Davy is a 1958 British comedy-drama film directed by Michael Relph and starring Harry Secombe, Alexander Knox and Ron Randell. It was the last comedy to be made by Ealing Studios and had the distinction of being the first British film in Technirama. Davy was intended to launch the solo career of Harry Secombe, who was already a popular British radio personality on The Goon Show, but it was only moderately successful.
Plot
A young entertainer is conflicted over the chance of a big break. He has to decide whether to remain with his family's music hall act or to go solo.
Main cast
Harry Secombe as Davy Morgan
Alexander Knox as Sir Giles Manning
Ron Randell as George
George Relph as Uncle Pat Morgan
Susan Shaw as Gwen
Bill Owen as Eric
Isabel Dean as Miss Helen Carstairs
Adele Leigh as Joanna Reeves
Peter Frampton as Tim
Joan Sims as Tea Lady
Gladys Henson as Beatrice, Tea Lady
George Moon as Jerry
Clarkson Rose as Mrs. Magillicuddy
Kenneth Connor as Herbie
Liz Fraser as Tea Lady
Charles Lamb as Henry
Arnold Marlé as Mr. Winkler
Campbell Singer as Stage Doorkeeper
Peter Frampton, who plays young Tim, was the son of Harry Frampton, makeup artist for many years at Ealing including in this film. Peter would eventually follow in his father's footsteps and worked as his assistant on several films, including Hitchcock's Frenzy (1972). In 1995, Peter Frampton won the Oscar for Best Makeup for Braveheart. He remembered his filming on Davy fondly, as "it meant time off school and (getting the) star treatment."
Reception
Box office
According to MGM records, the film earned only $40,000 in the US and Canada and $265,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss of $279,000.
Critical
TV Guide called the film a "pleasant if unimpressive drama"; Britmovie wrote, "stylistically the film is an awkward combination of broad farce, Secombe having made his name as one of the denizens of the celebrated Goon Show, and awkward, turgid scenes of moral conflict"; while Allmovie noted, "a stellar supporting cast enables Davy to overcome its occasional banalities and cliches."