Sparrows Can't Sing

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Sparrow Can't Sing is a film made in 1963. It was directed by Joan Greenwood and was from a story by Stephen Lewis. The producer was Donald Taylor & the incidental music was composed by Stanley Black.

1 The Film
2 The Plot
3 Cast
4 Award
5 References

[edit] The Film

Sparrows Can't Sing is less than a drama, but instead gives a good representation of Cockney life in the East End of London in the early 1960s. A collection of typical characters like; people at the local pub, Local tarts, Jewish tradesmen, Spivs and others are portrayed, (possibly larger than life)

The speech is a mixture of Cockney rhyming slang, London yiddish, & thiefs' cant, making it difficult for even many Londoners to understand. The New York Times, in its review said ".. this isn't a picture for anyone with a logical mind or an ear for language. The gable of cockney spoken here is as incomprehenible as the reasoning of those who speak it."

[edit] The Plot

Charlie, a cockney sailor comes home from a long voyage to find his house replaced by a modern building. His wife, Maggie is missing. Actually, Maggie is now living with a bus driver, Bert, and has a new baby, the parentage of which is in doubt. Charlie's friends will not tell him where to find Maggie because Charlie is known to have a bad temper. Finally Charlie meets up with Maggie and after a fierce row with Bert, they are reconciled.