Cheap Half a Sixpence (DVD) (George Sidney (II)) Price

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Customer Reviews of Half a Sixpence

Wide-screen musical - Needs DVD Treatment
Director George Sidney gave this tuneful London/Broadway musical the full Hollywood treatment - leaving the film audience with a dreamy, family-style comedic, romantic romp. Tommy Steele, the lead of the theater productions and the movie, does his talented best and leaves the audience well entertained. At this point in time - 2002 - the film deserves a widescreen, stereo sound, DVD restoration to be fully appreciated. Irwin Kostal's (Sound Of Music, Mary Poppins) sparkling musical orchestrations and musical direction plead for return of the stereo tracks to any future DVD release. Sadly famed Hollywood director - George Sidney died on May 5, 2002.

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Widescreen and Stereo at last!
British entertainer Tommy Steele appeared in three big-budget, reserved seat musicals within a year's time - 1967-1968, and then never made another musical film again. While Steele is one of the only assets in Disney's interminable "The Happiest Millionaire", he was much more well utilized in "Finian's Rainbow" as Og the Leprechaun. But his biggest starring role was in the film that came between those two - the gigantic film version of the stage musical "Half a Sixpence". Directed by George Sidney, the film massively realizes what had been a fairly middle-weight, mediocre stage show. Until this DVD release, the film has never been available on home video in its original Panavision aspect ration, with four track stereo surround. And what a difference this transfer makes from the cropped, grainy VHS tape of the film! Splendidly designed, beautifully shot, elegantly scored, and using both studio sets and sweeping location footage, the film is at least as big as "Hello, Dolly!". And that's pretty big for the movie screen. Stuffed with huge production numbers, long takes during the dance sequences, and a terrifically souped-up musical score (thanks to Irwin Kostal), this is truly one of the most dazzling, spectacular movies of its era. The DVD has no extras, but the transfer is quite wonderful to see, and it is indeed the full roadshow version, with intermission and entr'acte music included. What a wonderful treat to see this old-fashioned, razzle-dazzle picture presented in its full glory. Show this to someone under the age of 30, who has no idea how entertaining those big musicals of the '60s really were. Smashing, tuneful, and as the ads proclaimed "The biggest bloomin' musical of the year!"

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A constant joy
I resent the Amazon reviewer's caustic remarks about the movie, Richard and Steele. This movie was a true delight from beginning to end. The dancing was glorious and lots of it. The songs by this time were old friends. Incidentally, I've heard the cast recordings of the London, Bway and movie versions. A few songs were the same in all 3, others came and went, which I thought was odd. Tommy Steele (35 years ago, can you believe it!) was wonderful as was everyone, it was a little long (2 hours and 25 minutes), but it was always fun and exciting. I loved it. Incidentally, the villains were just nasty enough to get their point across, nothing to enrage you, and their comeuppance was also just right, not some scathing triumph. I found the whole thing a pleasure, just as I did 35 years ago.