Take Me High * (1973, Cliff Richard, Deborah Watling, George Cole, Hugh Griffith, Richard Wattis, Anthony Andrews, Madeline Smith, Moyra Fraser, Ronald Hines) – Classic Movie Review 10,430

Director David Askey’s 1973 British feature film Take Me High stars Cliff Richard, who takes us low in this rare item, a British musical about Birmingham, banks and beefburgers (the dreaded Brumburger!) – brought to us by producer Kenneth Harper, maestro of Cliff Richard’s earlier vehicles, whose original idea it was.

Take Me High is weary pop-music high jinks with an archetypal story, written by Christopher Penfold, in which merchant banker Tim Matthews (Richard) and a group of Birmingham youngsters must get a bank manager’s backing so that a flop restaurant can launch a new hamburger.

There are no musical set-pieces (the songs are only used as accompaniment), but Cliff’s charm is well showcased. Tony Cole’s songs aren’t quite top of the pops. Thank goodness for the verve and wit of old-time comedy actors George Cole, Hugh Griffith and Richard Wattis.

There are a dozen songs, all with music and lyrics by Tony Cole and sung by Cliff. One of the songs is the truly awful ‘Brumburger’. Cliff duets with Anthony Andrews on ‘Why?’ and with Debbie Watling on ‘Brumburger Duet’.

Take Me High is perhaps good for a sneer but it does have a little bit of entertainment value.

Also in the cast are Anthony Andrews, Madeline Smith, Moyra Fraser, Ronald Hines, Jimmy Gardner, Noel Trevarthen, Shane Rimmer, Graham Armitage, John Franklyn-Robbins, Peter Marshall and Elizabeth Scott.

It is set and mainly filmed in Birmingham, showing the city landmarks, including Gas Street Basin, Alpha Tower, the Council House (as a hotel), Spaghetti Junction, New Street, Corporation Street, Central Library and the Hall of Memory.

It is Cliff’s final film role, apart from his cameo as a busker in the 2012 Run for Your Wife.

It is the last of 13 films from Kenneth Harper, who also produced Cliff’s The Young Ones, Summer Holiday and Wonderful Life.

It is the first cinema feature of Anthony Andrews.

The soundtrack with music and lyrics by Tony Cole is: “It’s Only Money”, “Midnight Blue”, “Winning”, “The Anti-Brotherhood Of Man”, “Why?”, “Life”, “The Game”, “Brumburger Duet”, “Driving”, “Take Me High”, “Join the Band”, “The Word is Love”, “Brumburger (Finale)”) / (music: “It’s Only Money”, “Midnight Blue”, “Winning”, “The Anti-Brotherhood Of Man”, “Why?”, “Life”, “The Game”, “Brumburger Duet”, “Driving”, “Take Me High”, “Join the Band”, “The Word is Love”, “Brumburger (Finale)”.

The title track was a UK top 30 single (peaking at number 27), while the soundtrack album peaked at number 41.

The soundtrack album was released in December 1973, and later released on CD.

After years of oblivion, Warner Home Video released the film in 1988 on VHS. Further oblivion followed, until the DVD of the film was given away free with the Daily Mail on 25 September 2010 before it finally got a retail release on DVD in March 2019.

The cast are Cliff Richard as Tim Matthews, Deborah Watling as Sarah, Hugh Griffith as Sir Harry Cunningham, George Cole as Bert Jackson, Anthony Andrews as Hugo Flaxman, Richard Wattis as Sir Charles Furness. Madeline Smith as Vicki, Moyra Fraser as Molly, Ronald Hines as Sam, Jimmy Gardner as Hulbert, Noel Trevarthen as Paul, Graham Armitage as Boardman, John Franklyn-Robbins as Alderman, Peter Marshall as Grandson, Elizabeth Scott as Waitress, and Polly Williams as Receptionist.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,430

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