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Follow a Star

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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.[1]

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.

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

Production

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

Reception

Box office

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

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 .... 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]

References

  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.
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