The Scamp

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The Scamp
The Scamp (1957 film).jpg
Original British quad poster
Directed by Wolf Rilla
Written byWolf Rilla
Based onplay Uncertain Joy by Charlotte Hastings
Produced byJames Lawrie
Starring Richard Attenborough
Terence Morgan
Colin Petersen
Dorothy Alison
Jill Adams
Cinematography Freddie Francis
Edited by Bernard Gribble
Music by Francis Chagrin
Production
company
A James Lawrie Production
Distributed by Renown Pictures Corporation (UK)
Release dates
  • 7 October 1957 (1957-10-07)(London, England)
Running time
87 mins
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The Scamp is a 1957 British drama film directed by Wolf Rilla and starring Richard Attenborough, Terence Morgan, Colin Petersen and Dorothy Alison. [1] It was based on the play Uncertain Joy by Charlotte Hastings. It was released in the U.S. as Strange Affection. [2]

Contents

Synopsis

A schoolteacher and his wife take in the tempestuous child of an abusive drifter. When the father returns, their lives become complicated by issues of corporal punishment, physical abuse, strained relations and various crimes.

Cast

Production

The film was based on the play Uncertain Joy by Charlotte Hastings which premiered in 1953 starring Jean Kent.

The film was produced by James Lawrie, former head of the NFFC. The role of the boy was offered to Colin Petersen the Australian star of Smiley. [3]

Critical reception

Variety called it "run of the mill". [4]

The Radio Times Guide to Films gave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "Having made his name in the Australian-set drama Smiley [1956], contemporary critics had high hopes for ten-year-old Colin Petersen. He tries hard in this well intentioned story of a delinquent given a second chance, but he never convinces either as the urchin son of alcoholic music-hall actor Terence Morgan or as the confused kid cajoled by teacher Richard Attenborough and his wife Dorothy Alison. Attenborough overdoes the bourgeois benevolence." [5]

TV Guide wrote, "Shaky direction and a cliche-ridden script mar any possibilities for this human interest story"; [2] whereas Leonard Maltin called it a "Decent British drama." [6]

Kine Weekly called it "a smoothly balanced job". [7]

Filmink wrote the film " isn’t as good as Smiley – it’s not as fun, and Attenborough’s character has this weird vibe that isn’t really explored – but there are good moments and Petersen is marvellous once again: energetic, cheeky, natural. Director Wolf Rilla was smart enough to let the actor use his Australian accent and he devised several scenes where Petersen shows off his real-life drumming skills." [3]

Box office

According to Kinematograph Weekly the film was "in the money" at the British box office in 1957 and Renown "ran into the big money" with a shrewwd double bill" of The Scmp and Our Girl Friday. [8]

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References

  1. "The Scamp". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Strange Affection". TVGuide.com.
  3. 1 2 Vagg, Stephen (26 November 2024). "The Brief Movie Stardom of Colin (Smiley) Petersen". Filmink. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  4. Revie of film at Variety
  5. Radio Times Guide to Films (18th ed.). London: Immediate Media Company. 2017. p. 806. ISBN   9780992936440.
  6. "Scamp, The (1957) - Overview - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies.
  7. "The Scamp". Kinematograph Weekly. 3 October 1957. p. 19.
  8. Billings, Josh (12 December 1957). "Others in the money". Kinematograph Weekly. p. 7.