Main Cast: Camille Davies, Billy Franks, Craig Marriott, Kay Skinner, William Vanderpuye, Peter Walton, Tim Wylton, Jack Wild, Mark Lester, Tracy Hyde, Sheila Steafel, Roy Kinnear
Release Year: 1971
Country: UK
Run Time: 103 minutes
Plot
An excellent musical score by the Bee Gees adds appeal to this curious little movie about two ten-year olds, Daniel and Melody (Mark Lester and Tracy Hyde) who are completely taken with each other and announce to their parents, in all seriousness, that they plan to get married. This marriage is not planned for the distant future, but as soon as possible. The uproar that is caused when their seriousness becomes clear is not too surprising. Their best friend Ornshaw (Jack Wild) is not too thrilled with their plan either. What makes the film work is that the entire story is told from the children's point of view in which the grownups' objections, since they have no relation to the truth of what the children are feeling, come across as silly or inconsequential. This film is a reunion of sorts for Oscar-winning Oliver! co-stars Mark Lester and Jack Wild ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
Hilda Barry - Grandma Perkins; Colin Barrie - Chambers; James Cossins - Headmaster; June C. Ellis - Miss Dimkins; Neil Hallett; June Jago - Miss Fairfax; Ken Jones - Mr. Dicks; Tracy Reed - Man and Woman in Hospital, TV Film; Kate Williams - Mrs. Perkins; Robin Hunter - George; Dawn Hope - Maureen; John Gorman - Boys' Brigade Captain; Leonard Brockwell; Ashley Knight - Stacey; Stephen Mallett; Lesley Roach; Camille Davies - Muriel; Billy Franks - Burgess; Craig Marriott - Dadds; Kay Skinner - Peggy; William Vanderpuye - O'Leary; Peter Walton - Fensham; Tim Wylton - Mr. Fellows
Credit
Roy Stannard - Art Director, Adrian Gaye - Associate Producer, Waris Hussein - Director, John Victor Smith - Editor, The Bee Gees - Composer (Music Score), Betty Blattner - Makeup, Peter Suschitzky - Cinematographer, David Puttnam - Producer, Ronald S. Kass - Producer, Andrew Birkin - Screenwriter, Alan Parker - Screenwriter
Melody (aka S.W.A.L.K. or Sealed With A Loving Kiss) is a 1971British film about "puppy love." Although initially a box office disappointment in both the United States and Britain it has over the years become a cult classic. The film turned out to be an enormous hit in Japan, and in some Latin American countries such as Argentina and Chile[1].
This romantic fantasy was unique in that it told the story through the viewpoint of the children in the story, the adults playing only supporting roles. Daniel Lattimer (Mark Lester) befriends the troublesome Ornshaw (Jack Wild). One day, Daniel falls in love with Melody Perkins (Tracy Hyde) and announce to their parents that they want to get married. Not sometime in the future, but now. However, the adults, parents and teachers alike try to dissuade them. Ornshaw also doesn´t like this because he feels that Melody is taking away his friend. But later on, Ornshaw and their classmates are determined to go ahead with their plans for the young couple. They reunite in a far place to marry the couple but their parents follow them and try to stop it. The children go wild and make a car explode. While Melody and Daniel ran away in a hand-car down the railway line with Ornshaw´s help.
Production
Film production began in the Spring of 1970 shooting on location in Hammersmith, and Lambeth in the greater London area. Post-production was completed at the Twickenham Studios.[2] The memorable graveyard scenes of the film were shot on location at Brompton Cemetery and Nunhead Cemetery; opened in 1840 Nunhead is one of the oldest Victorian era cemeteries in London. Nunhead is the final resting place for some famous residents including: Frederick Augustus Abel, George John Bennett, and Alfred Vance.[3]Mark Lester (Daniel Latimer) and Jack Wild (Ornshaw) had previously appeared together in the Academy Award winning (Best Picture-1968) musical version of Oliver!. They were joined by the child model Tracy Hyde in the title role. Other cast members included Kate Williams (Love thy Neighbour) as Melody's mother, Roy Kinnear as her father, Sheila Steafel as Daniel's mother, with Ken Jones (Cuckoo Waltz and Porridge), and James Cossins. This comedy featured a pre-disco musical soundtrack by the Bee Gees ("In the Morning", "Melody Fair", "Give Your Best", and the hit single "To Love Somebody", "First of May") and the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young hit ("Teach Your Children").[4] Interestingly, this was the first screenplay by now-famous film director, Alan Parker. Alan Parker actually did some second-unit direction for the film, shooting the montage sequences of the school children at recess and at the track meet.[2] Because of its enormous success in Japan, the movie has been mastered in Region 2 format on DVD by Kadokawa Herald Pictures in Japan. This was the feature film debut of then child model and commercial actress Tracy Hyde at the age of 11. Writer–Director Andrew Birkin recommended Tracy Hyde for the title role of (Melody Perkins) to director Waris Hussein, after screening and auditioning over 100 girls.[2] Actor Jack Wild, who played Ornshaw was actually 17 at the time of the production.[5]
