Sinful Davey *** (1969, John Hurt, Pamela Franklin, Nigel Davenport) – Classic Movie Review 8462

Director John Huston’s light-hearted, sexy, humorous 1969 comedy period adventure romp Sinful Davey finds the great director on one of his more careless days, or at least carefree days, and it is the actors and acting that help him out.

Young, sweet-looking John Hurt (aged 28 but playing a convincing teen) gives a dashing and entertaining performance in first leading role as sinful Scotsman David ‘Davey’ Haggart in this tale based on his early 19th-century memoirs The Life of David Haggart.

Highwayman Hurt joins pickpocket MacNab (Ronald Fraser), robs aristocrat the Duke of Argyll (Robert Morley) and is rescued from peril by his love Annie (Pamela Franklin).

Sinful Davey provides an opportunity for Huston to film in his beloved Ireland (standing in for Scotland) and with Irish actors, also at the Ardmore Studios, Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland. Huston loved Ireland so much that he was an Irish resident at the time.

Alas, it hit the lower half of double bills and, never very memorable, is destined to be forgotten. Period romps were popular, notably Tom Jones for example, but then this is no Tom Jones.

Huston’s daughter Anjelica Huston appears in her film début aged 17.

Also in the cast are Nigel Davenport, Maxine Audley, Brenda Fricker, Fidelma Murphy, Fionnula Flanagan, Donal McCann, Allan Cuthbertson, Eddie Byrne, Niall MacGinniss, Noel Purcell, Judith Furse and Francis de Wolff.

It is written by James R Webb.

Sinful Davey is directed by John Huston, runs 95 minutes, is made by Mirisch-Webb and The Mirisch Corporation, is released by United Artists, is written by James R Webb, based on David Haggart’s memoirs The Life of David Haggart. is shot in DeLuxe Color by Ted Scaife and Freddie Young, is produced by William N Graf, is scored by Ken Thorne and is designed by Stephen Grimes.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8462

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