''Sparrows Can't Sing'' is a 1963 British kitchen sink

comedy Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. Origins Comedy originated in ancient Greec ...

, the only film that Joan Littlewood directed. It starred

James Booth James Booth (born David Noel Geeves; 19 December 1927 – 11 August 2005) was an English film, stage and television actor and screenwriter. He is best known for his role as Private Henry Hook in '' Zulu.'' ''Variety'' called him "a punchy b ...

and

Barbara Windsor Dame Barbara Windsor (born Barbara Ann Deeks; 6 August 193710 December 2020) was an English actress, known for her roles in the Carry On (franchise), ''Carry On'' films and for playing Peggy Mitchell in the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders''.

. It was written by

Stephen Lewis Stephen Henry Lewis (born November 11, 1937) is a Canadian politician, public speaker, broadcaster, and diplomat. He was the Canadian ambassador to the United Nations in the 1980s and was the leader of the social democratic Ontario New Democr ...

based on his 1960 play ''Sparrers Can't Sing,'' first performed at Littlewood's Theatre Workshop in the Theatre Royal Stratford East. The producer was Donald Taylor.

Plot

Cockney sailor Charlie comes home from a two-year voyage to find his house in East London demolished and his wife Maggie missing. She is in fact now living with bus-driver Bert and has a new baby – whose parentage is in doubt. At first, Charlie's friends and family won't tell him where Maggie is, because he is known to have a foul temper, but he hears gossip she has been living with another man. She eventually meets him and they have an uncomfortable conversation. Later, after a confrontation with Bert, Maggie and Charlie leave together, still bickering.

Cast

as Charlie Gooding *

as Maggie Gooding *

Roy Kinnear Roy Mitchell Kinnear (8 January 1934 – 20 September 1988) was an English character actor and comedian. He was known for his acting roles in movies such as Henry Salt in the 1971 film ''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'', Algernon in The Be ...

as Fred Gooding * Avis Bunnage as Bridgie Gooding * Barbara Ferris as Nellie Gooding * Brian Murphy as Jack * George Sewell as Bert * Griffith Davies as Chunky * Murray Melvin as Georgie * Arthur Mullard as Ted * Peggy Ann Clifford as Ted's wife * Wally Patch as watchman * Bob Grant as Perce *

as caretaker * Victor Spinetti as Arnold *Jenny Sontag as Momma *May Scagnelli as Gran * Fanny Carby as Lil *

Yootha Joyce Yootha Joyce Needham (20 August 1927 – 24 August 1980), known as Yootha Joyce, was an English actress best known for playing Mildred Roper opposite Brian Murphy in the sitcom '' Man About the House'' (1973–1976) and its spin-off '' George ...

as Yootha *Janet Howse as Janet * Queenie Watts as Queenie * John Junkin as bridge operator * Harry H. Corbett as greengrocer *Marjie Lawrence as girl * Glynn Edwards as Charlie's friend *Gerry Raffles as lorry driver *

Rita Webb Olive Rita Webb (25 February 1904 – 30 August 1981), later known as Olive Rita Thompson, was an English character actress, mainly in comedy roles. She was the eldest child of Henry Augustus Webb (1880–1926) and Rose Jeannette Keysor. She had ...

as Maggie's neighbour (Uncredited) * Georgina Mitchell gypsy flower seller in pub * Sarah Booth as baby in pram (The biological daughter of James Booth).

Production

The film was made on location during the summer of 1962 in

Limehouse Limehouse is a district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in East London. It is east of Charing Cross, on the northern bank of the River Thames. Its proximity to the river has given it a strong maritime character, which it retains throu ...

, Isle of Dogs,

Stepney Stepney is an area in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in the East End of London. Stepney is no longer officially defined, and is usually used to refer to a relatively small area. However, for much of its history the place name was applied to ...

, around the theatre in Stratford, and at Elstree Studios. Sets were occasionally visited by nearby Vallance Road residents the Kray twins. Some sources claim the Krays made a cameo appearance towards the end of the film, but film historian Richard Dacre states this is not the case. The dialogue is a mixture of Cockney

rhyming slang Rhyming slang is a form of slang word construction in the English language. It is especially prevalent among Cockneys in England, and was first used in the early 19th century in the East End of London; hence its alternative name, Cockney rhymin ...

, London

Yiddish Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...

, and thieves' cant. ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' said in its review: "this isn't a picture for anyone with a logical mind or an ear for language. The gabble of cockney spoken here is as incomprehensible as the reasoning of those who speak it." It was also the first English language film to be released in the United States with subtitles. The original music was by James Stevens, incidental music was composed by Stanley Black.

Release

The world premiere was held on 26 February 1963 at the ABC cinema on the Mile End Road, and was attended by the Earl of Snowdon. Post-film drinks were had at the Kentucky Club, owned by the Kray twins, before the party moved on to another Kray establishment, Esmeralda's Barn in the West End. The film opened at the Rialto Cinema in the West End on 27 February 1963.

Reception

'' The Monthly Film Bulletin'' wrote: "It is easy to be antagonised by one's first impression of this film. Full of jerky movements and sudden cuts, it doesn't seem to hang together at all. One senses a kind of desperation, paralleled by technically uneven sound and lighting, and something outsize about the acting, particularly James Booth's, that a minimal plot can scarcely justify. Then an amused affection sets in. ... Frantic cutting may have spoilt the surface, but Joan Littlewood's first film remains fresh, vigorous and alive beneath. One hopes, that she will pursue her cinematic career in the same irrepressible spirit as that of the Cockneys she so remarkably depicts." '' Variety'' wrote: "Joan Littlewood, who at the Theatre Workshop in London's East End, thumbed her nose cockily at most legit convention and brought a breath of fresh air into the general stuffiness, has now tackled her first film. Her lack of experience stands out like

Jimmy Durante James Francis Durante ( , ; February 10, 1893 – January 29, 1980) was an American comedian, actor, singer, and pianist. His distinctive gravelly speech, Lower East Side New York accent, accent, comic language-butchery, jazz-influenced son ...

's schnozz. At times it irritates. But ''Sparrows Can't Sing'' also gains by the sheer ebullience of Miss Littlewood's 'don't give a heck' attitude, at least in certain scenes. ...This is a highly colored and exaggerated version of the Cockney in which everybody is a larger than life character. But the camerawork, straying carelessly around the actual East End streets, is vital and vivid. And the whole effect is one of sheer exuberance." Leslie Halliwell said: "Relentless caricatured cockney comedy melodrama, too self-conscious to be effective, and not at all likeable anyway." ''The

Radio Times ''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manage ...

Guide to Films'' gave the film 1/5 stars, writing: "You can't capture the sights and sounds of East End life simply by packing the cast with cockneys and touting a camera round the streets of Stepney. James Booth is eminently resistible as the sailor searching for wife Barbara Windsor and her bus-driving fancy man, George Sewell. Missing both social statement and fond characterisation, director Joan Littlewood has succeeded only in being patronising."

Accolades

Barbara Windsor was nominated for the award for Best Actress in a Leading Role by the British Academy Film Awards in 1964.

Home media

A region B Blu-ray was released on 12 October 2015.

References

External links

*{{IMDb title, id=0057521, title=Sparrows Can't Sing
James Booth tribute website: Sparrows Can't Sing
1963 films British comedy films 1963 comedy films British films based on plays Films about social realism Films shot at Associated British Studios Films set in London Films shot in London 1960s English-language films 1960s British films Films scored by Stanley Black