Melody [S.W.A.L.K.] ** (1971, Jack Wild, Mark Lester, Tracy Hyde, Roy Kinnear, Sheila Steafel, Hilda Barry, Kate Williams) – Classic Movie Review 5038

Jack Wild and Mark Lester, the two young stars of Oliver!, reunite to much less effect for director Waris Hussein’s now very dated 1971 anti-establishment comedy romantic drama, with an original story and screenplay written by Alan Parker and set to tunes by The Bee Gees.

In the story, Daniel (Lester) wants to marry his girlfriend Melody (Tracy Hyde), much to the dismay of his parents and his best buddy Ornshaw (Wild).

The tone of this good-natured but hesitant film wobbles uneasily between comedy and sentimentality, and it is hard to see who the film is actually going to appeal to, though youngsters the age of Daniel and Melody must be the intended audience.

However, it is interesting as an early example of writer Parker’s interest in young people breaking free from their environment, a theme he later developed as a director in Fame and The Commitments.

It is also interesting for its hard-working cast of the era, including Roy Kinnear, Sheila Steafel, Hilda Barry, Kate Williams, Ashley Knight, Peter Walton, James Cossins, John Gorman, Robin Hunter, Neil Hallett and Tracy Reed.

Andrew Birkin had a hand in the direction.

The alternative title S.W.A.L.K. stands for Sealed with a Loving Kiss.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5038

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