Sweet Beat (U.S. title: The Amorous Sex) is a 1959 British 'B'[1] black-and-white musical film directed by Ronnie Albert and starring Julie Amber, Sheldon Lawrence and Irv Bauer.[2] The screenplay was by Ron Ahran based on a story by Sheldon Stark. It includes appearances by several American pop acts including The Melo-Kings and The Five Satins.
| Sweet Beat | |
|---|---|
.png) U.S. theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Ronnie Albert |
| Screenplay by | Ron Ahran |
| Story by | Sheldon Stark |
| Produced by | Jeffrey S. Kruger |
| Starring | Julie Amber Sheldon Lawrence Irv Bauer |
| Cinematography | S.D Onions |
| Edited by | Jay Dea |
| Music by | Malcolm Lockyer |
Production company | Flamingo Film Productions |
Release date |
|
Running time | 57 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Plot
editBonnie Martyn, winner of a holiday camp beauty contest, heads to London seeking fame as a singer. She is promised a record deal, and is tricked into going to New York. She is eventually reunited with her boyfriend Bill Lacey.
Cast
edit- Julie Amber as Bonnie Martyn
- Sheldon Lawrence as Bill "Larry" Lacey
- Irv Bauer as Dave Lafferts
- Leonie Page as Tina Miller
- David Browning as Gerry Turner
- Al Burnett as club owner
- Keith Fordyce as disc jockey (himself)
- Billy Myles as himself
- Cindy Man as herself (cut from U.S. version)
- Fred Parris as himself
- Lee Allen as himself
- The Mello-Kings as themselves
- The Five Satins as themselves
Production
editFilming locations included Butlin's holiday camps at Clacton-on-Sea and Cliftonville, and London's The Stork Room, run by Al Burnett.
Soundtrack
editThe film featured the following songs:
- "Thanks" (Peter Warren, Adrienne Birkhard, Jeff Kruger)
- "Just for the Asking" (Buddy Kaye, Leon Carr)
- "Recently" (Tommie Connor)
- "Careless Caresses" (Billy Myles)
- "The Joker" (Billy Myles)
- "How Do You Mend a Broken Heart?" (Winfield Scott)
- "Boppin' at the Hop" (Lee Allen, A.Tyler)
- "Sweet Beat" (Tony Crombie)
- "Luva Luva Love Me" (George Scheck)
- "Tonite Tonite" (Billy Myles)
- "I Remember (in the Still of the Nite)" (Fred Parris)
In 1959 a 7-inch double A/B side EP was released in the UK with "Tonite Tonite", "I Remember", "Boppin' at the Hop" and "Luva Luva Love Me" (Top Rank Records, JKR 8007).[3]
Critical reception
editThe Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "A mild and artless warning to the stage struck, relying on striptease, "pop" numbers and holiday camp and night club backgrounds for its teen-age appeal. Direction and performance are very uneven."[4]
In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "poor", writing: "Bottom-budget pop musical/moral warning has that home-made look."[5]
Home media
editThe film was released on DVD in 2009 by Pegasus Entertainment.
References
edit- ^ Chibnall, Steve; McFarlane, Brian (2009). The British 'B' Film. London: BFI/Bloomsbury. p. 205. ISBN 978-1-8445-7319-6.
- ^ "Sweet Beat". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
- ^ "Various – Music From The Film Sweet Beat". Discogs. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
- ^ "Sweet Beat". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 26 (300): 160. 1 January 1959 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Quinlan, David (1984). British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. p. 383. ISBN 0-7134-1874-5.
External links
edit- Sweet Beat at IMDb