Play It Cool

I have watched Play it Cool and like ALL "Pop" movies including Elvis films, the plot is very weak............but Billy Fury makes up for the weak plot with his fantastic vocals throughout the film. Certainly a film to purchase as there aren't many films or footage around of Billy Fury singing. Billy Fury was not an Elvis copycat although he idolised him, he was the first Rock N Roll Star to ever pen his own songs and was the first ever person to produce an album completely written by himself, an album that is still today regarded as the greatest rock n roll album ever! The album's name.....The Sound Of Fury... need I say more!?! Play it cool,although "corny" is a part of British rock n roll history.

A must for all you Rock N Rollers and sixties fans!!!

I don't know how many times I've see this during my life, but today watched it with as much pleasure as always. A light hearted rock 'n roll movie with some great music.

One of Michael Winner's first films, he was 27 at the time, this is no great film but has charm and significance aplenty. The songs are not very strong, the acting even less so, but Winner keeps things moving along and if the story is weak, at least we don't hang about. Instead of this being a stage-bound, 'Let's put on a show' type effort it does give the impression of being something more exciting and 'happening'. Unfortunately for the makers not just the music world but the world itself was about to change. Six months after the release of this film The Beatles released their first single and within another three months they were a phenomenon and joined by The Rolling Stones and many others. The fifties would finally be over, even though this would be 1963 and the sixties would commence, a little late but with great voice. So this film represents a showcase for the last days of an old music and pretty tired it was becoming, too. Billy Fury does okay and all the performers do as well as they can be expected to with average material and are captured as excitingly as possible by the director.

In 2003, I was responsible for having the one remaining print of this film repaired and shown in a full-scale, traditional cinema for the first time in about 35 years - appropriately the screen backed a stage on which Billy Fury actually performed twice. It is true that many very poor pop music films were produced in Britain in the early 1960s. Play It Cool is not, however, a poor film. It has a charm, drive and integrity that singles it out from the dross. Billy Fury never claimed to be a natural actor. In interviews, he said repeatedly that he was keen to take cameo roles that gave him the opportunity to focus with intensity on his character. However, Play It Cool placed on his shoulders the responsibility of accepting the entire focus of the plot, and he brought energy and imagination to the role. Michael Winner has often remarked on the respect he felt for Billy Fury in accepting a star role in a medium that was so foreign to him, and in delivering such an authoritative performance. I am more than happy to simply endorse Mr Winner's verdict.

The final shots show a son "Gatwick Airport" - the control tower and hangars were clearly Luton Airport.