THE BEST OF BRITISH: EXPRESSO BONGO (1959 PG b/w)

Welcome to itv gold 2's latest "Best of British" presentation, "Expresso Bongo", directed by the highly esteemed Val Guest and starring Laurence Harvey (complete with Simon Cowell hairstyle!), Sylvia Syms, Yolande Donlan and a young Cliff Richard. The film carries the taglines: "Laurence Harvey in an outstanding and different motion picture that takes you into a world of burlesque houses .. jazz dens ... and flesh-and-blood people!" And, here's the synopsis, "Johnny Jackson, a sleazy talent agent, discovers teenager Bert Rudge (Cliff Richard in his second movie) singing in a coffee house. Despite Bert's protest that he really is only interested in playing bongos, Johnny starts him on the road to stardom. The deal they cut, however, is highly exploitative of the young singer, and their relationship soon begins to go bad."

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Expresso
• Bongo
• Musical
• Laurence
• Harvey
• Sylvia
• Syms
• Cliff
• Richard
• Singer
• Stripper
• Strip
• Club
• Coffee
• Bars
• 1950s
• Talent
• Agent

[orac71]

Classic british film,great soho scenes.Many thanks

[Poopingbotham]

Part 1....I watched this film recently via a DVD. Unfortunately, the film was incomplete, as songs such as 'Nausea' - sang by Johnny Jackson and Mayer in the traditional musical movie manner where characters suddenly burst into song - were missing. I've had a quick look at this Youtube version and it appears to be the same. So what you see here is an incomplete version of the film.

[Poopingbotham]

Part 2: ITV used to screen this film many years ago - removing scenes such as the visit to the Rudge household - in order to fit ITV's schedules. This film is one of my all time favourites, though I've yet to see it all the way through uncut

[Poopingbotham]

Cliff's best film. By far

[Quex01]

He looks like that outgrown jazz crazy rich boy from Talented mr Ripley.

[ronkelly52]

14.27 Look upon the very first Fender Stratocaster imported into the UK by Cliff Richard, to give to Hank Marvin. It is now worth a bleedin' fortune.

[thearenaoftheunwell]

Just a joy to watch! What a shame producers didn't allow Laurence Harvey to play more comedic roles. This was a favourite performance of his and is just stunning for the breadth of humour and pathos he is able to bring to it.

[jazzfan19605]

The Best Of British Babes: Sylvia Syms and Susan Hampshire together in one movie. Delightful!

[jhassett2]

A great film.Anyone remember the underwhelming though much hyped 1980's musical "Absolute Beginners"?This is the film that wanted to be.