Coca Cola - It's the real thing (1971)

1971 Coca Cola original vintage advertisement. Sponsoring a rare television special featuring Paul Newman in "Once Upon a Wheel". The top names in racing, television and motion pictures in thrilling competition.

Fabulous 208 (October 7th 1967)

This classic edition of the sixties fanzine Fabulous 208 was released on 7th October 1967 and features as its front cover John Lennon. Pin-ups inside the mag - The Monkees, Tom Jones, Sandie Shaw, The Tremeloes, Engelbert Humperdinck, Scott McKenzie (double page)

The Angry Silence (1961)

Richard Attenborough had been a memorably noxious capitalist in I'm All Right, Jack (1959), the Boulting Brothers' plague-on-both-your-houses satire of labour relations; a year later, he found himself on the other side of the management/worker divide in this engrossing, if somewhat hysterical, account of workplace conflict.

Written and co-produced (with Attenborough) by Bryan Forbes as the first release of his production venture, Beaver Films, the film has more than a touch of On the Waterfront (US, 1954) about it, notably in the factory gates denouement. But the milieu is distinctly British, with the flavour of the emerging British New Wave, sharing its Northern industrial landscape with the likes of Karel Reisz's Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, released later the same year.

The film's evocation of turn-of-the-1960s working-class life remains its strongest suit, particularly in the scenes on the factory floor (which, asSight and Sound's Penelope Houston commented, "looks like a place where something might really get made") and in the claustrophobic top-floor flat shared by Tom (Attenborough), his Italian wife Anna (Pier Angeli), their two kids and the lodger, the perpetually fence-sitting Joe (Michael Craig - also co-credited for the original story). Both Attenborough and Angeli bring real dignity to their roles, and their bewilderment in the face of Tom's unfair treatment at the hands of his colleagues is affecting.

The film's politics, however, are less convincing. The script tries hard to inject some balance, making clear that the industrial action lacks official union support, and demonstrating that the attitude of the factory manager Martindale (Laurence Naismith) is every bit as callous and unprincipled as that of shop steward Connolly (Bernard Lee). But Forbes chooses not to make the workers' concerns clear - the only demand we hear is for more toilet roll - with the effect that we are unable to determine the justice of their grievances. Similarly, we are left entirely in the dark about the deeper motivations of either Alfred Burke's shady agent provocateur, Travers, or his unseen London cohorts. Most troubling is the film's representation of Curtis's fellow workers, who appear as little more than sheep, readily manipulated by the none-too-bright Connolly, who is in turn the puppet of the altogether shrewder Travers. The result is an unbalanced and ultimately unsatisfying film, though one which remains fascinating for the way it signals the growing anti-union paranoia of the following two decades.

THE

MONTHLY FILM BULLETIN

Published by

THE BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE

Volume 27, No.315, April 1960, page 49

ANGRY SILENCE, THE (1960)

Travers, a political agitator, comes to Martindale's, a factory in Melsham, and forms a works committee with Connolly, a hitherto unobtrusive employee, as mouthpiece. Connolly and Davis, the works' manager, are soon at loggerheads and an unofficial strike is called. Tom Curtis, a young family man, and a dozen others refuse to stop work, but calculated acts of violence quickly bring the others out. When the strike ends, Tom is sent to Coventry and even his lodger and best friend, Joe, ignores him. Travers suggests that Tom should be taught a stiffer lesson. Shortly afterwards, Tom's small son, failing to return home from school, is found by his mother shut in a lavatory, tarred and feathered. Travers now instigates another strike, and again Tom stands firm. This time he is worked over himself and ends up in hospital. On learning that Tom has lost an eye, Joe tracks down the culprit, a Teddy boy, beats him up and drags him back to a works meeting to confront the men with their own shame. Travers quietly leaves town.

The first film of a new production company, The Angry Silence bears striking witness to the effect Room at the Top has had on British cinema. One notes its forthright dialogue, contemporary awareness and air of controversy, its energy and its ambition. Too much ambition, perhaps: the film has several themes - mob law, TUC weakness, bad industrial relations, the right to dissent - whose admixture and thorough working out, possible in a novel, are less ideally suited to the cinema. To cover them all successfully would demand a grasp that is as yet beyond Bryan Forbes', the scriptwriter's, capacities.

To their credit, the producers, Forbes and Richard Attenborough, have taken evident pains to achieve a surface authenticity. The relationship between Tom and his wife well played by Pier Angeli) is convincing, and some of the incidental detail shows observation - Joe's failed seduction of a factory girl; the bored and utterly fatuous board-room director (Norman Shelley). But as the film proceeds, the hollow schematism of the script grows more apparent. With Tom's battle out in the open, the necessity to give his opponents equal dramatic weight becomes paramount. Yet they remain virtually unidentifiable: shadowy Communist agitator, managing director with an arbitrary mistrust of lone wolves, spineless works committee at the beck and call of a spokesman (Bernard Lee) about whom we, and apparently his fellows, know nothing other than that he is vaguely embittered.

What in fact seems to be emerging is a sort of Fritz Lang study in mob mentality (hero versus fate and a faceless society). It is the last section of the film, however, which most betrays a fundamental weakness in Guy Green's direction. Having already discouraged any attempt to reflect along the way, Green switches from brusque linking shots and shock effects (for instance, Joe is generally identified by a boot on a kick-starter) to the immediacy of arrant emotionalism. From the finding of Tom's son to the pursuit by motor-cycle, the battering of the Teddy boy and the final public expiation at the factory gates, the film's On the Waterfront reminiscences are unmistakable. But a last minute act of double violence cannot compensate for a tangible build-up of cumulative strain, just as the sudden dramatic emergence of four conveniently placed Teddy boys can be no substitute for an investigation into mob psychology - at this stage the film's most highlighted item of unfinished business. One suspects, in fact, that mob rule is the essential subject of the film. But there is really no knowing; neither cogent grasp nor, in the Lang manner, abstract orchestration. Evasiveness wins the day; belief is lost. A matter for genuine regret, because the eye for realism is there.

