Up Jumped a Swagman (1965) User Reviews (10)

Sad to say, Richard Wattis misses the mark, but...

[JohnHowardReid · 6/10 · 7 June 2017]

This fairly entertaining, surrealist musical fantasy is handled in a very curious style by director Christopher Miles. The surrealist dialogue scenes are put across perfectly straight with the director pointedly making himself as unobtrusive as possible. This stratagem throws the fantasy burden completely upon the actors, some of whom (particularly the normally reliable Richard Wattis) fail to bear up at all well. Fortunately the little-known Ronald Radd is absolutely excellent as the gang leader, while Ifield himself makes a surprisingly attractive straight man.

By contrast, Miles (or maybe someone else) has directed the musical numbers in a vibrantly lively and exciting manner. The camera whirls and zooms in such a deliciously uninhibited fashion, it's amazing to me that "Up Jumped a Swagman" never became a cult favorite. Of course, right now the movie is completely forgotten. It's never been aired on television — which is good, because it wouldn't fit anyway; but letterboxed would be better than nothing.

Frank Ifields Flying Guitar

[dsewizzrd-1 · 6/10 · 9 October 2018]

Extended video clip for Frank Ifield, an "Australian" country singer whose albums you may have found in grandmother's stereogram. Dave Kelly, as his character is called in the film arrives on the boat in London to meet a wealthy girl he already knows. He rents a flat in an east end-ish kind of location (or Camden ?) above a pawnbroker's shop which a group of confederates plan to use to rob the pawnbroker's safe. There is a post-structuralist ending in the Monty Python style of the period.

Singing Australian Visits Swinging London

[georgewilliamnoble · 5/10 · 11 February 2023]

A minor movie specisalial interest of mine are British pop films of the early 60s. Few are any good but for very different reason I really love "Summer Holiday" with Cliff Richard and "Hard Days Night" with the Beatles. To set this Frank Ifield vehicle in its historic context in the 1960 - 1966 era every British act of any merit got a film, a good example is "Ferry Across The Mersey" featuring Gerry and the Pacemakers and Cilla Black. In these the plot never really mattered just a fun 90 minutes in the company of popular pop stars. Elvis Presley made loads of them which I soppose was the gold standard of the day. This outing starring Aussie singing senation Frank Ifield. Who had 12 top 40 hits 1062 to 1965 that included four cosecutive number one's samdwiched betweeh a number four during 1962 into 1963. Clearly with the clean cut handsome Frank Ifield the films producers were aiming to repricate the huge success of the Cliff Richard films but the film sufferes from very poor writing and plot developement. The result is far from iconic but has historic interest shot in central london in lucious colour my DVD from Network video has a terrific transfer which helps show off a London and Britain just a memory nowadays. Frank Ifield comes over as a palatable singing star and the musical numbers are generaly well presented and more than mearly enjoyable but the movie I must admit is a real dogs dinner of adhock sketches and mild romantic froth none of which ever makes much sense. None the less this is my teenage era and I remember how popular Frank Ifield was just before the Beatles hit. I discovered that this movie was released just in time for Christmas 1965 so would of gone on general release in early 1966. Unfortunatly for all concerned musical and pop tastes had changed very considerably by 1966 and Frank and his pop movie would of been somewhat old fashioned. And I hardly remember the movie coming out even though I was a regular movie goer by this time. None the less I found much to enjoy in "Up Jumped The Swagman" and the fact it is badly dated and more silly than funny I rather enjoyed the show and especialy the Ifield song book.

Zany comedy trips- up Swagman

[murroughmcbride · 9 September 2011]

This Zany British comedy stars Frank Ifield(originally from Coventry, England), as a guitar-twanging hopeful from Down Under, who forsaking the Australian music Scene,tries to get a productive audition with Lever, a London music Publisher, played by the laconic Richard Wattis, who is out to fleece his clients. Frank's crazy interest, is Billboard girl Suzy Kendall. Severally there are various twists that involve Ronald Radd and the delicious Annette Andre;the latter thankfully tested her acting talents in more substantial roles. There is so much slapstick in 'Up Jumped a Swagman', that this film relies on daub and dash scenes; any plot veneer is soon submerged in a welter of actor destruction and over the top hamming. Not a movie then, with a coherent story-line; rather 12 integrated song fillers by Frank Ifield, who bravely tries to hold the embattled structure together.

A confusing piece of nonsense.

