Just for You

What a glorious film! In every respect. I'm disappointed in my fellow imbd-ers for not rating it more highly. In popular culture only a thin top layer from 1964 has endured, but here we see that there was tremendous richness not far beneath, almost totally forgotten now. The film weaves these threads together absoluetly perfectly.

More a stream of consciousness (recalling Gordon Harker fiddling with a TV set three decades earlier in 'Elstree Calling') than a movie. Shot on a tiny soundstage at Shepperton with almost Caligariesque styalised sets in pastel sixties Eastman Colour.

Few of the guest artists (all obviously miming) are on for more than about two or three minutes; culminating in Freddie and the Dreamers performing the title song.

Although it carried a 'U' certificate in 1964, Talking Pictures preceded it with a disclaimer that some of it might be unsuitable for children; and it starts as it will continue with uncle Sam Costa propped up on a pillow ogling Faye Craig jiggling her hips on a huge colour TV screen far in advance of anything then available to the British public (while Millie's number begins and ends with a close up of her Cathy Gale boots).

My dad who died in April 2019 was a mechanic by trade and a hoarder of tools, especially hammers !, I found 49 of various sizes in his garage (Where he was at his happiest and spent many hours) we put a couple of wooden handled ones in his coffin as a kind of humorous acknowledgement and tribute, at his funeral we played 'If i had a hammer' by Trini Lopez, I don't particularly like the song...till I heard Johnny B Great's version in this film, I wish I'd known about it then as I'd much rather have had it played than the original, I looked Johnny up on the Web and was sad to read he died when he was only 44 in 1988, he was a very talented musician from everything I've seen written about him. R. I. P Johnny.

A rather disjointed meld of a 1964 UK music flick 'Just for You" (directed by Douglas Hickox) and later US scenes directed by Vince Scarza. The UK footage owes more than a bit of its inspiration to "Pop Gear". The US bits (yes the Paxton plot is relentlessly dopey) at least have cool DJ's from 60's Top 40 Philly stations and some decent songs to keep it interesting.

The plot is obviously dispensable and mercifully occupies little screen time. The oft repeated truism that any film with Freddie & the Dreamers is intolerable for viewing is at least somewhat untrue in this case as they actually play one of their hits, "You Were Made for Me". The music clips (especially the brilliant Chiffons song "Nobody Knows What's Going' On In My Mind But Me") seem suspiciously like "Scopitones", the proto-MTV loops that played in special jukeboxes of the 60's.

Studio pianist Johnny B. Great does "If I Had A Hammer" while cool looking black couples dance wildly. It's So Hard to Be Good" by Louise Corday, The Bachelors, A Band of Angels, The Applejacks, Freddie Cannon, Jackie & the Raindrops, The Vagrants, The Merseybeats and many more. It will please mod era enthusiasts.

This 1 hour film whizzes through 17 acts in the space of an hour.Only a handful do I remember.Introduced by Sam Costa who at the time was a DJ on radio.A few spots of entertainment amongst the dross