What a Crazy World

What a Crazy World is a 1963 film directed by Michael Carreras, co-written by Carreras and Alan Klein and based on the latter's stage play.^[3] The pop musical features various late 1950s and early 1960s musical performers such as Joe Brown, Marty Wilde, and Susan Maughan,^[4] and also includes an appearance by Freddie and the Dreamers, with Klein playing a minor role as a comrade of Brown's and Wilde's characters.

What a Crazy World
Theatrical release quad poster
Directed by	Michael Carreras
Written by	Alan Klein
Edited by	Max Benedict
Production company	Capricorn [Michael Carreras Productions]
Distributed by	Warner-Pathé Distributors
Release date	December 5, 1963 (1963-12-05)
Running time	88 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	£9,000[1] or £121,191[2]

Plot

Unemployed working class lad Alf Hitchens has an on-off relationship with his girlfriend Marilyn Bishop whilst attempting to break into the music business by selling a self-penned song that describes heavy issues in his personal life. Michael Ripper appears in several cameo roles bemoaning the "bleeding kids" he encounters.

Cast

• Joe Brown as Alf Hitchens
• Susan Maughan as Marilyn Bishop
• Marty Wilde as Herbie Shadbolt
• Harry H. Corbett as Sam Hitchens, Alf's father
• Avis Bunnage as Mary Hitchens, Alf's mother
• Michael Ripper as Common Man
• Grazina Frame as Doris Hitchens, Alf's sister
• Monte Landis as Solly Gold, Doris' boyfriend
• Michael Goodman as Joey Hitchens, Alf's brother
• Jessie Robins as fat woman
• Freddie and the Dreamers as Frantic Freddie and The Dreamers
• Fanny Carby as Dolly
• Larry Dann as Chas
• Brian Cronin as Harry
• Barry Bethel as Dave
• David Nott as Lenny
• Alan Klein as Jervis

Reception

Box Office

Kinematograph Weekly called the film a "money maker" at the British box office for 1964.^[5]

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "The British 'New Wave' rides again, with Michael Carreras clambering incongruously on to the Joan Littlewood band-wagon in this would-be "musical with a difference", which turns out to be merely an amalgam of pop music, "Cockney sparrer" and teenage clichés. East End locations, Otto Heller's skill with a camera, an intermittent crude zest and a few amusing moments cannot compensate for the repetitive banality of the dialogue, the paucity of wit, the dullness of the musical numbers, and the tedium of the romantic interest. The direction is coarse and without flair, the performances are mostly indifferent (except for Marty Wilde's effectively loutish Herbie), and in general this is a tasteless and charmless entertainment, though it might just possibly appeal to those 'bleedin' kids' so constantly apostrophised throughout the film."^[6]

Leslie Halliwell said: "Unsurprising star musical, quite lively of its kind."^[7]

The Radio Times Guide to Films gave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "With Tommy Steele and Cliff Richard making movies, it was only a matter of time before Joe Brown would have a go. The result is an amiable but outdated musical that is still worth catching to see Brown and the Bruvvers, Freddie and the Dreamers, Susan Maughan and Marty Wilde at the height of their powers. The longueurs between the musical numbers, which the more generous might call the plot, are distinctly dodgy."^[8]

Releases

The film was released by Network Video July 2014 with the original theatrical trailer.