In 1962 a film crew arrived in Bristol to shoot the groundbreaking British movie Some People, focusing on a group of bored, disruptive, music-loving teenagers and a bid to persuade them to reject rebellion without sacrificing their chance to have fun.
Sixty years later, this rarely seen gem serves as a time capsule from days gone by, showcasing the fashions, sounds and social habits of the era, as well as some of Bristol’s long lost landscapes and industries. Directed by Clive Donner, the production was filmed entirely around the city and surrounding area, and offered a rare West Country perspective on grassroots issues, in marked contrast to the gritty new wave of black and white social documentary style films that were emerging from the North at the time.
Full of youthful energy and partly improvised, its bright, innovative style also boosted the early careers of a trio of young British actors who went on to make their mark in the decades that followed - Ray Brooks (Johnnie), David Hemmings (Bert) and Anneke Wills (Anne). Along with their co-stars David Andrews (Bill) and Angela Douglas (Terry), they were sent down to Bristol, a month ahead of the six-week shoot, to get to know each other and the city, practise riding motorcycles and attempt to master the local accent - some more successfully than others.
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The production was actually commissioned to promote the then fairly new Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme and show the great opportunities it offered for girls as well as boys. Seasoned actor Kenneth More, who appeared as BAC aircraft engineer, choirmaster and youth worker Mr Smith, was apparently in between jobs and waived his fee to support the project.
During filming, he also fell for Angela Douglas and the pair got married after he had divorced his second wife, Mabel Barkby. The cast also featured Harry H Corbett as Johnnie’s dad - later a household name as Harold in beloved TV comedy Steptoe and Son - but the vast majority of players were ordinary Bristol people.
Scenes were filmed in various locations including the city docks, Mardyke Ferry, the old bus station, the Theatre Royal, the old Wills tobacco factory, the Cadbury's Somerdale factory at Keynsham, the Portway, the Water Tower on the Downs, areas of Lockleaze, including the school, Bedminster, St Nicholas Market, the Christmas Steps, and the Palace Hotel in Old Market, Royal York Crescent, and Bristol South public baths.
The plot revolves around the three lads from local housing estates who, after being banned from riding their bikes, wander the city after work getting up to no good. When Smith finds Johnnie playing rock music on a church organ, he offers the boys the chance to use the church hall for their pop band rehearsals with Terry.
Mr Smith’s daughter, Anne, helps out with the choir nights, and she and Johnnie become an unlikely, and ill-fated, couple. Bert fully embraces the scheme, while rebel Bill grows suspicious about the choirmaster’s motives.
The soundtrack and songs by Ron Grainer (who wrote the Dr Who theme tune) were in fact performed by the local instrumental group called The Eagles - nothing to do with the US band, and talented young local singer Valerie Mountain’s voice was dubbed in for Angela’s lead vocals. Apparently, Grainer discovered Valerie singing at a church at Lockleaze where she'd appeared in a gospel musical called A Man Dies and he had spotted the Eagles - big on the Bristol scene at the time and named after Eagle House Youth Club - when they won The Duke of Edinburgh's Rhythm Group of the Year at the Royal Festival Hall. Several tracks from the film, including title song, Some People, were minor chart hits.
Ray Brooks went on to star in the ground-breaking 1966 television drama Cathy Come Home and forged a successful career in TV and voiceover work, appearing for a couple of years as Joe Macer, Pauline Fowler’s husband, in EastEnders. David Hemmings became an international face of the 1960s and early 1970s, starring Blow Up! and Charge Of The Light Brigade, before moving into TV and film direction. Anneke Wills became Dr Who’s companion, Polly, and forged a 10-year TV acting career.
Sixty years after Some People was released The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award continues to be open to all young people aged 14 to 24, regardless of their background, culture, physical ability, skills and interests. The film Some People is currently available to buy or rent on Amazon, either as a download or DVD. Screengrabs come courtesy of Studio Canal, as captured by Reel Streets, the fascinating website dedicated to finding film locations and comparing old stills with current views.
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