses a homemade mini pipe organ to augment their sound? Shades of the Beatles development - perhaps.

Brilliant cameo by Harry Corbett as Johnnie's dad and a moment of prescience as Johnnie plays "My Bonnie" - The Beatles first studio recorded effort albeit as the back-up band. It was used as a symbol of the past as the older people in the pub immediately warm to it. Johnnie's playing of the old standards becomes increasingly tortured as he seems intent on thrashing out the past in the hope of finding a future that is his own. Do I stay and become the despondent and heavy drinking old man like my father - as the song "Some People" says "sad about the song that they never sung"? Or can I escape? That's Johnnie's choice but escape is difficult. Ultimately "Some People" like songs such as "Fast Car" examines the eternal struggle of youth to find a path to a life that fulfils. I like the fact that the film ends with Johnnie still mulling over his future as he stands at a bus stop. There is no easy happy resolution to his problem.

I loved that this movie was made in my home town of Bristol. Places featured included Clifton, Filton, Patchway, Broadmead, City Center, The Downs, Totterdown, The Portway, The old Bus station, Soundwell Swimming Baths, Southville Baths covered over for Roller skating, The docks and The Clifton Suspension Bridge. Set in the early 60s it perfectly captured the atmosphere of the time. The story itself was a little light and seemed like a very long advert for the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. The acting was all good and although Kenneth Moore wasn't in it as much as you would expect from a star of his caliber, he still stole every scene he was in. Now on DVD it is well worth a watch.

I was 10 when i first saw Some People and managed to catch it on TV often after that, a film of the times to copy a much used phrase. 1962, when American Graffiti was released its advertising slogan was 'where were you in 62' well I was a 10 year old kid living in Edmonton north London, i had a sister 5 years older that took me to see all the films. Some People was all about youth clubs, motorbikes, vicars,English rock'n'roll,shrinkable blue jeans! and boy meets girl. I truly love this film and films of its type'up the junction'for instance one of the best lines of the film is 'jonnys got a new fairing' when you get to see the fairing on the bike its what we later called a grandad fairing, not a patch on a new suzuki gsxr's fairing today, i think this film was the main reason i became a ROCKER a few years later. the opening line of the sound track is as relevant today as it was 40 years ago 'Some People think that kids today have gone astray' does this sound familiar? well its followed by 'Well they should know cos they were kids once too' that kind of sums it up.i need a copy.RjS

The first thing to note is that nearly all the actors playing teenagers are well into their twenties.This film obviously appealed to Bristolians but otherwise it is going to leave you cold.It is boring and runs out of plot very quickly.Kenneth More,on his way down,appears only occasionally.Was he that desperate?Some scenes are badly recorded you can't hear the dialogue over the ambient sound.