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{{Short description|1959 British film by Robert Asher}}
⚫
{{Infobox Film
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2016}}
⚫
{{Infobox film
| name = Follow a Star
| name = Follow a Star
| image =
| image = Follow a Star FilmPoster.jpeg
| image_size =
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Robert Asher (director)|Robert Asher]]
| caption =
| director = [[Robert Asher (Director)]]
| producer = [[Hugh Stewart (film editor)|Hugh Stewart]]
⚫
| writer = {{ubl|Henry Blyth|[[Jack Davies (screenwriter)|Jack Davies]]|[[Norman Wisdom]]}}
| producer = [[Hugh Stewart]]
⚫
| writer = [[Henry Blyth]]<br>[[Jack Davies]]<br>[[Norman Wisdom]]
| narrator =
| narrator =
| starring = Norman Wisdom<br>[[June Laverick]]<br>[[Jerry Desmonde]]
| starring = {{ubl|[[Norman Wisdom]]|[[June Laverick]]|[[Jerry Desmonde]]}}
| music =
| music = [[Philip Green (composer)|Philip Green]]
| cinematography =
| cinematography = [[Jack Asher]]
| editing =
| editing = Roger Cherrill
| studio = [[Rank Organisation]]
| distributor =
| distributor = J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors
| released = [[April 25]] [[1961]] (US)
| released = {{film date|df=y|1959|12|15|UK}}{{film date|df=y|1961|4|25|US}}
| runtime = 102 minutes
| runtime = 102 minutes
| country = {{UK}}
| country = United Kingdom
| language = [[English language|English]]
| language = English
| budget =
| budget =
| gross =
| gross =
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
| website =
| amg_id =
| imdb_id = 0052815
}}
}}
'''''Follow a Star''''' is a 1959 British black and white [[comedy]] [[musical film]] directed by [[Robert Asher (director)|Robert Asher]] and starring [[Norman Wisdom]], [[June Laverick]] and [[Jerry Desmonde]].<ref name="BFIsearch">{{Cite web |title=Follow a Star |url=https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/Details/ChoiceFilmWorks/150040486 |access-date=7 January 2024 |website=British Film Institute Collections Search}}</ref> It was written by Henry Blyth, [[Jack Davies (screenwriter)|Jack Davies]] and Wisdom.

'''''Follow A Star''''' is a [[1959 in film|1959]] [[comedy film]] starring [[Norman Wisdom]].


==Plot==
==Plot==
Norman Truscott works as a dry cleaner, but dreams of being a stage performer. To this end, he takes elocution and singing lessons with Miss Dobson, so far with little success. He is also in love with Judy, Miss Dobson's colleague, who teaches piano.
The plot is a bit like the ending of ''[[Singin' in the Rain]]'', where a singer fraudulently "borrows" the voice of Norman Wisdom's character.


Norman goes to the theatre to see singing star Vernon Carew and causes chaos when he tries to join in the performance. But Carew realises that Norman's untrained voice is better that his own voice, which is fading rapidly, as is his popularity. On the pretext of offering Norman singing lessons, he secretly records Norman singing in the bath, and passes the recordings off as his own - miming to the recording on television. They are a success and Carew is a star again.
⚫
== Cast ==

⚫
*[[Norman Wisdom]]
Miss Dobson realises what's happened and smuggles herself and Norman backstage during Carew's performance. She sees the record being played with Carew miming to it. She exposes him as a fake, again causing chaos onstage and backstage. Norman is persuaded to sing on stage and is acclaimed by the audience. But whilst they applaud him, he slips quietly away with Judy.
⚫
*[[June Laverick]]

⚫
*[[Jerry Desmonde]]
⚫
==Cast==
⚫
*[[Hattie Jacques]]
⚫
* [[Norman Wisdom]] as Norman Truscott
⚫
*[[Richard Wattis]]
⚫
* [[June Laverick]] as Judy
⚫
* [[Jerry Desmonde]] as Vernon Carew
⚫
* [[Hattie Jacques]] as Dymphna Dobson
⚫
* [[Richard Wattis]] as Dr. Chatterway
* [[Eddie Leslie]] as Harold Franklin
* [[John Le Mesurier]] as Birkett
* [[Sydney Tafler]] as Pendlebury
* [[Fenella Fielding]] as Lady Finchington
* [[Charles Heslop]] as The General
* [[Joe Melia]] as stage manager
* [[Ron Moody]] as violinist
* [[Dick Emery]] as party drunk
* [[Charles Gray (actor)|Charles Gray]] as party guest
* [[Dilys Laye]] as girl in park
* [[Peggy Anne Clifford]] as offended lady at party (uncredited)

==Production==
Norman Wisdom had a falling out with his regular director John Paddy Carstairs so was replaced on this by Bob Asher.<ref name="hugh">{{cite web|url=https://historyproject.org.uk/interview/hugh-stewart|website=British Entertainment History Project|title=Hugh Stewart|date=22 Nov 1989}}</ref>

==Reception==

=== Box office ===
The film was popular at the British box office.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_kine-weekly_1960-12-15_523_2776/page/n7/mode/1up|last=Billings|first=Josh|magazine=Kine Weekly|date=15 December 1960|pages=8–9|title=It's Britain 1, 2, 3 again in the 1960 box office stakes}}</ref>