[ronevickers · 2/10 · 9 July 2010]

Poor Frank Ifield - in his one and only film appearance, he gets himself landed with this total load of tosh! No wonder his cinematic career was doomed before it even began, as this movie must have been some sort of curse. The whole thing is a slipshod, jumble of scenes which bear no semblance of continuity whatsoever. The story, if there is one, is so difficult to follow as to become downright irritating after a short while, and the film makes no sense at all. It's such a pity, in many ways, as Frank Ifield comes across as quite an engaging personality, with a more than pleasant singing voice. Unfortunately, he is totally hamstrung by the appalling material in a film that goes nowhere, not very fast. A big, big disappointment all round.

"You Need A New Sound!"

[ShadeGrenade · 2/10 · 17 June 2006]

I saw this on B.B.C.-2 one Saturday afternoon back in 1977. Its not been on since. So bizarre is it I would not be at all surprised to learn it has a cult following someplace.

Frank Ifield plays Dave Kelly, an Australian singer seeking fame and fortune in Swinging London. No sooner has he gotten off the boat than he falls in love with a beautiful girl ( Suzy Kendall a.k.a. Mrs.Dudley Moore ) whose face he sees on a billboard, so he tries to track her down. Like you do.

What follows next is a confusing mishmash of styles, as though Christopher Miles couldn't make up his mind what sort of film this was. With bewildering speed, it goes from being a love story to a cynical look at the British pop scene of the '60's to a 'fish-out-of-water' comedy to a caper movie ( a gang of inept crooks want to tunnel through the floor of Dave's flat and into the vault below ).

Like 'Casino Royale' ( which was in production at the same time ), everything is thrown into the pot. Near the end, Dave is shot at by a bald heavy in dark glasses straight out of James Bond. My jaw dropped at this point. I half expected Graham Chapman's Monty Python 'Colonel' to appear and say: "Stop this. Its too silly!".

Frank Ifield is no actor, but that does not really matter. Pop musicals of the era generally required artists to be themselves, you only have to remember Cliff Richard in 'The Young Ones', Billy Fury in 'I've Gotta Horse', and Joe Brown in 'Three Hats For Lisa'. Anyway, Frank has a nice personality, and that's enough.

Lewis Greifer went on to write for 'The Prisoner'. Interestingly, his episode - 'The General' - also cocked a snook at contemporary art. Interviewed for I.T.V.'s 'After They Were Famous' a few years back, Frank said that when he read the script he could not make head not tail of it, and even after viewing the completed film was none the wiser.

Richard Wattis, Annette Andre, Ronald Radd et al do their best, and the songs are rather pleasant, but the whole thing rings about as hollow as an empty billy can. A film that tried ( and failed ) to be all things to all people. Loved the 'Teenage Tester' though!

A Stinker!

[diddlycrap · 1/10 · 25 May 2020]

I never got past the first 10 minutes. It is the greatest load of tripe I have ever seen.

A wannabe Carry On movie

[justforalaugh · 1/10 · 14 August 2022]

As said it was Frank Fields only movie and possibly the end of his singing career too !!

Dreadful direction and production.

If it had the Carry On actors and their direction and production, then it may have been slightly tolerable..

A Must See for 'Classic' '60's films!!!!!!!!!

[p-halley · 10/10 · 3 September 2007]

If you like Richard Wattis or Bryan Mosley(Alf Roberts), not forgetting the lovely Annette Andre(Pre Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased), then this film is for you.Suzy Kendall is good but she doesn't really appear as much as Annette A. Some surreal moments are well interspersed-a rare thing these days. If you like 'Smashing Time' or 'The Sandwich Man' then this is in a similar vein but very different at the same time.You have to see the film to know what I mean as it's a tricky one to describe. Frank Ifield is pretty striking and it's pretty obvious that this was intended to be his 'Good career move'up the showbiz ladder. Again, like the films I've compared this to we're in the 'No Longer Politically Correct' genre so you'll be VERY hard pressed to spy it on the box!!!!!!!! If you can get a copy of this you'll be impressed.Generally though, any film with Richard Wattis in seems to be a good bet!

Entertaining surrealistic musical comedy

[wilvram · 8/10 · 23 October 2020]

The story may not make a great deal of sense though it hardly matters. Rather it unfolds in the manner of a dream, at times resembling a series of Python-esque sketches, even though this was apparently the result of scripting problems as much as by intention. Your enjoyment essentially depends on your appreciation of Frank Ifield's musical numbers. I enjoyed them immensely and was surprised at the low ratings for this sunny and cheerful piece of escapism. Giving strong support is Ronnie Radd, one of the most talented, versatile and prolific character actors of the period, who was sadly taken from us far too soon.