Sparrows Can't Sing (1963)
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This British comedy drama of the lower classes features actors with such thick cockney accents that some prints of the film were subtitled. James Booth stars as Charlie, a merchant seaman who returns home to the East End after two years to find that his wife Maggie (Barbara Windsor) has taken up with another man, a married bus driver named Bert (George Sewell). After taking his brother Fred (Roy Kinnear) hostage in a pub, Charlie gets a reunion with Maggie, who shows up pushing a pram. It seems she's given birth to a child, and the father's identity is uncertain. Charlie and Maggie reconcile, but not before a vicious row with Bert, who doesn't want to give up his girl. Windsor, a BAFTA Best Actress nominee for her role, also performed the film's title song. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
Complete Cast:
- James Booth - Charlie Gooding
- Roy Kinnear - Fred Gooding
- Avis Bunnage - Bridgie Gooding
- Barbara Ferris - Nellie Gooding
- Murray Melvin - Georgie
- Peggy Ann Clifford - Ted's Wife
- Bob Grant - Perce
- Victor Spinetti - Arnold
- Yootha Joyce - Paddy the Barman
- Harry H. Corbett - Greengrocer
- Glynn Edwards - Charlie's Friend
- Barbara Windsor - Maggie Gooding
- George Sewell - Bert
- Brian Murphy - Jack
- Griffith Davies - Chunky
- Arthur Mullard - Ted
- Wally Patch - Watchman
- Stephen Lewis - Caretaker
- Fanny Carby - Lil
- Queenie Watts - Queenie
- Marjorie Lawrence - Girl
- Director(s):
- Joan Littlewood
- Writer(s):
- Stephen Lewis, Joan Littlewood
- Producer(s):
- Donald Taylor
- Closed Captioning:
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- Subtitles:
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