Sparrows Can't Sing - Revision history

Kurt at 19:58, 27 December 2022

2022-12-27T19:58:59Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:58, 27 December 2022
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	\| image = Sparrows Can't Sing.jpg		\| image = Sparrows Can't Sing.jpg
	\| image_size =		\| image_size =
	\| caption = ~~UK quad poster~~		\| caption =
	\| director = [[Joan Littlewood]]		\| director = [[w:Joan Littlewood\|Joan Littlewood]]
	\| producer = Donald Taylor		\| producer = Donald Taylor
	\| writer = [[Stephen Lewis (actor)\|Stephen Lewis]]		\| writer = [[Stephen Lewis (actor)\|Stephen Lewis]]
	\| narrator =		\| narrator =
	\| starring = {{ubl\|[[James Booth]]\|[[Barbara Windsor]]\|[[Roy Kinnear]]\|[[Avis Bunnage]]\|[[Brian Murphy (actor)\|Brian Murphy]]\|[[Yootha Joyce]]}}		\| starring = {{ubl\|[[James Booth]]\|[[Barbara Windsor]]\|[[Roy Kinnear]]\|[[Avis Bunnage]]\|[[Brian Murphy (actor)\|Brian Murphy]]\|[[Yootha Joyce]]}}
	\| music = [[James Stevens (composer)\|James Stevens]]<br>[[Stanley Black]]		\| music = [[w:James Stevens (composer)\|James Stevens]]<br>[[Stanley Black]]
	\| cinematography = [[Desmond Dickinson]] <br />[[Mutz Greenbaum]]		\| cinematography = [[w:Desmond Dickinson\|Desmond Dickinson]] <br />[[w:Mutz Greenbaum\|Mutz Greenbaum]]
	\| editing = [[Oswald Hafenrichter]]		\| editing = [[w:Oswald Hafenrichter\|Oswald Hafenrichter]]
	\| distributor = Elstree Distributors		\| distributor = Elstree Distributors
	\| released = {{Start date\|1963\|2\|26\|df=y}}<ref name="Art & Hue">[http://artandhue.com/shop/sparrows-cant-sing ''Sparrows Can't Sing'']</ref>		\| released = {{Start date\|1963\|2\|26\|df=y}}<ref name="Art & Hue">[http://artandhue.com/shop/sparrows-cant-sing ''Sparrows Can't Sing'']</ref>
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	==Film release==		==Film release==
	The world premiere was held on 26 February 1963 at the ABC cinema on the [[Mile End Road]], and was attended by the [[Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon\|Earl of Snowdon]]. Post-film drinks were had across the road at the Kentucky Club, owned by the Kray twins, before the party moved on to another Kray establishment, [[Esmeralda's Barn]] in the [[West End of London\|West End]].		The world premiere was held on 26 February 1963 at the ABC cinema on the [[w:Mile End Road\|Mile End Road]], and was attended by the [[w:Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon\|Earl of Snowdon]]. Post-film drinks were had across the road at the Kentucky Club, owned by the Kray twins, before the party moved on to another Kray establishment, [[w:Esmeralda's Barn\|Esmeralda's Barn]] in the [[w:West End of London\|West End]].

	The film opened at the Rialto Cinema in the West End on 27 February 1963.<ref name="Art & Hue" />		The film opened at the Rialto Cinema in the West End on 27 February 1963.<ref name="Art & Hue" />

	== Award ==		== Award ==
	Barbara Windsor was nominated for the award for [[BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role\|Best Actress in a Leading Role]] by the [[British Academy Film Awards]] in 1963, for her performance as Maggie.		Barbara Windsor was nominated for the award for [[w:BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role\|Best Actress in a Leading Role]] by the [[w:British Academy Film Awards\|British Academy Film Awards]] in 1963, for her performance as Maggie.

