The Boy Friend

Polly Brown is forced to understudy for the leading Lady, Rita, at a performance at which a Hollywood director is in the audience scouting for actors. Polly also happens to fall in love with the leading man Tony., Polly Browne is the youngster given her chance when a Hollywood mogul sees her perform for a tatty 1920s theatre troupe. An homage to the golden age of musicals from director Ken Russell., Comedy in which an aspiring actress is transformed into a star. A stage manager hits the big time when she replaces the leading lady of a lavish musical. Adapted by Ken Russell from the stage show. Dir: Ken Russell., Edited version of Ken Russell’s salute to 1920s musicals. Twiggy, Christopher Gable, Antonia Ellis, Glenda Jackson. Tommy: Tommy Tune. De Thrill: Vladek Sheybal. Max: Max Adrian. Hortense: Barbara Windsor. From Sandy Wilson’s play., Ken Russell’s personal and affectionate homage to the Busby Berkeley-style musical of the 1930s. An assistant stage manager and general dogsbody gets her chance at stardom when the star of the show (a cameo from Glenda Jackson), hurts her ankle. A superb musical score, mainly from the pen of Sandy Wilson, includes such numbers as ‘Won’t You Charleston with Me?’ and ‘It’s Never Too Late to Fall in Love’, Ken Russell’s fascinating interpretation of the classic stage musical as a film producer visits a performance on the night the leading lady is replaced by her shy understudy.