Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Melody



From 1971. According to Wikipedia:
Melody (aka S.W.A.L.K. or Sealed With A Loving Kiss) is a British film released in 1971. It's about "puppy love." The film turned out to be an enormous hit in Japan, and in some Latin American countries like Argentina.

Two first year secondary school youngsters, Daniel and Melody, announce to her parents that they want to get married. Not sometime in the future, but now. However, the adults try to dissuade them. Told from the children's point of view, they are determined to go ahead with their plans.

Mark Lester (Daniel Latimer) and Jack Wild (Ornshaw) had previously appeared together in the musical version of Oliver!. They were joined by the child model, Tracy Hyde in the title role. Other cast members included Kate Williams (Love thy Neighbour) as Melody's Mother, Roy Kinnear as her father, Sheila Steafel as Daniel's mother, with Ken Jones (Cuckoo Waltz and Porridge), and James Cossins.

This comedy featured music by the Bee Gees (In The Morning, Melody Fair, Give Your Best, To Love Somebody, First Of May) and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (Teach Your Children).

Interestingly, this was the first screenplay by now-famous film director, Alan Parker. Because of its enormous success in Japan, the movie has been mastered in Region 2 format on DVD by Kadokawa Herald Pictures in Japan. The DVD of the movie is not available in the USA.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I just love this movie! I was 11 in 1971, and since I was a Jack Wild girl, my mom took me to see it. I watched it for the second time at age 48! It brought back so many memories. Something I had forgotten, my mother kept commenting throughout the movie, "Melody looks just like your cousin, Mary." It drove me crazy since she distracted me with that throughout the movie! Still, such a great treat to watch it.

I just received the soundtrack on a cd through Amazon.com. I'm playing it right now as I'm reading your blog!

Jeanne