The Duke Wore Jeans ** (1958, Tommy Steele, June Laverick, Michael Medwin, Alan Wheatley, Eric Pohlmann, Noel Hood) – Classic Movie Review 11,220

Director Gerald Thomas’s 1958 black and white musical comedy The Duke Wore Jeans is produced by Peter Rogers, is written by Norman Hudis, and stars Tommy Steele and June Laverick.

The Carry On writer-producer-director team unexpectedly provides a vehicle for Fifties pop star Steele in two roles as a wimpish English milord Tony Whitecliffe and the cheeky Cockney lookalike Tommy Hudson he gets to impersonate him on his trip to Ritalla and romance a South American princess for him, the King of Ritalla’s only daughter, Princess Maria. June Laverick lands a good star role as the Princess Maria of Ritalla.

Steele’s youthful cheerfulness is still engaging in this middling comedy with songs, held back by a lack of amusing jokes in the script, but kept moving along at a brisk pace, with the help of good performances, particularly by Michael Medwin as Cooper, Alan Wheatley as the King of Ritallia and Eric Pohlmann as Bastini, the Prime Minister.

Also in the cast are Noel Hood, Mary Kerridge, Elwyn Brook-Jones, Clive Morton, Ambrosine Phillpotts, Cyril Chamberlain, Martin Boddey, Arnold Diamond, Philip Leaver, Susan Travers, Derek Waring and John Fabian.

The story is by Lionel Bart and Mike Pratt.

Tommy Steele and June Laverick in The Duke Wore Jeans (1958).

The songs in the film include “It’s All Happening”, “What do You Do”, “Family Tree”, “Happy Guitar”, “Hair-Down, Hoe-Down”, “Princess”, “Photograph” (duet with June Laverick), and “Thanks A Lot”. All of the songs were written by Lionel Bart, Mike Pratt and Tommy Steele (under a pseudonym of Jimmy Bennett).

Steele said “Family Tree” in particular ‘proved Lionel Bart’s talent as a wordsmith. It was a bastard to sing but I relished it.’

The songs were released in 1958 by Decca on a 10″ LP, a 7″ EP and two 7″ singles and later on compilation CDs.

Steele was paid £20,000 plus 10 per cent of the profits. It is his second cinema feature. He said he made the film because he was contracted to executive producers Nat Cohen and Stuart Levy for one more movie. The idea of the film was his, as he always liked The Prince and the Pauper. He recalled: ‘It wasn’t only a chance to act a bit. It was also an opportunity to kick around new musical ideas. I wanted to act a good part and sing show numbers.’

The Duke Wore Jeans is directed by Gerald Thomas, runs 90 minutes, is made by Insignia Films, is released by Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors (1958) (UK), is written by Norman Hudis, based on a story by Lionel Bart and Mike Pratt, is shot in black and white by Otto Heller, is produced by Peter Rogers and scored by Bruce Montgomery (incidental music composer and director), with Art Direction by Harry White.

It is shot in British National Studios, Elstree, Hertfordshire, England, and at Shardeloes, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England, for the mansion exteriors.

June Laverick (born 11 June 1931) is a retired English film, TV and stage actress. Her peak year in films was 1958 when she appeared in three prominent roles, notably in The Duke Wore Jeans, as well as The Gypsy and the Gentleman (1958) as Sarah Deverill and Son of Robin Hood (1958). She followed these with Follow a Star (1959).

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,220

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