Wonderful Life

[Fenderman]

Watching Cliff & The Shads in Wonderful Life that was on Talking Pictures a few nights ago (part of a 60's movies day). Some nice shots of Hank with his green 12 string Burns.
The film as a whole is a bit of a muddle, i only recorded it because the Shads are featured in almost the whole film, they even have a few lines.

[Monty]

I heard an interview with Cliff some time back where he spoke of the filming being a bit of a nightmare - it was the wrong time of year and while looking like a sunny holiday paradise it was actually quite cold (!) plus the sand 'on the beach' was covered in a black tar...!

Cliff said unlike 'Summer Holiday' it was a chore not any fun to make - besides one section of the film the 'salute to the cinema' part that saw them imitating figures off the silver screen from Charlie Chaplin to James Bond ! - Cliff said that bit was great to do but otherwise the script was quite weak and overall the film was as you say 'a bit of a muddle' !

the songs by Cliff/Shads notably 'On The Beach' and 'A Matter of Moments' plus The Shads superb 'Theme For Young Lovers' and the excellent 'Walkin' make the thing worthwhile....and young Susan Hampshire was utterly gorgeous !!

as I said script wise it's not another 'Summer Holiday' and I even like 'Finders Keepers' better as an overall film, but that said The Shads are well featured and Cliff and the gang are always enjoyable to watch re the nostalgia angle

[Fenderman]

The film also seems dated, even by 1964 standards. At the same time The Beatles released A Hard Day's Night which was a real change in films starring pop groups and heralded a new era so that probably didn't help Wonderful Life either.

[Uncle Fiesta]

I remember not being terribly impressed because while there's nothing wrong with having a moral, I felt as though I'd been battered over the head with it by the end!

A friend of mine, who is too young to have seen it when it first came out, discovered the 'On The Beach' segment on YouTube and asked me, "Who's that blonde dancing with Cliff? She's HOT!" I told him it was Susan Hampshire and added that if he were as old as me, he'd also have noticed her in Monte Carlo Or Bust. I then thought, 'haven't seen that for a while,' and went onto eBay and bought it! So that little exchange cost me more than I thought it would.

[Paul Childs]

The film started off OK but started to get boring as it went on.

[anniv 63]

For me the view of Susan Hampshire's backside qualifies for Rear of the Year1964!!!
Where is the fast forward button after On the Beach?

Mike

[Fenderman]

I must confess i only made it about 40 minutes in and switched it off. On the Beach was the highlight for me, that's a track i secretly like!
Theme for young lovers is billed as being from the film, is it played anywhere in it?
I think Walkin' was only heard playing from a radio or something.

[Steve Parish]

Hello Roy,
'Theme For Young Lovers' is featured in the film at some point (during one of the lovey dovey scenes?!) but, as far as I can recall, it is played (briefly) by an orchestra and not The Shads.
I haven't watched the film in yonks and even then I've only ever watched it a couple of times!
I much prefer Finders Keepers!

[chas]

Reading this thread reminded me that apart from the Burns D6 and Bruce playing the Gibson J200, the white Fenders are seen. Have a look at this clip 'Do You Remember'
https://youtu.be/JL3bAc5tfsg

[Uncle Fiesta]

... I much prefer Finders Keepers!

Good lord it must be bad then!!