Melody (1971 film)

2022-09-29T02:14:29Z

107.122.97.57: I wrote the conclusion.

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox film
|name=Melody
|image=Melody.png
|caption=Film poster
|director=[[Waris Hussein]]
|producer=[[David Puttnam]]
|writer=[[Alan Parker]]
|starring=[[Jack Wild]] [[Mark Lester]] [[Tracy Hyde]]
|music=[[Bee Gees]] [[Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young]]
|cinematography=[[Peter Suschitzky]]
|editing=John Victor Smith
|studio=[[Hemdale Film Corporation|Hemdale Group]] Sagittarius Productions [[Goodtimes Enterprises]]
|distributor=[[British Lion Films]]
|released={{Film date|df=yes|1971|4|21|United Kingdom}}
|runtime=103 minutes
|country=United Kingdom
|language=English
|budget=$600,000<ref>Alexander Walker, ''National Heroes: British Cinema in the Seventies and Eighties'', Harrap, 1985 p. 67</ref>
|gross=
}}
'''''Melody''''' (originally marketed as '''''S.W.A.L.K.''''' in the [[United Kingdom|UK]]) is a 1971 British [[children's film|children's]] [[romance film|romantic]] [[comedy-drama]] film directed by [[Waris Hussein]] about [[puppy love]]. The film starred [[Jack Wild]], [[Mark Lester]] and [[Tracy Hyde]]. Although the film was a [[box office bomb|box office disappointment]] in both the United States and Britain, it turned out to be a hit in Japan as well as in some [[Latin American]] countries such as Mexico, Argentina and Chile,<ref>[http://www.zancada.com/melody/ Commentaries, specially #410]; [http://hijosyotrosanimalessalvajes.blogspot.com/2005/11/cine-o-educacin-emocional.html ''Melody: Cine o educación emocional'', by Daniela, 2005]</ref> and a modest hit in South Africa.

==Plot==
This romantic story is told through the viewpoint of the children in the story, the adults playing only supporting roles. Daniel Latimer befriends the troublesome Ornshaw. However, when Daniel falls in love with Melody Perkins, the boys' friendship becomes jeopardized, as Ornshaw grows jealous of the amount of time that Daniel gives her. Initially embarrassed by the attention, Melody comes to return Daniel's feelings, and the couple announce to their parents that they want to get married. Not sometime in the future, but now. The adults attempt to dissuade them, but Daniel and Melody's determination leads Ornshaw to have a change of heart. Their classmates gather together at one of the children's hideouts to 'marry' the couple, with their discovery leading to a final showdown between children and teachers. One boy throws a firecracker through a car and it blows up and the teachers run away,except one mean English teacher who still chases our heroes. Ornshaw helps Melody and Daniel get away on a train pulley car and chases the English teacher off.

==Cast==
* [[Mark Lester]] as Daniel Latimer
* [[Tracy Hyde]] as Melody Perkins
* [[Jack Wild]] as Tom Ornshaw
* Colin Barrie as Chambers
* Billy Franks as Burgess
* [[Ashley Knight]] as Stacey
* Craig Marriott as Dadds
* [[William Vanderpuye]] as O'Leary
* Peter Walton as Fensham
* Camille Davies as Muriel
* Dawn Hope as Maureen
* Kay Skinner as Peggy
* Lesley Roach as Rhoda
* [[Sheila Steafel]] as Mrs. Latimer
* [[Keith Barron]] as Mr. Latimer
* [[Kate Williams (actress)|Kate Williams]] as Mrs Perkins
* [[Roy Kinnear]] as Mr. Perkins
* Hilda Barry as Grandma Perkins
* [[James Cossins]] as Headmaster
* [[Ken Jones (actor)|Ken Jones]] as Mr. Dicks
* [[June Jago]] as Miss Fairfax
* June C. Ellis as Miss Dimkins
* [[Tim Wylton]] as Mr. Fellows
* [[John Gorman (entertainer)|John Gorman]] as Boys' Brigade Captain
* Petal Young as Betty
* [[Robin Hunter]] as George
* [[Tracy Reed (English actress)|Tracy Reed]] as (Television Film) Woman in Hospital
* [[Neil Hallett]] as (Television Film) Man in Hospital
* Leonard Brockwell as Boys' Group
* Stephen Mallett as Boys' Group

==Production==
===Filming===
Film production began in the spring of 1970 shooting on location in [[Hammersmith]], and [[Lambeth]] in the greater [[London]] area. Post-production was completed at the [[Twickenham Film Studios|Twickenham Studios]].<ref name="Melody DVD; production notes">Melody DVD; production notes</ref> The graveyard scenes of the film were shot on location at [[Brompton Cemetery]] and [[Nunhead Cemetery]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2010}} The seaside scenes in the latter part of the film were shot in [[Weymouth, Dorset]].

This was the first screenplay by film director [[Alan Parker]]. Parker did some second-unit direction for the film, shooting the montage sequences of the school children at break-time and at the [[sports day]].<ref name="Melody DVD; production notes"/>

===Casting===
Mark Lester (Daniel Latimer) and Jack Wild (Ornshaw) had previously appeared together in the 1968 musical film adaptation of ''[[Oliver! (film)|Oliver!]]''. They were joined by the child model Tracy Hyde in the title role. Other cast members included [[Kate Williams (actress)|Kate Williams]] and [[Roy Kinnear]] as Melody's parents, and [[Sheila Steafel]] and [[Keith Barron]] as Daniel's parents.

This was the feature film debut of then child model and commercial actress Tracy Hyde at the age of 11. Writer/Director [[Andrew Birkin]] recommended Tracy Hyde for the title role of Melody Perkins to director Waris Hussein after screening and auditioning over 100 girls.<ref name="Melody DVD; production notes"/> Actor Jack Wild, who played Ornshaw, was actually 17 at the time of the production.

===Music===
{{Main|Melody (soundtrack)}}
The film's musical soundtrack included songs by the [[Bee Gees]] ("[[In the Morning (Bee Gees song)|In the Morning]]", "[[Melody Fair]]", "Give Your Best", and the hit singles "[[To Love Somebody (song)|To Love Somebody]]" and "[[First of May (Bee Gees song)|First of May]]"), and the [[Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young|Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young]] hit "[[Teach Your Children]]".<ref>Melody movie soundtrack; Universal International</ref>

==Home media==
''Melody'' was mastered for [[DVD region code#2|Region 2]] format on [[DVD]] by [[Kadokawa Pictures]] in Japan. Kadokawa released it on Region A Blu-ray in Japan on December 22, 2015 and [[StudioCanal]] released it on Region B Blu-ray on May 8, 2017.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0067418}}
* {{TCMDb title|22790}}
* {{AllMovie title|32117}}

{{Wikiquote|Melody (1971 film)}}
{{Waris Hussein}}

[[Category:1971 comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:1971 films]]
[[Category:British comedy-drama films]]
[[Category:British independent films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Waris Hussein]]
[[Category:Films produced by David Puttnam]]
[[Category:Films set in London]]
[[Category:Films shot in London]]
[[Category:Films shot at Twickenham Film Studios]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Alan Parker]]
[[Category:1971 independent films]]
[[Category:1970s English-language films]]
[[Category:1970s British films]]

The Goon Show Depository - User contributions [en]

Melody (1971 film)