The Duke Wore Jeans (1957) (UK)
Summary Married without his parents consent, the Hon.Tony Whitecliffe (Tommy Steele), whose main interest is cattle breeding, is horrified when his parents ask him to woo a European Princess (the reason being that they are after her wealth). By chance, a cockney double (also played by Tommy Steele) arrives at their stately home and the Hon. Tony plans to send Tommy to woo the Princess in his place. Tommy travels to the Principality with his manservant Michael Medwin in support (who has a nice 'tipsy' scene- incidentally this is not the only 'pop' film in which he provided valuable support - he was also in the Billy Fury vehicle 'I've Gotta Horse'). The Princess initially takes a dim view of Tommy, but soon falls for his informal, unstuffy style . By the end, Tommy wins over the court by proving that he is an aristocrat after all- his parents being a 'Pearly King and Queen', and leads them all in a 'knees up'. This is a real old fashioned musical comedy plot, with doubles (cockney pretending to be aristocrat, in order to woo a Pricess), which borrows freely from vintage 1930s and 1940s shows such as 'Mr Cinders', Ivor Novello (pretty foreign Princess, 'Ruritanian' atmosphere), Me and My Girl (The Lambeth Walk /Cockney Pearly Kings and Queens), and the films of George Formby (with Steele's, at times, outrageous mugging to camera) This rather silly story is rescued by the vitality of Tommy Steele, (fondly remembered for the leading role in David Heneker's musical 'Half a Sixpence' in the West End, on Broadway and on film) who proves here that he always was a 'family entertainer' even in the early rock n' roll' years. He is a natural performer, and a much better actor than most other pop performers of the era (compared with say, Billy Fury for example). The film also stars (as the romantic lead) the deliciously pretty, beautiful and graceful June Laverick (note the scene where she appears in the top half of a bathrobe displaying her beautiful legs, 1950s cheesecake style!). June made a couple of films under a Rank Contract (1958-1959), and is perhaps best remembered for her weekly leading role opposite Dickie Henderson in the 'Dickie Henderson Show' (Associated Redifussion Television), a popular sitcom of the late 1950s/early 1960s. June also appeard on stage with Dickie Henderson in 'When in Rome' (Kramer(m)/Shaw and Miller(l)) at London's Adelphi Theatre from late 1959. In this musical she sang 'Sympatica', 'It's So Nice to Sleep with No One' and 'Stop' (all recorded on Oriole (45) CB1535/6/7) The songs featured in 'The Duke Wore Jeans' are: It's All Happening :What Do You Do? (Tommy Steele duets with himself) :Our Family Tree (Tommy introduces himself to the court) :Happy Guitar (the 'Top Ten' hit from the film, a skiffle type number performed with 'The Steelemen') :Gotta Let Your Hair Down (a 1957 Rock n' Roll number) : It's All Happening (Reprise) (Ballad Version); May I Call You Princess? (an attractive romantic ballad, with a lovely atmosphere, performed on nice studio set, with Tommy and June on a tree swing); Photograph My Baby (a duet, perfomed by Tommy and June) (June Laverick sang on the West End stage in 1959 (see note below), so presumably this is her own voice): 'Thanks a Lot, I've Had a Ball' (in which Tommy leads the court, and the Pearly King and Queens in a 'good old knees up') Songs in 'The Duke Wore Jeans' are all good, especially for such a modestly budgeted movie (black and white, and no foreign locations beyond what seems to be Elstree aerodrome!). All are attractive, in varying styles: from early rock n' roll, to skiffle, to lush romantic ballads, with some fine musical scoring by Bruce Montgomery. It is interesting to note that, in 1957, the producers did not go for an out and out 'rock n roll' musical - they still wanted to retain the older, family audience, so the film includes something for everybody. In summary, a pleasant, watchable but totally undemanding musical/comedy in the George Formby tradition!
By Roger Mellor If you have any comments on this review, or the movie, you can e mail me at: roger@mellor48.freeserve.co.uk Check out the British Musical Movies site at: http://britmusicalfilm.webjump.com
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