=== Critical ===
''[[The Monthly Film Bulletin]]'' wrote: "The potential that Norman Wisdom once undoubtedly possessed is quite obscured by this film – with its silly, tawdry script and the inept direction of Robert Asher&nbsp;.... The comedian is permitted to indulge his taste for mawkish sentimentality and for 'shame-dream' situations which involve him in unfunny humiliations. Such comedy as there is is mostly muffed by the lack of any sense of comic timing in the direction and editing. The reassuring professionalism of Jerry Desmonde, Hattie Jacques and Richard Wattis, and beguiling glimpses of Ron Moody and Fenella Fielding, are not compensation enough for the rest."<ref>{{Cite journal |date=1 January 1960 |title=Follow a Star |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1305826283/3285DD55FB824C7DPQ/1 |journal=[[The Monthly Film Bulletin]] |volume=27 |issue=312 |pages=7 |via=ProQuest}}</ref>

''The [[Radio Times]] Guide to Films'' gave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "If you can follow the plot of this Norman Wisdom comedy, you'll find faint echoes of ''[[Singin' in the Rain]]''.&nbsp;...Norman's humour knows no restraint or timing, which makes him schmaltzily tedious, especially as he can only sing in the presence of his wheelchair-bound girlfriend June Laverick."<ref>{{Cite book |title=Radio Times Guide to Films |publisher=[[Immediate Media Company]] |year=2017 |isbn=9780992936440 |edition=18th |location=London |pages=331}}</ref>

[[Leslie Halliwell]] said: "Star comedy with an antique plot and a superfluity of pathos."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Halliwell |first=Leslie |title=Halliwell's Film Guide |publisher=Paladin |year=1989 |isbn=0586088946 |edition=7th |location=London |pages=361}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0052815}}
* {{tcmdb title|id=557373}}
* [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/1017897/index.html ''Follow a Star'' at BFI Screenonline]
* {{cite web | url= https://www.comedy.co.uk/film/follow_a_star/ | title= Follow a Star. 1959 British comedy film | work = British Comedy Guide (comedy.co.uk) | language= en |accessdate= 2021-02-20}}


[[Category:1959 films]]
[[Category:1959 films]]
[[Category:Comedy films]]
[[Category:1959 comedy films]]
[[Category:British films]]
[[Category:British black-and-white films]]
[[Category:Black and white films]]
[[Category:British comedy films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Robert Asher]]
[[Category:Films shot at Pinewood Studios]]
[[Category:1959 directorial debut films]]
[[Category:1960s English-language films]]
[[Category:1950s English-language films]]
[[Category:1950s British films]]
[[Category:1960s British films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Philip Green]]


{{1950s-UK-comedy-film-stub}}

Latest revision as of 21:41, 21 December 2024

Follow a Star
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRobert Asher
Written by
Produced byHugh Stewart
Starring
CinematographyJack Asher
Edited byRoger Cherrill
Music byPhilip Green
Production
company
Distributed byJ. Arthur Rank Film Distributors
Release dates
  • 15 December 1959 (1959-12-15) (UK)
  • 25 April 1961 (1961-04-25) (US)
Running time
102 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Follow a Star is a 1959 British black and white comedy musical film directed by Robert Asher and starring Norman Wisdom, June Laverick and Jerry Desmonde.[1] It was written by Henry Blyth, Jack Davies and Wisdom.

Plot

[edit]

Norman Truscott works as a dry cleaner, but dreams of being a stage performer. To this end, he takes elocution and singing lessons with Miss Dobson, so far with little success. He is also in love with Judy, Miss Dobson's colleague, who teaches piano.

Norman goes to the theatre to see singing star Vernon Carew and causes chaos when he tries to join in the performance. But Carew realises that Norman's untrained voice is better that his own voice, which is fading rapidly, as is his popularity. On the pretext of offering Norman singing lessons, he secretly records Norman singing in the bath, and passes the recordings off as his own - miming to the recording on television. They are a success and Carew is a star again.

Miss Dobson realises what's happened and smuggles herself and Norman backstage during Carew's performance. She sees the record being played with Carew miming to it. She exposes him as a fake, again causing chaos onstage and backstage. Norman is persuaded to sing on stage and is acclaimed by the audience. But whilst they applaud him, he slips quietly away with Judy.

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

Norman Wisdom had a falling out with his regular director John Paddy Carstairs so was replaced on this by Bob Asher.[2]

Reception

[edit]

Box office

[edit]

The film was popular at the British box office.[3]

Critical

[edit]

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "The potential that Norman Wisdom once undoubtedly possessed is quite obscured by this film – with its silly, tawdry script and the inept direction of Robert Asher .... The comedian is permitted to indulge his taste for mawkish sentimentality and for 'shame-dream' situations which involve him in unfunny humiliations. Such comedy as there is is mostly muffed by the lack of any sense of comic timing in the direction and editing. The reassuring professionalism of Jerry Desmonde, Hattie Jacques and Richard Wattis, and beguiling glimpses of Ron Moody and Fenella Fielding, are not compensation enough for the rest."[4]

The Radio Times Guide to Films gave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "If you can follow the plot of this Norman Wisdom comedy, you'll find faint echoes of Singin' in the Rain. ...Norman's humour knows no restraint or timing, which makes him schmaltzily tedious, especially as he can only sing in the presence of his wheelchair-bound girlfriend June Laverick."[5]

Leslie Halliwell said: "Star comedy with an antique plot and a superfluity of pathos."[6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Follow a Star". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Hugh Stewart". British Entertainment History Project. 22 November 1989.
  3. ^ Billings, Josh (15 December 1960). "It's Britain 1, 2, 3 again in the 1960 box office stakes". Kine Weekly. pp. 8–9.
  4. ^ "Follow a Star". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 27 (312): 7. 1 January 1960 – via ProQuest.
  5. ^ Radio Times Guide to Films (18th ed.). London: Immediate Media Company. 2017. p. 331. ISBN 9780992936440.
  6. ^ Halliwell, Leslie (1989). Halliwell's Film Guide (7th ed.). London: Paladin. p. 361. ISBN 0586088946.
[edit]


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