It's All Over Town

It's All Over Town is a 1964 British musical film directed by Douglas Hickox and starring Frankie Vaughan.^[1][2] The film features Lance Percival as a daydreaming stage technician and Willie Rushton as his friend, and includes songs performed by the Springfields, Clodagh Rodgers, the Bachelors, Acker Bilk and the Hollies, as well as Vaughan.^[3]

It's All Over Town
Theatrical poster
Directed by	Douglas Hickox
Written by	Stewart Farrar
Produced by	Jacques de Lane Lea
Starring	Frankie Vaughan Lance Percival Willie Rushton
Cinematography	Martin Curtis
Edited by	Maria Moruzzi
Music by	Ivor Raymonde
Release date	1964 (1964)
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Cast

• Frankie Vaughan as himself
• Lance Percival as Richard Abel
• Willie Rushton as fat friend
• Acker Bilk as himself
• The Springfields as themselves
• The Hollies as themselves
• The Bachelors as themselves
• Clodagh Rogers as herself (billed as Cloda Rogers)
• Wayne Gibson as himself
• Jan and Kelly as themselves
• Ivor Cutler as salvationist
• Ingrid Anthofer as herself
• April Olrich as Russian dancer
• Stephen Jack as narrator

Production

Hickox said they shot it in 15 days without sound and the "script consisted of two tiny typewritten pages, badly typewritten at that."^[4]

Reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Variety is aimed at – and achieved – by the various singers and vocal groups, taking in straight ballads, comedy numbers, guitar-twanging rhythmic numbers with close-harmony singing and an almost falsetto delivery ... and the quasi-jazz contributions of Mr. Acker Bilk, including an arrangement of "The Volga Boatmen" complete with Russian dancer (April Olrich) and tame bear. Old-style chorus girl routines are Out, replaced by "The Bunnies" – twisting hostesses from the Raymond Revuebar Club, which also supplies the naughty-but-nice striptease act of Ingrid Anthofer. .... The naughty note is echoed elsewhere, notably in Mr. Acker Bilk's rendition of the lyrics of "Sippin' cider beside 'er" – most enjoyable, this – and in the swift education of squares, prophets of doom and eccentric Salvation Army-ists, who are quickly and easily introduced to the joys of imbibing and ogling. All good fun. Or is it? Perhaps the psychologist might read a wealth of meaning in the extrovert antics of this superficial musical charade. Certainly it has an "A" certificate, extraordinary for a pop film."^[5]