Lonnie Donegan Movies
The originator of "skiffle" and a major figure in the music industry throughout the U.K. and beyond, Lonnie Donegan proved an irreplaceably influential figure to such timelessly popular bands as the Beatles, among countless others. Born Anthony Donegan in Glasgow, Scotland, Donegan mastered multiple instruments before borrowing the moniker of blues legend Lonnie Johnson and joining Ken Coyler's blues band in the early '50s. Later forming the Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group and scoring a hit on both sides of the pond with "Rock Island Line," Donegan's unique blend of jazz and country blues had music lovers tapping their feet and musicians worldwide forming their own skiffle groups. Though the popularity of skiffle would gradually wane, Donegan remained a popular fixture of the cabaret circuit, and his company, Tyler Music, signed many popular bands. In film, Donegan composed music for and appeared in the 1957 feature Light Fingers in addition to appearing in Six-Five Special (1958). Suffering several heart attacks in his later years, Donegan continued to tour until his failing health forced him to slow his pace. Never able to resist the limelight, the legendary musician collapsed while on a 2002 tour of England and died shortly thereafter. He was 71. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Part of The Blues documentary film series on PBS, Red, White & Blues is directed by British filmmaker Mike Figgis. This installment explores the impact of black American blues music on mostly white audiences in the U.K., who then reintroduced the style to mainstream America during the British invasion of the early '60s. Kids from London, Birmingham, Manchester, and other parts of England were heavily influenced by the "race music" that middle-class white America largely ignored. Figgis himself was involved in the British blues music scene in one of Bryan Ferry's early bands. Tom Jones, Jeff Beck, Van Morrison, and Lulu come together for a live improvised recording session at Abbey Road Studios. Eric Clapton, John Mayall, Mick Fleetwood, and Steve Winwood offer commentary in interview segments. Red, White & Blues was originally broadcast by PBS on October 3, 2003. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
Actress Anjelica Huston directed and stars in this drama based on Brendan O'Carroll's novel The Mammy. Set in Dublin in 1967, Agnes Browne (Anjelica Huston) is the mother of seven children, barely making ends meet when her husband dies, leaving her to figure out not only how to support the family, but also how to pay for a funeral. To cover the burial expenses, Agnes resorts to borrowing money from a loan shark (Ray Winstone) who isn't interested in special deals for widows or orphans. Agnes learns to scrape up a living selling fruit and vegetables, and makes sure her children get the best education possible, but self-sacrificing Agnes would like one small luxury for herself: Tom Jones will be playing a concert in town soon, and she'd like nothing more than to hear the man sing "It's Not Unusual" live and in person. A French baker with eyes for Agnes (Arno Chevrier) joins forces with her children to see that she gets her wish. Agnes Browne boasts an accurate portrayal of Ireland in the late 1960s, thanks in part to the fact that Huston spent a great deal of time there as a child; the film was shown as part of the Directors Fortnight series at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Anjelica Huston, Marion O'Dwyer, (more)
- 1958
Six-Five Special is an expansion on the popular BBC TV variety series of the same name. Not unlike America Bandstand, the BBC's Six-Five Special spotlighted England's top rock-and-roll and R&B acts, as well as a few talented newcomers on the verge of stardom. The predictable plotline involves a group of teenaged hopefuls who compete for the honor of a few minutes' glory on the "telly." This slender scenario is, of course, an excuse to trot 16 well-known singing acts across the screen. Among the performers featured on 6.5 Special are Lonnie Donegan, Petula Clark, Jim Dale, Johnny Dankworth, Cleo Lane, Mike & Bernie Winters and the King Brothers. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Lonnie Donegan, Jim Dale, (more)
- 1957
In this comedy, a woman finds herself addicted to auctions and begins bringing the strangest things back to her home. Her husband, ignorant of her passion, begins suspecting her of kleptomania and hires a detective to spy on her. He next sends her to a psychiatrist. After the woman gets wise to the schemes, she reveals the identity of the real thief. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
