Sparrers Can't Sing
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| Sparrers Can't Sing | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Joan Littlewood |
| Produced by | Donald Taylor |
| Written by | Stephen Lewis |
| Starring | James Booth Barbara Windsor Roy Kinnear Avis Bunnage Brian Murphy |
| Music by | Stanley Black |
| Cinematography | Desmond Dickinson Mutz Greenbaum |
| Editing by | Oswald Hafenrichter |
| Distributed by | Elstree Distributors |
| Release date(s) |  26 March 1963 6 May 1963 |
| Running time | 94 mins |
| Country | British |
| Language | Cockney English |
| IMDb profile | |
Sparrers Can't Sing (Sparrows Can't Sing in the United States) is a 1962 British film.[1] Based on a 1960 play, it was directed by Joan Littlewood and was from a story by Stephen Lewis. The producer was Don Taylor and the incidental music was composed by Stanley Black. The play, also by Stephen Lewis, was first performed at Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop in the Theatre Royal Stratford East.
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[edit] Play
The play was first performed at Theatre Royal Stratford East in 1960, using cast from the Theatre Workshop, who later appeared in the film. While the script is by Stephen Lewis, the play was developed using improvisational theatre techniques during performance. In common with much of Joan Littlewood's direction, it was an ensemble piece.
The production made a successful transfer to the West End at Wyndham's Theatre in 1961.
[edit] Film
The film was made on location, in Limehouse, Stepney and around the theatre in Stratford. Sets were occasionally visited by nearby Vallance Road residents The Krays, who also made a cameo appearance towards the end of the film[2].
Sparrers Can't Sing is a comedy attempting to provide a 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 dialogue is a mixture of Cockney rhyming slang, London yiddish, and thieves' cant. The deliberate use of local dialect, 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 gabble of cockney spoken here is as incomprehensible as the reasoning of those who speak it[3]."
[edit] Plot
Charlie, a cockney sailor comes home from a long voyage to find his house razed to the ground. 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.
[edit] Cast
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[edit] Award
Barbara Windsor was nominated for the award for Best Actress in a Leading Role by the British Academy Film Awards in 1963, for her performance as Maggie.
[edit] References
- ^ BFI film database
- ^ Sparrer's review accessed 5 May 2007
- ^ New York Times of 7 May 1963, at IMBD database
- "Film Review" by Maurice Speed - Publisher: MacDonald, 1964
[edit] External links
James Booth tribute website: http://jamesboo.ipower.com/reviews/sparrows_cant_sing.htm
