For some years an enterprising firm, Odeon Entertainment, have been restoring and releasing old and neglected British films for their 'Best of British' label. Though it would be stretching a point to claim that all of the titles live up to this billing, they have often managed to unearth some minor treasures. Though banal at times, particularly in characterisation, and not least in the contrived suspense leading to its happy ending, Saturday Night Out is an excellent example. It was emphatically not a 'quota quickie' ( a species that had largely died out by the start of World War 2) but was intended as a main feature.
Granted, the subject of five of the crew (plus one passenger) of a ship, spending an intended night of adventure ashore, is hardly a novel one, but this is a fascinating period piece. Donald and Derek Ford's screenplay is a blend of themes explored in the British New Wave films from the turn of the 1960s, and those from the batch of alleged Soho vice exposes, e.g John Lemont's THE SHAKEDOWN, that slightly preceded them. In fact we concentrate on only three of the crew, as stage Irishman Paddy (Nigel Green) is only concerned to imbibe as much liquor as he can, while Arthur (David Lodge) heads, more or less, straight for the bed of his girl in this particular port, played by Margaret Nolan, but this doesn't add much to the story. Passenger George (Bernard Lee) is picked up by the exotic Wanda (the stunning Erika Remberg) only to become a victim of the old badger game which she's running with the smarmy Paul (Derek Bond), adroitly turning the tables on them. Lee (John Bonney) is entranced by Penny, a whimsical anarchist and existentialist, played by the captivating Heather Sears, in a case of the attraction of opposites. The good looking Bonney is excellent and on this performance it is surprising that he never became a major star. Loudmouthed Harry (Inigo Jackson), outraged to find that his intended conquest for the evening is in fact a prostitute, ends up in a Soho clip joint where he's robbed while being distracted by two hostesses (Caroline Mortimer and Vera Day, both excellent). He then takes a beating from a bouncer played by ex boxer Freddie Mills, ironically soon to be the victim of a fatal shooting, thought not to be unconnected with his real life involvement in shady nightclubs. The shy and inexperienced Jamie and Jean, convincingly played by Colin Campbell and Francesca Annis meet in a realistically looking pub (featuring a couple of numbers from popular Merseyside group The Searchers). Despite finding themselves sharing a room in a boarding house for the night, after coming to the aid of its landlady's mother ( a reliably funny cameo from Patricia Hayes), they don't sleep together, but, in contrast with the other protagonists, already have a basis for a lasting relationship. It's a point the writers make with slightly more conviction than they had managed in their previous script for director Robert Hartford-Davis and producers Michael Klinger and Tony Tenser, blatantly exploitative THE YELLOW TEDDYBEARS.
Granted, the subject of five of the crew (plus one passenger) of a ship, spending an intended night of adventure ashore, is hardly a novel one, but this is a fascinating period piece. Donald and Derek Ford's screenplay is a blend of themes explored in the British New Wave films from the turn of the 1960s, and those from the batch of alleged Soho vice exposes, e.g John Lemont's THE SHAKEDOWN, that slightly preceded them. In fact we concentrate on only three of the crew, as stage Irishman Paddy (Nigel Green) is only concerned to imbibe as much liquor as he can, while Arthur (David Lodge) heads, more or less, straight for the bed of his girl in this particular port, played by Margaret Nolan, but this doesn't add much to the story. Passenger George (Bernard Lee) is picked up by the exotic Wanda (the stunning Erika Remberg) only to become a victim of the old badger game which she's running with the smarmy Paul (Derek Bond), adroitly turning the tables on them. Lee (John Bonney) is entranced by Penny, a whimsical anarchist and existentialist, played by the captivating Heather Sears, in a case of the attraction of opposites. The good looking Bonney is excellent and on this performance it is surprising that he never became a major star. Loudmouthed Harry (Inigo Jackson), outraged to find that his intended conquest for the evening is in fact a prostitute, ends up in a Soho clip joint where he's robbed while being distracted by two hostesses (Caroline Mortimer and Vera Day, both excellent). He then takes a beating from a bouncer played by ex boxer Freddie Mills, ironically soon to be the victim of a fatal shooting, thought not to be unconnected with his real life involvement in shady nightclubs. The shy and inexperienced Jamie and Jean, convincingly played by Colin Campbell and Francesca Annis meet in a realistically looking pub (featuring a couple of numbers from popular Merseyside group The Searchers). Despite finding themselves sharing a room in a boarding house for the night, after coming to the aid of its landlady's mother ( a reliably funny cameo from Patricia Hayes), they don't sleep together, but, in contrast with the other protagonists, already have a basis for a lasting relationship. It's a point the writers make with slightly more conviction than they had managed in their previous script for director Robert Hartford-Davis and producers Michael Klinger and Tony Tenser, blatantly exploitative THE YELLOW TEDDYBEARS.