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The Duke Wore Jeans

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Wikipedia article




'The Duke Wore Jeans' is a 1958 British comedy musical film by producer Nat Cohen starring Tommy Steele and June Laverick.DUKE WORE JEANS, The

Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 25, Iss. 288, (Jan 1, 1958): 61.


The songs for the film were released in 1958 by Decca on a 10" LP, a 7" EP and two 7" singles and, in more recent times, on compilation CDs.

Plot



The only son of the poor but aristocratic Whitecliffe family is to be sent to the nation of Ritalla in order to sell the family's cattle to upgrade the nation's livestock. As a side benefit, his parents hope he will marry the King's only daughter, Princess Maria. Unknown to his family, Tony is already secretly married to a commoner. Fate intervenes when drifter Tommy Hudson, who is the identical likeness of Tony, comes to the Whitecliffe estate to seek work. Tony engages Tommy to impersonate him on his trip to Ritalla accompanied by Cooper, the family's only servant.

Tommy and Cooper travel to Ritalla where Tommy pretends to be Tony. The princess refuses to meet him because she does not want to get married. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Bastini is scheming to force the King to abdicate since his daughter refuses to marry.

Tommy meets the princess and they fall in love.THE DUKE WORE JEANS

Picture Show; London Vol. 70, Iss. 1829, (Apr 19, 1958): 8.


Cast



* Tommy Steele as Tony Whitecliffe / Tommy Hudson

* June Laverick as Princess Maria

* Michael Medwin as Cooper

* Eric Pohlmann as Bastini - Prime Minister

* Alan Wheatley as King of Ritalla

* Noel Hood as Lady Marguerite

* Mary Kerridge as Queen

* Elwyn Brook-Jones as Bartolomeo

* Ambrosine Phillpotts as Duchess Cynthia Whitecliffe

* Clive Morton as Lord Edward Whitecliffe

Production



Steele made the film because he was contracted to Nat Cohen and Stuart Levy for one more movie. He says the idea of the film was his, as he always liked 'The Prince and the Pauper'. "It wasn't only a chance to act a bit, it was also an opportunity to kick around new musical ideas," he wrote later. "I wanted to act a good part and sing show numbers."Steele p 295

Steele was paid 20,000 plus 10% of the profits.Andrew Caine [https://books.google.com/books?id=S1FVg61QpxEC&pg=PA117 'Interpreting Rock Movies: The Pop Film and Its Critics in Britain'], Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2004p.117

Songs



The songs in the film included:

*"It's All Happening"

*"What do You Do"

*"Family Tree"

*"Happy Guitar"

*"Hair-Down, Hoe-Down"

*"Princess"

*"Photograph" (duet with June Laverick)

*"Thanks A Lot"

All of the songs were written by Lionel Bart, Mike Pratt and Jimmy Bennett (a pseudonym of Tommy Steele).

Steele said "Family Tree" in particular "proved Lionel Bart's talent as a wordsmith... It was a bastard to sing but I relished it."Steele p 295

Soundtrack



Chart positions



References



Notes



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