	== Home media ==		== Home media ==

Kurt at 19:54, 27 December 2022

2022-12-27T19:54:46Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:54, 27 December 2022
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	~~{{EngvarB\|date=May 2013}}~~
	~~{{Use dmy dates\|date=November 2022}}~~
	{{Infobox film		{{Infobox film
	\| name = Sparrows Can't Sing		\| name = Sparrows Can't Sing
	\| image = ~~"Sparrers_Can~~'~~t_Sing"_(1962)~~.jpg		\| image = Sparrows Can't Sing.jpg
	\| image_size =		\| image_size =
	\| caption = UK quad poster		\| caption = UK quad poster

Kurt: 1 revision imported

2022-12-27T19:48:48Z

1 revision imported

← Older revision	Revision as of 14:48, 27 December 2022
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en>Dawnseeker2000: date format audit, minor formatting

2022-11-30T01:38:04Z

date format audit, minor formatting

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{{EngvarB|date=May 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Sparrows Can't Sing
| image = "Sparrers_Can't_Sing"_(1962).jpg
| image_size =
| caption = UK quad poster
| director = [[Joan Littlewood]]
| producer = Donald Taylor
| writer = [[Stephen Lewis (actor)|Stephen Lewis]]
| narrator =
| starring = {{ubl|[[James Booth]]|[[Barbara Windsor]]|[[Roy Kinnear]]|[[Avis Bunnage]]|[[Brian Murphy (actor)|Brian Murphy]]|[[Yootha Joyce]]}}
| music = [[James Stevens (composer)|James Stevens]]<br>[[Stanley Black]]
| cinematography = [[Desmond Dickinson]] <br />[[Mutz Greenbaum]]
| editing = [[Oswald Hafenrichter]]
| distributor = Elstree Distributors
| released = {{Start date|1963|2|26|df=y}}<ref name="Art & Hue">[http://artandhue.com/shop/sparrows-cant-sing ''Sparrows Can't Sing'']</ref>
| runtime = 94 minutes
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}
'''''Sparrows Can't Sing'''''<ref>[http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/sparrows-cant-sing BBFC: ''Sparrows Can't Sing'', 21/01/63]</ref> is a 1963 British [[Kitchen sink realism|kitchen sink]] [[comedy]] film.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090120034937/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/51753?view=release BFI film database]</ref> Based on a 1960 play, ''Sparrers Can't Sing'', it was directed by [[Joan Littlewood]] and was from a story by [[Stephen Lewis (actor)|Stephen Lewis]]. The producer was Donald Taylor and the original music by [[James Stevens (composer)|James Stevens]], incidental music was composed by [[Stanley Black]]. The play, also by Stephen Lewis, was first performed at Joan Littlewood's [[Theatre Workshop]] in the [[Theatre Royal Stratford East]].

==Play==
The film is loosely based on the stage musical [[Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be|Fings Ain't Wot They Used To Be]], written by [[Frank Norman]] with music by [[Lionel Bart]], at [[Theatre Royal Stratford East]] in 1960, using members of the Theatre Workshop company, many of whom later appeared in the film. While the screenplay for the film was by [[Stephen Lewis (actor)|Stephen Lewis]], the stage version was partially developed using [[improvisational theatre]] techniques during performance. In common with much of Joan Littlewood's direction, it was an ensemble piece.

The production made a successful transfer to the West End at [[Wyndham's Theatre]] in 1961.

==Film ==
The film was made on location during the summer of 1962 in [[Limehouse]], Isle of Dogs, [[Stepney]], around the theatre in [[Stratford, London|Stratford]], and at [[Elstree Studios (Shenley Road)|Elstree Studios]]. Sets were occasionally visited by nearby Vallance Road residents the [[Kray twins]]. Some sources claim the Krays made a cameo appearance towards the end of the film,<ref>[http://www.jamesbooth.org/reviews/sparrows_cant_sing.htm Sparrows review]. Retrieved 5 May 2007</ref> but film historian Richard Dacre states this is not the case.<ref>2015 Studio Canal DVD locations featurette</ref>

''Sparrows Can't Sing'' is a comedy attempting to provide a representation of [[Cockney]] life in the [[East End of London]] in the early 1960s. A collection of typical characters such as people at the local pub, local tarts, Jewish tradesmen, [[spiv]]s and others are portrayed (and possibly larger than life).

