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Wonderful Life

  • 19641964
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 53m
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
302
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Susan Hampshire and Cliff Richard in Wonderful Life (1964)
MusicMusicalRomance

A group of (literally) drifting popsters find themselves involved in a grim sand-and-sandals desert movie. They reckon a few song-and-dance numbers would liven things up.A group of (literally) drifting popsters find themselves involved in a grim sand-and-sandals desert movie. They reckon a few song-and-dance numbers would liven things up.A group of (literally) drifting popsters find themselves involved in a grim sand-and-sandals desert movie. They reckon a few song-and-dance numbers would liven things up.

IMDb RATING
5.4/10
302
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Sidney J. Furie
  • Writers
    • Peter Myers(original story and screenplay)
    • Ronald Cass(original story and screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Cliff Richard
    • Walter Slezak
    • Susan Hampshire
Top credits
  • Director
    • Sidney J. Furie
  • Writers
    • Peter Myers(original story and screenplay)
    • Ronald Cass(original story and screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Cliff Richard
    • Walter Slezak
    • Susan Hampshire
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 9User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos15

    Wonderful Life (1964)
    Cliff Richard in Wonderful Life (1964)
    Cliff Richard in Wonderful Life (1964)
    Cliff Richard in Wonderful Life (1964)
    Hank B. Marvin and Cliff Richard in Wonderful Life (1964)
    Cliff Richard in The Young Ones (1961)
    Susan Hampshire in Wonderful Life (1964)
    Susan Hampshire, Melvyn Hayes, Richard O'Sullivan, and Cliff Richard in Wonderful Life (1964)
    Derek Bond and Walter Slezak in Wonderful Life (1964)
    Susan Hampshire and Cliff Richard in Wonderful Life (1964)
    Walter Slezak in Wonderful Life (1964)
    Una Stubbs in Wonderful Life (1964)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Cliff Richard
    Cliff Richard
    • Johnnieas Johnnie
    Walter Slezak
    Walter Slezak
    • Lloyd Davisas Lloyd Davis
    Susan Hampshire
    Susan Hampshire
    • Jenny Tayloras Jenny Taylor
    Hank B. Marvin
    • Hankas Hank
    Bruce Welch
    • Bruceas Bruce
    • (as The Shadows)
    Brian Bennett
    Brian Bennett
    • Brianas Brian
    • (as The Shadows)
    John Rostill
    • Johnas John
    • (as The Shadows)
    Melvyn Hayes
    Melvyn Hayes
    • Jerryas Jerry
    Richard O'Sullivan
    Richard O'Sullivan
    • Edwardas Edward
    Una Stubbs
    Una Stubbs
    • Barbara Tateas Barbara Tate
    Derek Bond
    Derek Bond
    • Douglas Leslieas Douglas Leslie
    Gerald Harper
    • Sheikas Sheik…
    Joseph Cuby
    Joseph Cuby
    • Miguelas Miguel
    • (as Joe Cuby)
    Royston Ellis
    The Shadows
    • The Shadowsas The Shadows
    Hyma Beckley
    • Film Premiere Audienceas Film Premiere Audience
    • (uncredited)
    Paul Beradi
    • Film Premier Audienceas Film Premier Audience
    • (uncredited)
    Philip Stewart
    • Film Premier Audienceas Film Premier Audience
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Sidney J. Furie
    • Writers
      • Peter Myers(original story and screenplay)
      • Ronald Cass(original story and screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit
    A group of (literally) drifting popsters find themselves involved in a grim sand-and-sandals desert movie. They reckon a few song-and-dance numbers would liven things up. —Jeremy Perkins {J-26}
    film in filmindependent film
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Cliff's back! - He's swingin' singin' livin' and dancin' to a dozen it tunes!
    • Genres
      • Music
      • Musical
      • Romance
    • Certificate
      • Not Rated
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Derek Bond was booked after Dennis Price who was first hired was fired.
    • Goofs
      At the end of the "Home" sequence, Johnny, Jerry and Edward sit on the back of the boat and have to pretend they are falling backwards off the stern. Moments before they are supposed to fall, the hands of two or three members of the crew can be seen raising into shot ready to catch them.
    • Connections
      References The Gangsters (1913)
    • Soundtracks
      Wonderful Life
      Written Bruce Welch and Brian Bennett

      Performed by Cliff Richard

    User reviews9

    Review
    Top review
    How could they get it so badly wrong?
    OK - The Young Ones was a pleasant enough little movie, with some great songs to hide the pacing problems and weaknesses in the plot. Summer Holiday was a towering success on every level and remains to this day an absolute joy to watch, so just how, only 1 year after that wonderful film, did the same production team manage to make a film so utterly uninteresting and unenjoyable? I mean, I really wanted to like this movie but after several viewings I had to give in and admit that it really is an absolute disaster!

    Their first mistake of course was not keeping the same actors from Summer Holiday who all seemed to gel together so well and contribute to the enormous charm of that movie. And bringing the Richard O Sullivan character back from The Young Ones was surely a big mistake. The absence of Teddy Green in Wonderful Life is really felt, big time. I kept hoping he, Jeremy Bulloch and the others from Summer Holiday would appear and turn this monstrosity around, but sadly no. All we have is almost 2 hours of O Sullivan and Hayes irritating the heck out of us and a plot that just drifts with no direction whatsoever.

    And this time the songs aren't strong enough to cover up the cracks in the plot. True, there are a few exceptions, notably The Shadows' "Theme for Young Lovers", "On The Beach" and "A Matter of Moments" but they aren't enough to disguise the fact that this is really a terribly disappointing film.
    helpful•7
    5
    • Shadowman1
    • Oct 30, 2005

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 3, 1964 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Swingers' Paradise
    • Filming locations
      • The Elstree Studios of Associated British Picture Corporation, Hertfordshire, England, UK
    • Production company
      • Ivy Productions [gb]
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 53 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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