The Vintagent Classics: The films that inspired us.

SOME PEOPLE (1962)

Run Time: 1:32:00
Director: Clive Donner
Writer: John Eldridge
Key Cast: Kenneth More, Ray Brooks, Anneke Wills

FILM MAKERS

While hardly Quadrophenia, the neglected British film Some People (1962) remains a vivid depiction of working-class life, the lure of rebellion and the validation of belonging to some sort of youth culture – not that this was the original intention. Pre-dating both The Damned and The Leather BoysSome People is the first of this early-sixties triumvirate of true British biker films, all set against the backdrop of the rocker community but hugely different to their US counterparts. (It is also the only one of the three filmed in colour.)

Notionally a long advertisement for the relatively new Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme, who commissioned the project, Some People manages to transcend its original purpose because of the talent involved. The screenplay was the last completed work by the documentary film maker John Eldridge, who had collaborated with Dylan Thomas at the Ministry of Information during the war. The film is also an early work by up-and-coming New Wave director Clive Donner, then on the verge of his career breakthrough with The Caretaker the following year, who had been cutting his teeth on low budget crime movies and melodramas. – Read more at The Bike Professor

SUMMARY

The story of three teenaged tearaways Johnnie, Bill and Bert who find themselves at odds with society. Following a brush with the law they have a chance meeting with a local choirmaster who offers them a way of making good.

In 1960’s Bristol three lads hang around, making nuisances of themselves after losing their motorbike licenses. Their only other interest is playing rock-and-roll so they welcome the offer from a supportive churchwarden of the use of his church hall. Things go well – with several new members including strong-voiced Terry, sort-of one of their girlfriends, they don’t sound bad at all – and one of the guys starts dating the churchwarden’s daughter. But his mate is increasingly suspicious that they are being sucked into behaving in a conventional way acceptable to the older generation.

The film was shot entirely on location in Bristol with Anneke Willis recalling the crew arrived in Bristol three weeks before shooting to get the feel of Bristol with the boys learning the local accent, riding motorbikes and visiting local dance halls with much of the script being ad-libbed.

RELATED MEDIA

Read more at Cine Meccanica

Buy the DVD at the Video Beat