---

The Monthly Film Bulletin was published by the British Film Institute between 1934 and 1991. Initially aimed at distributors and exhibitors as well as filmgoers, it carried reviews and details of all UK film releases. In 1991, the Bulletin was absorbed by Sight and Sound magazine.

TV Forecast (1951)

TV Forecast was a magazine produced back in the United States which featured TV listings, not too dissimilar to Radio Times. This particular edition was for Christmas 1951.

The Frank Sinatra Timex Show (1959)

When Frank Sinatra's 1957-58 series was cancelled, he still had two years to go on his exclusive contract with ABC. He sat out the next season but came back the following year with a more leisurely series of four almost bi-monthly specials, this time sponsored by Timex. Many of the guests - Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop, Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Sinatra - had appeared on his previous show.

The ever-present Nelson Riddle was back again as musical director. There were a few new and notable guests - Lena Horne, Mitzi Gaynor, Peter Lawford, Hermione Gingold, and Frank's then-girlfriend Juliet Prowse (in two separate appearances). Even Eleanor Roosevelt showed up. But The Frank Sinatra Timex Show will always be remembered as the vehicle for the triumphant return of one of show business's brightest stars - Mr. Elvis Presley himself.

The King of Rock 'n' Roll had just returned from a stint in the Army and Sinatra agreed to host a televised homecoming party for him. Of course, Frank was no fan of Elvis's brand of music and had had a few choice words to say about it in the past. But whatever the reason - ratings ploy or simply to placate his teenage daughter - Sinatra was feeling gracious enough to invite Presley to join him on his show.

It's too bad the result wasn't more satisfying. Frank and Elvis both shine when performing individually. But when they team up for a duet at show's end, it's a bit of a dud. Someone had come up with the bright idea that they should sing each other's hits, but neither is comfortable in the other's genre.

According to Nancy Sinatra, who appeared on the same bill, both show biz legends were nervous. It's obvious from the very beginning, when Elvis comes out, still dressed in his Army uniform, snapping his fingers on the first and third beat of each bar - a remarkably unhip mannerism, even for a rock 'n' roller unfamiliar with Sinatra's music. (He corrects himself when he returns at the end of the show.)

But whatever the program's musical merits, it was an important event in pop music history, the only public pairing of two different generations' biggest teen idols. The other specials have their highlights - duets with Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne, Bing Crosby, and Dean Martin, and Frank soloing on some of his greatest 1950s hits, to name only a few. The Timex shows still hold up today as solid entertainment.

The Carpenters Horizon: 1975

Horizon was the sixth consecutive platinum-certified album by American musical duo The Carpenters. It was recorded at A&M Records (mainly in Studio "D" using then-state-of-the-art 24-track recording technology, 30 Dolby) and recorded at 30 inches per second). The Carpenters spent many hours experimenting with different sounds, techniques and effects.

After five consecutive albums peaking inside the U.S. top five, Horizon broke this run by reaching No13. The album has been certified Platinum by the RIAA for selling over a million copies. Horizon became one of The Carpenters' biggest universal sellers reaching No1 in both Japan and the UK and charting high in many countries around the world.

Aurora
Only Yesterday
Desperado
Please Mr Postman
I Can Dream Can't I
Solitaire
Happy
(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye And I Love You
Love Me For What I Am
Eventide

Please Sir!

Please Sir! was a situation comedy from London Weekend Television created by writers John Esmonde and Bob Larbey and featured the actors, John Alderton, Derek Guyler, Joan Sanderson, Noel Howlett, Erik Chitty, Richard Davies, David Barry, Peter Cleall and Malcolm McFee. Please Sir ran for 55 episodes between 1968 and 1972.

The programme was set in the fictional Fenn Street school, and starred John Alderton as Bernard Hedges, a young teacher fresh out of training college. The supporting cast included Deryck Guyler, Joan Sanderson and Richard Davies. The students of class 5C were played by Malcolm McFee (as Peter Craven; played by Leon Vitali in fourth series episode "Old Fennians Day"), Peter Cleall (as Eric Duffy), Peter Denyer (as Dennis Dunstable), David Barry (as Frankie Abbott), Penny Spencer (as Sharon Eversleigh; played by Carol Hawkins in fourth series episode "Old Fennians Day" and in the movie), and Liz Gebhardt (as Maureen Bullock), Bernard Hedges and the 5C pupils were replaced by a new teacher and pupils for the final series in 1971–72. Several well-known character actors and actresses formed the supporting cast, including Barbara Mitchell as Frankie Abbott's mother and Ann Lancaster as Mrs. Rhubarb in a 1968 episode.

A spin-off series, The Fenn Street Gang, followed the adventures of the former 5C members (see above) in the adult world after leaving their schooldays behind them; for this series Carol Hawkins took the Sharon Eversleigh role and Leon Vitali took the role of Peter Craven, replacing Malcolm McFee for half of the first series episodes with McFee returning for the remaining series. It ran for 47 episodes between 1971 and 1973. Bowler (1973) was a spin-off from the spin-off – following The Fenn Street Gang crime boss Stanley Bowler, played by George Baker; there were 13 episodes.

Like many situation comedies of this era, a film version was released in 1971. This was set in an outdoor pursuit centre and starred most of the TV cast and was crap!.

1960 Lucky Strike

This classic ad dates back to 1960 when the advertisement of tobacco was still legal. This particular ad featured the slogan, "Remember how great cigarettes used to taste? Luckies still do. Change to Luckies and get some taste for a change!"