Wonderful Life
Reviewed By Janet Mawdesley February 15, 2017
Artist – Cliff Riochard and the Shadows.
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htp:/www.viavision.com.au
An oldie but a goody, this re-release of the 1964 movie, Wonderful Life, was created as another vehicle to promote the rising career of pop sensation Cliff Richard, but failed to be as successful as several of this other movies, such as Summer Holiday, but none the less, the teenagers of the 1960’s still flocked to watch their idol in his latest ‘rather corny’ movie. Mind you, this was not considered ‘corny’, as way back then, to see such a ‘God’ on the silver screen was almost incredible and something not to be missed. Oh how we all swooned!
Also starring the Shadows, the music is still as enjoyable this many years on. Una Stubbs, the delightful Susan Hampshire and the indomitable Richard O’Sullivan, along with a number of others find themselves in the ‘dessert’ and somehow become involved in trying to make their own film.
When five young musicians manage to get themselves kicked off the cruise ship they were working on they discover they have to some way or other, find their way back to Britain and to do that they needed money.
By paddling a life raft with their guitars across what we presume to be the Mediterranean, they successfully land on a shore, which just happens to be a desert. Johnnie (Richard) sees what he thinks is a girl on a runaway camel and rescues her. The problem soon becomes apparent this was no runaway, not even a damsel in distress, but a delightful young lady appearing in a movie although not doing too good a job of the entire thing.
Of course, Johnnie and the boys become involved, make a hash of trying to make their own movie version, but in the end, the movie, a combination of the correct and the alternate versions, becomes a hit and accompanied by wonderful music from the Shadows, the hero not only wins the day, but the girl of his dreams.
Do You Remember provides the soundtrack for wonderful cameo performances by Cliff Richard doing impersonations of Groucho Marx, Al Joplin and Sean Connery in Dr No, with Richard O’Sullivan doing an uncanny impersonation of the incredible Charlie Chaplin.
Hits from the movie are the evergreen Summer Holiday and Batchelor Boy with the wonderful ballad A Matter of Moments still holding that dreamy and sensual appeal.
A great journey down memory lane for fans and movie buffs alike, Wonderful Life still makes for a comfy afternoon on the couch with a good glass of red, enjoying a return to a time when life appeared to be so much less complicated.