Take It or Leave It (1981)

Director:

Dave Robinson

Writers:

Phil McDonald (writer)
Dave Robinson (writer)

Genre:

Comedy | Documentary | Music

Tagline:

Madness, Madness, They Call It Madness

Plot:

Autobiographical account of the cult 80's British pop group Madness, with members of the group playing themselves...

Plot Keywords:

Reenactment

Cast

Graham 'Suggs' McPherson	...	Suggs
Mark Bedford	...	Bedders
Lee Thompson	...	Lee
Carl Smyth	...	Carl
Dan Woodgate	...	Woody
Chris Foreman	...	Chris
Mike Barson	...	Barso
John Hasler	...	Hasler
Simon Birdsall	...	Simon
Andrew Chalk	...	Chalky
Ian Tokins	...	Toke
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sandra Barson	...	Barso's girl
Simon Bates	...	Radio 1 DJ (voice)
Keith Bell	...	Foreman #2
Ted Burnett	...	Vicar
Charles Cook	...	Policeman
Sean Curry	...	Policeman
Alfie Curtis	...	Vicar
Bob Curtiss	...	Saxophone teacher
Gary Dovey	...	Gary
Sue Foreman	...	Chris's wife
Wilfred Grove	...	Post office supervisor
Steve Holloway	...	Record shop manager
Carl Howard-Walsh	...	Dole clerk
Gerard Kelly	...	Dick the Ted
Doreen Keogh	...	Manager's wife
Clive Langer	...	Himself
Oswald Lindsay	...	Rasta guy
Barry Linehan	...	Dublin Castle Manager
Zoot Money	...	Publishing executive (as G.B. Zoot Money)
Steve O'Brien	...	Steve
Polly Perkins	...	Bedder's mum
John Simpkin	...	Pathway engineer
Mike Smart	...	Skinhead
Jeremy Stacey	...	Twin
Paul Stacey	...	Twin
Arthur Whybrow	...	Foreman #1

Also Known As:

Madness: Take It or Leave It (UK) (video box title)

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

UK

Color:

Color

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating)

Company:

Nutty Stiff Productions

Goofs:

Continuity: At the start of the scene where Mike is having breakfast with Chris, the level of milk in the milk bottle is just over half full, but in the next shot when Mike pours the milk into his cereal, suddenly the milk bottle is close to being full.

Obligatory stuff if you play or want to play in a band.

The acting in this film may not be brilliant, this film does, however, provide an accurate picture of life in a band. It does not glorify the band members and their achievements but it is a very down to earth narrative about the trials and tribulations of an emerging band. There is some good music to be found and it is worthwile to watch a band grow towards its final shape as one of England's finest bands. Take it, don't leave it!