Beat Girl
| Beat Girl | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Directed by | Edmond T. Gréville |
| Produced by | George Willoughby |
| Written by | Dail Ambler |
| Starring |
David Farrar Noëlle Adam Christopher Lee Gillian Hills Adam Faith |
| Music by |
John Barry Trevor Peacock (lyrics) |
| Cinematography | Walter Lassally |
| Edited by | Gordon Pilkington |
| Distributed by | Renown Pictures (UK) Victoria Films (USA) |
|
Release date
|
October 28, 1960 |
|
Running time
|
85 min. |
| Country | UK |
| Language | English |
Beat Girl is a 1960 British film about late-fifties youth-rebellion. The film was later released in the United States under the title Wild for Kicks.
The title character of Beat Girl was played by starlet Gillian Hills, who later went on to have numerous small roles in 1960s and 1970s films, such as Blowup and A Clockwork Orange, and became a successful "ye-ye" singer in France.Beat Girl marked the first film roles of British pop idol Adam Faith and actor Peter McEnery, although it was not released until after other films featuring Faith (Never Let Go) and McEnery (Tunes of Glory) had already come out. The film also features Christopher Lee and Nigel Green as strip joint operators, and Oliver Reed in a small role as one of the "beat" youth.
The original music was composer John Barry's first film commission, and was performed by the John Barry Seven and Orchestra, Adam Faith, and Shirley Anne Field. The Beat Girl soundtrack was the first British soundtrack album to be released on an LP, and reached number 11 on the British album charts, paving the way for later films to release soundtrack albums.
Paul Linden (David Farrar), a wealthy and prominent architect, returns home to Kensington, London. He brings his new wife: beautiful, French, 24-year-old Nichole (Noelle Adam), whom he has just married in Paris. Paul is anxious to introduce Nichole to his teenage daughter Jennifer (Gillian Hills), but Jennifer appears less than happy about her father's remarriage and coldly rejects Nichole's friendly overtures all evening. After Paul and Nichole go to bed, Jennifer sneaks out to the local beatnik club for an evening of rock music and dancing with her friends, including Dave (Adam Faith), a youth from a working-class background who plays guitar and writes songs; Tony (Peter McEnery), a general's son whose mother was killed in the Blitz and who has a drinking problem, although beatniks frown on alcohol; and Dodo (Shirley Anne Field), Tony's well-bred girlfriend. Dave and Jennifer are attracted to each other.
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Wikipedia