The Boy Friend (Original title)The Boyfriend (Help search title)
Dates: 1971 (Copyright), 28 May 1972 (Release)Countries: USA, United KingdomDirected by: Ken Russell
Synopsis: Period musical. Based around Sandy Wilson's musical stageplay of the same title, Russell's extravagant production storms between delightful tackiness and exuberant fantasy in pastiche of 1920's stage musical (after Wilson) and Busby Berkeley's film musicals of the 1930's. Twiggy plays Polly Browne, nervous stage manager of a production of "The Boyfriend" who is obliged to take the place of Rita, leading lady, (Glenda Jackson) who has sprained her ankle. Russell's film follows the performance, which is a disaster onstage and off, as the cast compete for the attention of De Thrill, a Hollywood director in the audience. Simultaneously we follow the romantic entanglement of Polly and Tony, played by the young, blue-eyed blonde Christopher Gable.
Genre: Musical
Subject: Theatre
Releases
Date: 1971Country: United KingdomRelease type: unknownFormat: not specified - Colour - Metrocolor - SoundRuntime: 125 mins Length: 11250 FeetDialogue (original): English
Date: March 2019Country: United KingdomRelease type: InternetFormat: not specified - Colour - SoundRuntime: 137 mins Dialogue (original): EnglishDistributor: BFIPlayer
Dates: 1971 (Copyright), 28 May 1972 (Release)Countries: USA, United KingdomDirected by: Ken Russell
Synopsis: Period musical. Based around Sandy Wilson's musical stageplay of the same title, Russell's extravagant production storms between delightful tackiness and exuberant fantasy in pastiche of 1920's stage musical (after Wilson) and Busby Berkeley's film musicals of the 1930's. Twiggy plays Polly Browne, nervous stage manager of a production of "The Boyfriend" who is obliged to take the place of Rita, leading lady, (Glenda Jackson) who has sprained her ankle. Russell's film follows the performance, which is a disaster onstage and off, as the cast compete for the attention of De Thrill, a Hollywood director in the audience. Simultaneously we follow the romantic entanglement of Polly and Tony, played by the young, blue-eyed blonde Christopher Gable.
Genre: Musical
Subject: Theatre
Releases
Date: 1971Country: United KingdomRelease type: unknownFormat: not specified - Colour - Metrocolor - SoundRuntime: 125 mins Length: 11250 FeetDialogue (original): English
Date: March 2019Country: United KingdomRelease type: InternetFormat: not specified - Colour - SoundRuntime: 137 mins Dialogue (original): EnglishDistributor: BFIPlayer
Credits
(45)
©: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Made by Russflix Ltd.: Russflix, Presents: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, an MGM-EMI presentation: MGM-EMI Film Distributors Ltd., Produced by: Ken Russell, Associate Producer: Harry Benn, Production Associate: Justin de Villeneuve, Production Manager: Neville C. Thompson, Assistant Director: Graham Ford, Continuity: Sue Merry, Screenplay by: Ken Russell, Based on a Musical Play by: Sandy Wilson, Director of Photography: David Watkin, Camera Operator: Alan McCabe, Assistant Cameraman: Peter Ewens, Editor: Michael Bradsell, Sets Designed by: Tony Walton, Art Director: Simon Holland, Set Dresser: Ian Whittaker, [Sculptor]: Brian Muir, Property Master: George Ball, Construction Manager: Charles Hammerton, Costumes Designed by: Shirley Russell, Costumes by: Nathan's, Wardrobe Supervisor: John Brady, Make-up: Freddie Williamson, Hairdresser: Barbara Ritchie, Hair Styling by: Roger of Vidal Sassoon, Filmed in: Panavision UK, [Music]: Sandy Wilson, Music Director: Ian Whittaker, Music Arranged/Conducted by: Peter Maxwell Davies, Musical Associate: Peter Greenwell, Choreography by: Christopher Gable, Choreography by: Gillian Gregory, Choreography by: Terry Gilbert, members of the cast, Dance Captain: Petra Siniawski, Sound Recordist: Brian Simmons, Maurice Askew, Dubbing Editor: Don Challis, Film Researcher: Philip Jenkinson, [Unit Publicist]: Geoffrey Freeman, Made at: MGM-EMI Elstree Studios
Cast
(20)
Twiggy (Polly Browne), Christopher Gable (Tony Brockhurst), Max Adrian (Lord Brockhurst/Max), Bryan Pringle (Percival Browne/Mr Percy Parkhill), Murray Melvin (Alphonse), Moyra Fraser (Madame Dubonnet/Mrs Parkhill), Georgina Hale (Fay), Sally Bryant (Nancy), Vladek Sheybal (De Thrill), Tommy Tune (Tommy), Brian Murphy (Peter), Graham Armitage (Michael), Antonia Ellis (Maisie), Caryl Little (Dulcie), Anne Jameson (Mrs Peter), Catherine Willmer (Lady Brockhurst/Catherine), Robert La Bassière (chauffeur), Barbara Windsor (Hortense, French maid), Peter Greenwell ([pianist]), Glenda Jackson ([Rita])