EXPRESSO BONGO
UK, 1960, 111 minutes, Black and white.
Laurence Harvey, Sylvia Syms, Yolande Donlan, Cliff Richard, Meier Tzelniker, Ambrosine Phillpotts, Eric Pohlmann, Gilbert Harding, Hermione Baddely, Reginald Beckwith, Avis Bunnage, Esme Cannon, Kenneth Griffith, Susan Hampshire, Bert Kwouk, Wilfred Lawson.
Directed by Val Guest.
Expresso Bongo is an attempt to picture the London of 1960, especially in the Soho area, the area of clubs and musicians. It was London moving into the Swinging Sixties. The screenplay was co-written by Wolf Mankowitz. Mankowitz was a prolific writer for theatre, film and television beginning with such films as Make Me an Offer, A Kid for Two Farthings and The Bespoke Overcoat in the 1950s. He had a wide range including science fiction like The Day the Earth Caught Fire (also directed by Val Guest). Val Guest was an even more prolific writer and director, writing from the mid-30s. He directed a number of small-budget films including a version of a William book in the 1940s. With his wife, Yolande Donlan, he made Penny Princess. She also appears in Expresso Bongo. As the decades went on, Guest was very eclectic in his film choices including two Quatermass films, a Carry On film – and even Confessions of a Window Cleaner.
The film is a star vehicle for Laurence Harvey, many considering it one of his best performances, the Jewish agent working the clubs and working the stars in Soho, discovering a young talent and promoting him. The young talent was, in fact, Cliff Richard. In fact also, Cliff Richard more than fulfilled the ambitions of the singer in Expresso Bongo, remaining a popular figure in England for almost fifty years.
There is a strong supporting cast of British character actors.
The film seems somewhat dated – but was daring in its time, especially presenting the world of the striptease clubs, the unscrupulous and savage marketing and rivalry between agents and entrepreneurs.
1.A picture of 1960? Loud? Indicating change in British society? The picture of London in retrospect?
2.The black and white photography, the details of the streets, flats and clubs of Soho? The shops, the cafes? Life there? The dingier aspects? Poverty? People struggling to make a living?
3.The musical score, the range of songs? The striptease routines? Cliff Richard and his songs?
4.Cliff Richard and his character as Bert Rudge becoming Bongo Herbert? His character – and the anticipation of Cliff Richard’s own career? The character seen in the retrospect of his life and career?
5.The title, coffee and its importance at this stage in London society and clubs? The introduction of expresso, the Italian cafes? The music? The drums, the groups, the songs?
6.Johnny Jackson and Laurence Harvey’s screen presence, suave personality, yet a spiv? As a manager, his skills? His patter and talk? His relationship with Maisie King? Watching her on-stage, continued promises, no real intention of keeping them? His voice, accent, spiel? The Jewish background? The club and money, contracts? His seeing Bert, the bongo drums? The discussions? The visit to Bert’s mother, her greed, the contract? Maisie helping him? Performances, building up to the records? Maisie and her phone calls for Johnny? The bluff and the deals? Dixie’s arrival, Johnny using her? The press conference, tricking her, her acceptance of Bongo? Bongo and his performance for her? Dixie taking him to her room, the advances? His naivety? The change of his going into the limelight and luxury, edging out Johnny? The final contracts and choice? Johnny and his talk, trying to persuade Dixie? The producer and the discussions about the new Judy Garland? Despite defeats, Johnny going on, irrepressible?
7.Cliff Richard as Bongo, his age, ordinary young man, his talent, playing in the group, the moods of 1960, naïve, his mother and father? His meeting with Johnny, his attraction towards Maisie? Success? The press conference, with Dixie? The favourable reviews? On the news, the agents, the record companies, the fans? The documentary by Gilbert Harding about the Soho clubs? His succumbing to Dixie, sexual relationship, contracts and breaking contracts? His immersion in the world of limelight and luxury?
8.Dixie, the American, the has-been? Her style and flair? Playing to the gallery, the press conference? The show, late? Agents and the press, her posing? The questions? Her having to accept Bongo, the performances, the aftermath? Her age, admitting her age, letting go? New York, the invitation to Bongo? The contract?
9.Producers, Johnny and his set-ups, listening, arguing, agreeing? Dixie and the contract?
10.Maisie, the girls at the club, striptease, the scenes in the dressing room? Their routines, the audience? The managers? Johnny, the song, his hopes? Maisie and her ordinary life, the meals, going out for Johnny, being stood up? Her doing the phone calls for him? Her advice to Bongo? The end?
11.The clubs, the managers, expresso, the patrons, the kids?
12.Gilbert Harding and the BBC, the documentary, using Johnny as agent, the fees, the focus on Bongo, the advertisements, the records? Johnny being on the panel with Gilbert Harding? The change in tastes, style? The discussions with the psychologist?
13.The minor characters in support, Meier and his club, Lady Rosemary and the rich, Leon, Penelope, the Reverend Tobias Craven and his being with it, the satire on the church trying to meet culture? The various musicians?
14.Insight into the feel of London in 1960?