The dialogue is a mixture of Cockney [[rhyming slang]], London [[Yiddish]], and [[thieves' cant]]. ''[[The New York Times]]'' said in its review: "this isn't a picture for anyone with a logical mind or an ear for language. The gabble of cockney spoken here is as incomprehensible as the reasoning of those who speak it."<ref>''The New York Times'', 7 May 1963, at IMDb.</ref> It was also the first English language film to be released in the United States with subtitles.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11801816/Stephen-Lewis-actor-obituary.html|title=Stephen Lewis, actor – obituary|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|date=13 August 2015|accessdate=13 August 2015}}</ref>

==Plot ==
Cockney sailor Charlie comes home from a long voyage to find his house razed and his wife Maggie missing. She is in fact now living with bus driver Bert and has a new baby – whose parentage is in doubt. Charlie's friends won't tell him where Maggie is because he is known to have a foul temper. But he finally finds her and, after a fierce row with Bert, they are reconciled.

== Cast ==
*[[James Booth]] as Charlie Gooding
*[[Barbara Windsor]] as Maggie Gooding
*[[Roy Kinnear]] as Fred Gooding
*[[Avis Bunnage]] as Bridgie Gooding
*[[Barbara Ferris]] as Nellie Gooding
*[[Brian Murphy (actor)|Brian Murphy]] as Jack
*[[George Sewell]] as Bert
*[[Griffith Davies (actor)|Griffith Davies]] as Chunky
*[[Murray Melvin]] as Georgie
*[[Arthur Mullard]] as Ted
*[[Peggy Ann Clifford]] as Ted's Wife
*[[Wally Patch]] as Watchman
*[[Bob Grant (actor)|Bob Grant]] as Perce
*[[Stephen Lewis (actor)|Stephen Lewis]] as Caretaker
*[[Victor Spinetti]] as Arnold
*Jenny Sontag as Momma
*May Scagnelli as Gran
*[[Fanny Carby]] as Lil
*[[Yootha Joyce]] as Yootha
*Janet Howse as Janet
*[[Queenie Watts]] as Queenie
*[[John Junkin]] as Bridge Operator
*[[Harry H. Corbett]] as Greengrocer
*Marjie Lawrence as Girl
*[[Glynn Edwards]] as Charlie's Friend
*Gerry Raffles as Lorry Driver
*[[Rita Webb]] as Maggie's Neighbour (Uncredited)
*[[Georgina Mitchell]] gypsy flower seller in pub
* Sarah Booth as baby in the pram. The biological daughter of James Booth.

==Film release==
The world premiere was held on 26 February 1963 at the ABC cinema on the [[Mile End Road]], and was attended by the [[Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon|Earl of Snowdon]]. Post-film drinks were had across the road at the Kentucky Club, owned by the Kray twins, before the party moved on to another Kray establishment, [[Esmeralda's Barn]] in the [[West End of London|West End]].

The film opened at the Rialto Cinema in the West End on 27 February 1963.<ref name="Art & Hue" />

== Award ==
Barbara Windsor was nominated for the award for [[BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role|Best Actress in a Leading Role]] by the [[British Academy Film Awards]] in 1963, for her performance as Maggie.

== Home media ==
A region B Blu-ray was released on 12 October 2015.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Sparrows-Cant-Sing-Blu-ray/134883/ | title=Sparrows Can't Sing Blu-ray (Vintage Classics) (United Kingdom) }}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

* "Film Review" by Maurice Speed – Publisher: MacDonald, 1964

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|id=0057521|title=Sparrows Can't Sing}}
*[http://jamesboo.ipower.com/reviews/sparrows_cant_sing.htm James Booth tribute website: Sparrows Can't Sing]

[[Category:1963 films]]
[[Category:British comedy films]]
[[Category:British plays]]
[[Category:1963 comedy films]]
[[Category:British films based on plays]]
[[Category:Social realism in film]]
[[Category:Films shot at Associated British Studios]]
[[Category:Films set in London]]
[[Category:Films shot in London]]
[[Category:1960s English-language films]]
[[Category:1960s British films]]