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Sparrows Can't Sing

  • 19631963
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
445
YOUR RATING
Sparrows Can't Sing (1963)
Charlie returns to the East End after two years at sea to find his house demolished and wife Maggie gone. Everyone else knows she is now shacked up with married bus driver Bert and a toddler, and they all watch with more than a little interest at the trail of mayhem Charlie leaves as he goes about sorting things out.
Play trailer3:01
1 Video
5 Photos
ComedyDrama
Charlie returns to the East End after two years at sea to find his house demolished and wife Maggie gone. Everyone else knows she is now shacked up with married bus driver Bert and a toddler... Read allCharlie returns to the East End after two years at sea to find his house demolished and wife Maggie gone. Everyone else knows she is now shacked up with married bus driver Bert and a toddler, and they all watch with more than a little interest at the trail of mayhem Charlie leave... Read allCharlie returns to the East End after two years at sea to find his house demolished and wife Maggie gone. Everyone else knows she is now shacked up with married bus driver Bert and a toddler, and they all watch with more than a little interest at the trail of mayhem Charlie leaves as he goes about sorting things out.
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
445
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Joan Littlewood
  • Writers
    • Stephen Lewis(screenplay)
    • Joan Littlewood(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • James Booth
    • Barbara Windsor
    • Roy Kinnear
  • Director
    • Joan Littlewood
  • Writers
    • Stephen Lewis(screenplay)
    • Joan Littlewood(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • James Booth
    • Barbara Windsor
    • Roy Kinnear
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 12User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
      • 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 3:01
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    Photos

    Quad
    Sparrows Can't Sing (1963)
    Sparrows Can't Sing (1963)
    James Booth and Barbara Windsor in Sparrows Can't Sing (1963)

    Top cast

    Edit
    James Booth
    James Booth
    • Charlie
    Barbara Windsor
    Barbara Windsor
    • Maggie
    Roy Kinnear
    Roy Kinnear
    • Fred
    Avis Bunnage
    Avis Bunnage
    • Bridgie
    Brian Murphy
    Brian Murphy
    • Jack
    George Sewell
    George Sewell
    • Bert
    Barbara Ferris
    Barbara Ferris
    • Nellie
    Griffith Davies
    • Chunky
    Murray Melvin
    Murray Melvin
    • Georgie
    Arthur Mullard
    Arthur Mullard
    • Ted
    Peggy Ann Clifford
    • Ted's Wife
    Wally Patch
    • Watchman
    Bob Grant
    Bob Grant
    • Perce
    Stephen Lewis
    Stephen Lewis
    • Caretaker
    Victor Spinetti
    Victor Spinetti
    • Arnold
    Jenny Sontag
    • Momma
    May Scagnelli
    • Gran
    Fanny Carby
    • Lil
    • Director
      • Joan Littlewood
    • Writers
      • Stephen Lewis(screenplay) (based upon the stage play by)
      • Joan Littlewood(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When Charlie (James Booth) sees Maggie's (Barbara Windsor) baby in the pram he says "Look at that expression, that is definitely my baby". He's telling the truth as it is his own daughter Sarah (Sarah Booth).
    • Goofs
      Barbara, pushing a baby in a pram is bare headed, she leaves the baby with friends and dashes off to see a boyfriend and now has a headscarf over her head.

      Correction - The headscarf isn't a goof. See when she leaves the flat, she takes the scarf with her and when she leaves the pram with her niece, she takes the headscarf with her - then she puts it on.
    • Quotes

      Nellie: 'Scuse me. I'm looking for some people by the name of Briggs. I just want to know their address.

      [caretaker points to a flat about half-way up the tower block]

      Caretaker: You see that flat up their with the Venetian blinds up? Well they're down. That's the one. If the blinds are up and the lights are out, they're out. When the blinds are down and the lights are on, they're in. Course if the blinds are down and the lights are out, they might be out.

      Chunky: Might just be a blind.

    • Crazy credits
      Closing credits epilogue: . . . . and so on
    • Connections
      Featured in Flesh and Blood: The story of the Krays (1991)
    • Soundtracks
      Sparrows Can't Sing
      Written and Composed by Lionel Bart

      Sung by Barbara Windsor

    User reviews12

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Enjoyable slice of real.life
    As distinct from East Enders PC version..Get the impression that things really were like that in a neighbourhood where people still.spoke and looked English! Would like to see Lionel.Bart's musical version and wish Joan Littlewood had made more films!
    helpful•3
    7
    • marktayloruk
    • Nov 6, 2020

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 30, 1964 (Finland)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Vrapci ne znaju pevati
    • Filming locations
      • Limehouse, London, England, UK
    • Production company
      • Carthage Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 34 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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