Half a Sixpence (1967)

Director:

George Sidney

Writers:

Beverley Cross (book)
Beverley Cross (screenplay)
(more)

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
Aleta Morrison	...	Laura
Gerald Campion	...	Fat Boy
Deborah Permentor	...	Young Ann
Jeffrey Chandler	...	Young Kipps
Barry Sinclair	...	Woodrow
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Carolyn Archer	...	Dancer
Bridget Armstrong	...	The Maid
Pat Ashton	...	Pub Character
Ivan Baptie	...	Dancer
Donald Barclay	...	Dancer
James Bolam	...	Mr. Jones
David Boswell	...	Dancer
Sydney Bromley	...	Pub Character
Apple Brook	...	Dresser
Golda Casimir	...	Pub Character
Jan Colet	...	Dancer
Frank Crawshaw	...	The Carter
Pamela Cundell	...	Pub Character
Ray Davis	...	Dancer
Joyanne Delancey	...	Dancer
Roy Evans	...	Pub Character
Sonny Farrar	...	Pub Character
Neil Fitzwiliam	...	Dancer (as Neil Fitzwilliam)
Suzanne France	...	Dancer
Ann Frost	...	Dancer
Sally Gilpin	...	Dancer
Louis Godfrey	...	Dancer
Helen Goss	...	Dowager
Joyce Graeme	...	Pub Character
Des Graham	...	Pub Character
Caroline Haig	...	Dancer
Sarah Hardenburg	...	Dancer
Michele Hardy	...	Dancer
Bill Harvey	...	Dancer
Harry Haythorne	...	Pub Character
Reginald Hearne	...	Policeman
David Hepburn	...	Dancer
Gillian Hough	...	Dancer
Bob Howe	...	Dancer
Alastair Hunter	...	The Postman
Lesley Judd	...	Dancer
Jane Kells	...	Dancer
Humphrey Kent	...	The Butler
Leon Lestocq-Prayne	...	Dancer
Caryl Little	...	Dancer
Harry Locke	...	Weight Guesser
Patricia Lovett	...	Dancer
Dawn MacDonald	...	Dancer (as Dawn Macdonald)
John McDonald	...	Dancer (as John MacDonald)
Paddy McIntyre	...	Dancer
Tom Merrifield	...	Dancer
Norman Mitchell	...	Master of Ceremonies
George Moon	...	Pub Character
Bartlett Mullins	...	Carshott
Harry Naughton	...	Dancer
Sheila O'Neill	...	Dancer
Julian Orchard	...	Photographer
Albin Pahernik	...	Dancer
Louanne Richards	...	Dancer
Jackie Rochelle	...	Pub Character
Iris Sadler	...	Pub Character
Delia Sainsbury	...	Dancer
Tessa Steel	...	Dancer
Don Vernon	...	Pub Character
Carole Walker	...	Edith
Queenie Watts	...	Pub Character
Maureen Willsher	...	Dancer
Barrie Young	...	Dancer
Mark Colleano	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Nigel Kingsley	...	Extra (uncredited)
John Moulder-Brown	...	(uncredited)
Marti Webb	...	Ann (singing voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
George Sidney

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Beverley Cross		book
Beverley Cross		screenplay
Dorothy Kingsley		adaptation
H.G. Wells		novel "Kipps"

Produced by
John Dark	....	executive producer
Charles H. Schneer	....	producer
George Sidney	....	producer

Cinematography by
Geoffrey Unsworth		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Bill Lewthwaite
Frank Santillo

Production Design by
Ted Haworth

Art Direction by
Peter Murton

Costume Design by
Joan Bridge
Elizabeth Haffenden		(as Liz Haffenden)

Makeup Department
Gordon Bond	....	hair stylist
George Frost	....	makeup artist
Bobbie Smith	....	hair stylist
Hugh Richards	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
René Dupont	....	production manager (as Rene Dupont)
David Korda	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Price	....	assistant director

Art Department
John Graysmark	....	assistant art director (uncredited)

Sound Department
John Aldred	....	sound
Buster Ambler	....	sound
Mike Hopkins	....	dubbing editor (as Michael Hopkins)
Christopher Lancaster	....	dialogue editor
Tony Dawe	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Garth Inns	....	special effects (uncredited)
Curly Nelhams	....	special effects (uncredited)
Jack Woodbridge	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Nosher Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Kelvin Pike	....	camera operator
Bert Cann	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Maurice Gillett	....	supervising electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sally Nicholl	....	casting supervisor

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jackie Cummins	....	wardrobe supervisor

Music Department
Carroll Knudson	....	music editor
Irwin Kostal	....	composer: songs "The Race" and "This Is My World"
Irwin Kostal	....	conductor
Irwin Kostal	....	music arranger
Irwin Kostal	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Jan Colet	....	assistant choreographer
Harold Fielding	....	original stage producer
Derek Kavanagh	....	location manager
Gillian Lynne	....	choreographer
Virginia Mason	....	assistant choreographer
Maggie Unsworth	....	continuity (as Margaret Unsworth)

Production Companies

• Ameran Films (uncredited)
• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount British Pictures (1967) (UK) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1968) (USA) (theatrical)
• CBS Television (1973) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• CIC-Taft Home Video
• Paramount Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• PolyGram Video (1996) (UK) (VHS) (pan/scan)

Special Effects

• Trading Post Ltd. (uncredited)

Other Companies

• National Screen Service  titles and opticals

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.