Up Jumped a Swagman

If you like Richard Wattis or Bryan Mosley(Alf Roberts), not forgetting the lovely Annette Andre(Pre Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased), then this film is for you.Suzy Kendall is good but she doesn't really appear as much as Annette A. Some surreal moments are well interspersed-a rare thing these days. If you like 'Smashing Time' or 'The Sandwich Man' then this is in a similar vein but very different at the same time.You have to see the film to know what I mean as it's a tricky one to describe. Frank Ifield is pretty striking and it's pretty obvious that this was intended to be his 'Good career move'up the showbiz ladder. Again, like the films I've compared this to we're in the 'No Longer Politically Correct' genre so you'll be VERY hard pressed to spy it on the box!!!!!!!! If you can get a copy of this you'll be impressed.Generally though, any film with Richard Wattis in seems to be a good bet!

The story may not make a great deal of sense though it hardly matters. Rather it unfolds in the manner of a dream, at times resembling a series of Python-esque sketches, even though this was apparently the result of scripting problems as much as by intention. Your enjoyment essentially depends on your appreciation of Frank Ifield's musical numbers. I enjoyed them immensely and was surprised at the low ratings for this sunny and cheerful piece of escapism. Giving strong support is Ronnie Radd, one of the most talented, versatile and prolific character actors of the period, who was sadly taken from us far too soon.

A minor movie specisalial interest of mine are British pop films of the early 60s. Few are any good but for very different reason I really love "Summer Holiday" with Cliff Richard and "Hard Days Night" with the Beatles. To set this Frank Ifield vehicle in its historic context in the 1960 - 1966 era every British act of any merit got a film, a good example is "Ferry Across The Mersey" featuring Gerry and the Pacemakers and Cilla Black. In these the plot never really mattered just a fun 90 minutes in the company of popular pop stars. Elvis Presley made loads of them which I soppose was the gold standard of the day. This outing starring Aussie singing senation Frank Ifield. Who had 12 top 40 hits 1062 to 1965 that included four cosecutive number one's samdwiched betweeh a number four during 1962 into 1963. Clearly with the clean cut handsome Frank Ifield the films producers were aiming to repricate the huge success of the Cliff Richard films but the film sufferes from very poor writing and plot developement. The result is far from iconic but has historic interest shot in central london in lucious colour my DVD from Network video has a terrific transfer which helps show off a London and Britain just a memory nowadays. Frank Ifield comes over as a palatable singing star and the musical numbers are generaly well presented and more than mearly enjoyable but the movie I must admit is a real dogs dinner of adhock sketches and mild romantic froth none of which ever makes much sense. None the less this is my teenage era and I remember how popular Frank Ifield was just before the Beatles hit. I discovered that this movie was released just in time for Christmas 1965 so would of gone on general release in early 1966. Unfortunatly for all concerned musical and pop tastes had changed very considerably by 1966 and Frank and his pop movie would of been somewhat old fashioned. And I hardly remember the movie coming out even though I was a regular movie goer by this time. None the less I found much to enjoy in "Up Jumped The Swagman" and the fact it is badly dated and more silly than funny I rather enjoyed the show and especialy the Ifield song book.

As said it was Frank Fields only movie and possibly the end of his singing career too !!

Dreadful direction and production.

If it had the Carry On actors and their direction and production, then it may have been slightly tolerable..

Poor Frank Ifield - in his one and only film appearance, he gets himself landed with this total load of tosh! No wonder his cinematic career was doomed before it even began, as this movie must have been some sort of curse. The whole thing is a slipshod, jumble of scenes which bear no semblance of continuity whatsoever. The story, if there is one, is so difficult to follow as to become downright irritating after a short while, and the film makes no sense at all. It's such a pity, in many ways, as Frank Ifield comes across as quite an engaging personality, with a more than pleasant singing voice. Unfortunately, he is totally hamstrung by the appalling material in a film that goes nowhere, not very fast. A big, big disappointment all round.