I sought out this bright and breezy film musical after reading the comedic novel from which it was adapted, HG Wells' "Kipps". Tommy Steele plays "Arfur" Kipps, dropping his 'aitches and cor-blimeying all over the place as the young gentleman's outfitter whose life is changed after he inherits a fortune from a rich grandfather. A mild morality tale on being careful for what you didn't wish for, the film charts Kipps's rise, fall and gentle rise again as we see him taken out of his station by the lure of upper class living as he falls for the very posh Miss Walshingham and her hob-nobbing set, in the process leaving behind his childhood sweetheart Anne, played by Julia Foster to whom he'd long ago plighted his troth with half a sixpence. Even after he comes to his senses romantically, financially he has another fall to endure before he finally learns the value of what's around him and that all that glitters isn't gold.
Probably hoping to cash in on the success of another hit Cockney-based musical of the time, "Mary Poppins", "Half A Sixpence" isn't quite up to that standard. Tommy Steele's ever-present smiling face and broad London accent may irritate as many as charm and the score itself isn't as chock-full of hits as "Poppins" either but you can clearly see where the big budget went in the crowd scenes and settings and the whole is directed in grand old Hollywood style by the veteran George Sidney. While some voguish tricks are employed such as stop-start photography and a little animation, in the main this is just a good old fashioned family entertainment musical, where a tuneful song, usually accompanied by an enthusiastic chorus of dancers isn't far around the corner.
To be fair, the Kipps and wife of the book do speak just like in the movie and even if Steele's toothsome grin and attendant bonhomie occasionally enervates, there's no denying his energy as he throws himself wholeheartedly into the all-singing, all-dancing part. Foster too does well in her cliched role as the little woman indoors and they're surrounded by a bright ensemble cast who put over the story and accompanying songs with verve.
Of the songs, two really stand out, the wistful title tune and the all-action show-stopper "Flash Bang Wallop!" but the rest are perfectly serviceable to the story. The humour too is a little dated and predictable, usually focusing on Kipps's lack of social graces but I rather enjoyed this throwback musical made at the time of the swinging sixties musical revolution.
Probably hoping to cash in on the success of another hit Cockney-based musical of the time, "Mary Poppins", "Half A Sixpence" isn't quite up to that standard. Tommy Steele's ever-present smiling face and broad London accent may irritate as many as charm and the score itself isn't as chock-full of hits as "Poppins" either but you can clearly see where the big budget went in the crowd scenes and settings and the whole is directed in grand old Hollywood style by the veteran George Sidney. While some voguish tricks are employed such as stop-start photography and a little animation, in the main this is just a good old fashioned family entertainment musical, where a tuneful song, usually accompanied by an enthusiastic chorus of dancers isn't far around the corner.
To be fair, the Kipps and wife of the book do speak just like in the movie and even if Steele's toothsome grin and attendant bonhomie occasionally enervates, there's no denying his energy as he throws himself wholeheartedly into the all-singing, all-dancing part. Foster too does well in her cliched role as the little woman indoors and they're surrounded by a bright ensemble cast who put over the story and accompanying songs with verve.
Of the songs, two really stand out, the wistful title tune and the all-action show-stopper "Flash Bang Wallop!" but the rest are perfectly serviceable to the story. The humour too is a little dated and predictable, usually focusing on Kipps's lack of social graces but I rather enjoyed this throwback musical made at the time of the swinging sixties musical revolution.