Very interesting slice of East London life 1963, based on a play by Stephen Lewis - I know, you wouldn't think so, as it's very mobile and has a great on-location feel - and written by he and the director.
Brutish sailor James Booth returns to Stepney, known for causing trouble, hopes to take up with his ex Barbara Windsor, but she's now living with UFO's George Sewell.. and a baby. Not only that, their old house has been pulverized and she now lives in one of those new-fangled tower blocks, of which the caretaker is most proud. (Their door bell doesn't work though - nice touch.) Ironically those tower blocks were themselves demolished in the late nineties and replaced by a low rise housing development.
Interesting credits scene made up of clips from the film to Barbara singing the theme song. It was her first starring role and she went on to join the Carry On team the year after. A much beloved celebrity, she died December 10 and this was a better tribute probably than one of the comedy vehicles. She gives a wonderfully natural performance.
It has a palpable feeling of community, shot realistically by Max Greene and Desmond Dickinson. And just about everyone's in it - both Brian Murphy and Yootha Joyce, Roy Kinnear, Murray Melvin, Avis Bunnage (The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, The L-Shaped Room), Griffith Davies, Arthur Mullard, Barbara Ferris, Victor Spinetti, Harry H Corbett (uncredited) and singer Queenie Watts (Up the Junction).
The same year Littlewood produced 'Oh What a Lovely War' for the stage. She'd produced 'A Taste of Honey' in 1958 and a London underworld West End hit, 'Fings Ain't what They Used T'Be' and 'Sparrers Can't Sing' both starring Windsor.
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