Customer Reviews

Half a Sixpence

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I resent the Amazon reviewer's caustic remarks about the movie, Richard and Steele. This movie was a true delight from beginning to end. The dancing was glorious and lots of it. The songs by this time were old friends. Incidentally, I've heard the cast recordings of the London, Bway and movie versions. A few songs were the same in all 3, others came and went, which I thought was odd. Tommy Steele (35 years ago, can you believe it!) was wonderful as was everyone, it was a little long (2 hours and 25 minutes), but it was always fun and exciting. I loved it. Incidentally, the villains were just nasty enough to get their point across, nothing to enrage you, and their comeuppance was also just right, not some scathing triumph. I found the whole thing a pleasure, just as I did 35 years ago.

Contrary to what another reviewer has said, Half a Sixpence was a throughly delightful show on stage, at least on Broadway, thanks to a great performance by Tommy Steele, a charming cast, and wonderful choreography by Onna White who went on to do the choreography for the film version of Oliver! The movie version of Sixpence didn't quite have all the charm of the show, but it does have Steele, who gives his all, a touching performance by Julia Foster as Anne, and Grover Dale from the Broadway cast (who would also appear in the Demy film musical The Young Girls of Rochefort. The production values are pleasing to the eye. I'd say one of the flaws of the movie is the unimaginative choroeography by Gillian Lynne (who eventually worked on Cats)--I'm not sure why White wasn't available. The movie includes most of the score of the show, but it cuts one of the show's best songs, Long Ago--it's sung briefly by a chorus at the beginning and is also used as background music but it was an important number in the show because it reaffirmed the love of Kipps and Anne. Having said all this, Half a Sixpence is worth owning because it is an example of lavish filmmaking we don't get to see much anymore. And it's a good musical that for some reason isn't performed very much, at least in the US. I just wish they would have done an interview with Steele about being in the musical. I believe this movie did much better in England than in the US when it was originally released.

For the longest time I thought I was the only one in the world who could be hoping against hope for a widescreen stereo DVD of "Half A Sixpence" and thought it would never happen. I'm delighted to be proven wrong on both counts.

While I had no problem with what looked like a fine visual transfer, the stereo sound seems to be from faded magnetic tracks that have not been restored. It all sounds a bit muted, and in one scene one of the channels has a wobbling-hissing sound underneath the dialogue and music. I just wish they would have gone the extra step to polish the great soundtrack. But still, half a "Half A Sixpence" is better than none; this is a lavish, fun, boisterous musical.

Now if they would FINALLY release "Flower Drum Song" in widescreen and stereo...Anyone know what's taking so long?

British entertainer Tommy Steele appeared in three big-budget, reserved seat musicals within a year's time - 1967-1968, and then never made another musical film again. While Steele is one of the only assets in Disney's interminable "The Happiest Millionaire", he was much more well utilized in "Finian's Rainbow" as Og the Leprechaun. But his biggest starring role was in the film that came between those two - the gigantic film version of the stage musical "Half a Sixpence". Directed by George Sidney, the film massively realizes what had been a fairly middle-weight, mediocre stage show. Until this DVD release, the film has never been available on home video in its original Panavision aspect ration, with four track stereo surround. And what a difference this transfer makes from the cropped, grainy VHS tape of the film! Splendidly designed, beautifully shot, elegantly scored, and using both studio sets and sweeping location footage, the film is at least as big as "Hello, Dolly!". And that's pretty big for the movie screen. Stuffed with huge production numbers, long takes during the dance sequences, and a terrifically souped-up musical score (thanks to Irwin Kostal), this is truly one of the most dazzling, spectacular movies of its era. The DVD has no extras, but the transfer is quite wonderful to see, and it is indeed the full roadshow version, with intermission and entr'acte music included. What a wonderful treat to see this old-fashioned, razzle-dazzle picture presented in its full glory. Show this to someone under the age of 30, who has no idea how entertaining those big musicals of the '60s really were. Smashing, tuneful, and as the ads proclaimed "The biggest bloomin' musical of the year!"

I recently watched this video again and I had forgotten how truly nice it was to watch two people who love each other, find out the true meaning of that love, and what our riches really are. I even remembered the songs, and delighted in the dance scenes. Just a fun movie with a terrific lesson to be learned that you cannot buy your happiness. Tommy Steele is fun to watch. I hope he is still dancing!

Director George Sidney gave this tuneful London/Broadway musical the full Hollywood treatment - leaving the film audience with a dreamy, family-style comedic, romantic romp. Tommy Steele, the lead of the theater productions and the movie, does his talented best and leaves the audience well entertained. At this point in time - 2002 - the film deserves a widescreen, stereo sound, DVD restoration to be fully appreciated. Irwin Kostal's (Sound Of Music, Mary Poppins) sparkling musical orchestrations and musical direction plead for return of the stereo tracks to any future DVD release. Sadly famed Hollywood director - George Sidney died on May 5, 2002.

Tommy Steele was at this point in time making it in the film world. He had just gotten a lead role in Disney's THE HAPPIEST MILLIONAIRE, and was soon to be cast as Og in Coppola's FINIAN'S RAINBOW. In between them he made this medium scale musical based on H.G. Wells's KIPPS. The film itself is a mixed bag; the lyrics are often uninspired, and the plotting feels like imitation Dickens. Also, the construction of the film is lopsided: the roadshow version is 2:26:55, and the intermission appears at 1:39:19. By the time Act 2 begins, there are only 46:09 to go. But the film has its rewards; particularly the touching muscial number "Half a Sixpence" between Steele and Julia Foster. It stands as one of the more touching moments in cinema.

James Teller

I remember going to the theatre time after time to see Tommy Steele. I loved this movie, the innocence of the time, the music and dancing. Now, my children love it too. I actually wrote to Tommy Steele a few years and he wrote back to me. What a wonderful person he is. You can get the feeling just by watching this wonderful movie of what kind of person he must be!
The movie needs to be converted to DVD, what's taking so long?

Sit back and enjoy this one with the kids. Sure, call me a sentimentalist, but after viewing this film, I went out with my best friend, found a foreign coin, and cut it in half. We each went our separate ways over the years, but my half of the coin still brings back a flood of warm memories.

In the footsteps of Dickens, HASP proves an entertaining musical with hidden moral tale as timely today as 25 years ago when it rose to popularity on Broadway. A treat and hidden message for today's kids!

Fun for the entire family capped by witty and catchy show tunes.