Saw this on Talking Pictures TV today. Basically the film was an attempt to cash-in on the popularity of what was the first pop music programme on British television. It has the flimsiest of plots i.e. a hopeful young singer is persuaded by her pal to try for an audition. By an amazing coincidence their train is full of popular music performers of the time who are happy to perform their latest song and give advice. To be honest most of the songs are rubbish. Pet Clarke's "Baby Lover" (yes really) stands out as particularly excruciating. Benny Hill did an exaggerated send up of it in his tv show, which was what it deserved! Also, the hopeful Diana Todd has a soprano singing style set around 1950 , so she's not even contemporary. Critics have commented that most of the rock and roll performers who appeared on the tv show were in fact jazz musicians, and the tradition is certainly continued here with the likes of Johnny Dankworth, Cleo Laine, Des Lane, The Ken-Tones and Don Lang. Dickie Valentine and Russ Hamilton give the film a bit more of an appeal to young folk, but the best performance comes from Lonnie Donegan with "Grand Coolie Dam" and "Jack O'Diamonds." It was as the credits rolled that I realised I'd never actually liked The Six-Five Special. I'd confused it with its infinitely superior ITV rival Oh Boy!
Review of Six-Five Special
