Half a Sixpence (1967)

Director:

George Sidney

Writers:

Beverley Cross (book)
Beverley Cross (screenplay)

Release Date:

26 June 1968 (Sweden)

Genre:

Musical

Tagline:

Flash BANG Wallop What a Picture!

Plot:

Arthur Kipps, an orphan apprenticed to a tyrannical owner of a mercantile, has a sudden abrupt change...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel | Based On Play

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Tommy Steele	...	Arthur Kipps
Julia Foster	...	Ann
Cyril Ritchard	...	Harry Chitterlow
Penelope Horner	...	Helen
Elaine Taylor	...	Victoria
Grover Dale	...	Pearce
Hilton Edwards	...	Shalford
Julia Sutton	...	Flo
Leslie Meadows	...	Buggins
Sheila Falconer	...	Kate
Pamela Brown	...	Mrs. Washington
James Villiers	...	Hubert
Christopher Sandford	...	Sid
Jean Anderson	...	Lady Botting
Allan Cuthbertson	...	Wilkins

Runtime:

143 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (Westrex Recording System) (70 mm prints) | Mono (35 mm optical prints)

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Ameran Films

Trivia:

Last cinema film of Helen Goss.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: In the song, "Money to Burn", where Kipps (Steele) is playing the banjo, it's obvious that he's simply playing along to an audio track. But the sound begins several times before he does the strumming to make it happen. This should have been watched/caught in the editing process.

Quotes:

[Kipps's friends point out that they can't drink champagne in the shop]
Kipps: Oh, Hang the shop!
The others: Hang the shop?
Kipps: Hang the shop, and hang old Shalford!
Mr. Shalford: [appearing behind Kipps] Kipps! That's it! Once more I said and that's it. Well, that is it. You're done for, Kipps. Finished! Sacked!
Kipps: [turning to face Shalford] Watch it, Shalford!
Mr. Shalford: What?
Kipps: I said, you just watch it. You can't sack me. Do you know why? I've just resigned. Right here and now, this minute, resigned. So you act civil, an... and you act respectable, or you'll find that you're the one with the sack!

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 100 Greatest Musicals (2003) (TV)

Soundtrack:

ALL IN THE CAUSE OF ECONOMY

yes, worth more than a Zac

Here is a funny BIG frilly musical that is also a good comedy. Imagine someone moaning that it is too big, or even dreary! What a silly thing to feel when there is many musical scenes and easy comedy with which to have a great time. HALF A SIXPENCE is a British hybrid of TWO WEEKS WITH LOVE and HELLO DOLLY and belongs in that cinematic hat box of visual candy delights. If my mixed metaphors make sense (to those who know grammar...and grammar jokes). There is lovely film is all respects. It is raucous and silly and loaded with enough art direction and 'whalloping' stereo musical numbers to please even (Darling) Lili or even Leslie Caron at champagne best. HALF A SIXPENCE is actually a Teen musical but set in Victorian England. The dance numbers are just plain great, and humorous MGM veteran musical director George Sidney has delivered yet again. The music and tunes are memorable and if you see this film with educated kids, they get it and the experience is is a genuine family delight. A 'zac' in Oz vernacular is a sixpence...and there is more value than that in this DVD box of musical chocolates. Just enjoy it. Like those films also mentioned above. It has to be better than seeing Adam Sandler urinating on a door in BIG DADDY, the s-bend of 'family' movies for this clever new century.