Yes, I too went dancing at the "Hammersmith Palais" in London from 1972-1976 and before that in 1964 I learnt the basic dance steps at a hired room of a cinema in Harrow, Middx.Dancing was certainly one method of meeting members of the opposite sex if you did not have the opportunity at work or college.At the "Hammersmith Palais" the resident orchestra was Ken Macintosh along with his regular band singers who belted out pop hits of the day.My late mother impressed upon me that dancing should be in every young man's accomplishments and there were many new dances taught to students in the 60s & 70s e.g. "The Stroll", "The Twist" "Cha-Cha-Cha" etc.
The subject film is set in 1950 when the survivors of WWII had returned to their jobs and housing was very claustrophobic, cramped and scarce with all the bomb damage around.In many cases one had to live with in-laws which this film aptly illustrates.Of course in reality the girls turning lathes in factories would have had harsh vernacular accents, not the modulated sounds taught at drama schools in the late 1940s.Most notably Diana Dors (real name Diana Fluck) appeared in one of her early films before she dyed her hair peroxide blonde which she did from the mid 1950s and which is her most popular public persona when she was billed as Britain's Marilyn Monroe.Bonar Colleano (a U.S. import), first came to my attention in the 1948 film "Sleeping Car To Trieste", here plays a dance partner of the female lead who has ambitions to win the dance competition at the "Palais".You will notice that in films of this vintage, unlike today with it's politically correct messages, almost everyone smoked which I personally put down to the stresses of living through WWII.One politely offered friends a cigarette like offering round a bag of sweets."London Live" TV station is currently running a season of Ealing Films which I am enjoying as it gives me a chance to view those Ealing films not familiar to the general public.Moderately enjoyable I rated it 6/10
The subject film is set in 1950 when the survivors of WWII had returned to their jobs and housing was very claustrophobic, cramped and scarce with all the bomb damage around.In many cases one had to live with in-laws which this film aptly illustrates.Of course in reality the girls turning lathes in factories would have had harsh vernacular accents, not the modulated sounds taught at drama schools in the late 1940s.Most notably Diana Dors (real name Diana Fluck) appeared in one of her early films before she dyed her hair peroxide blonde which she did from the mid 1950s and which is her most popular public persona when she was billed as Britain's Marilyn Monroe.Bonar Colleano (a U.S. import), first came to my attention in the 1948 film "Sleeping Car To Trieste", here plays a dance partner of the female lead who has ambitions to win the dance competition at the "Palais".You will notice that in films of this vintage, unlike today with it's politically correct messages, almost everyone smoked which I personally put down to the stresses of living through WWII.One politely offered friends a cigarette like offering round a bag of sweets."London Live" TV station is currently running a season of Ealing Films which I am enjoying as it gives me a chance to view those Ealing films not familiar to the general public.Moderately enjoyable I rated it 6/10