Finders Keepers (1966 film)

Finders Keepers is a 1966 British musical film directed by Sidney Hayers, written by Michael Pertwee and starring Cliff Richard. It was released in the U.S. the following year. A search was made to find an actress to play the Spanish girl who falls for Cliff, and the 21-year-old Viviane Ventura won the role: born in London, but fluent in Spanish, she sang a spirited duet with Cliff on "Paella".[1]

Finders Keepers
Directed bySidney Hayers
Produced byGeorge H. Brown
Written byMichael Pertwee
Music byBernard Ebbinghouse
CinematographyAlan Hume
Edited byTristam Cones
Release date
  • 8 December 1966 (1966-12-08) (London)
Running time
94 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Cliff and The Shadows travel to a Spanish town for a gig. When they arrive they are puzzled to find the area empty. They find out that a small bomb has accidentally been dropped on the town and the villagers have fled in panic that it will go off. The boys decide to find the bomb and restore peace in the village, with some musical numbers along the way.

Influence

The story is loosely based on a real accident. On 17 January 1966 a US B-52 strategic bomber, carrying four thermonuclear bombs, collided in mid-air with KC-135 tanker plane near Palomares, Spain at 31,000 feet (9,450 metres) altitude. The tanker caught fire and burned, killing all four crew members. The bomber broke apart, killing three of seven crew members aboard. Of the four hydrogen bombs, three were found on land near Palomares. Two non-nuclear explosives detonated upon impact, spreading plutonium into 2 square km area. The fourth bomb was rescued after 2½ months effort from the Mediterranean sea.[2]

Cast

Critical reception

The Radio Times described the film as a "dismal romp" which "marked the end of Cliff's screen collaboration with the Shadows".[3] Variety wrote that "Michael Pertwee’s screenplay does not build up much urgency or suspense but provides opportunity for colorful fiesta, a gentle romance between Richard and Ventura, some verbal dueling between Robert Morley and Graham Stark".[4] Sky Movies noted that "Peggy Mount and Robert Morley ('For £10,000, I'd walk naked down Horse Guards Parade') provide formidable comedy support for the stars."[5]

Music

Music and lyrics by The Shadows. Songs include: "Finders Keepers," "Washerwoman," "My Way," "Paella," "La, La, La," "Fiesta," and "Time Drags By."

Soundtrack
Finders Keepers
Soundtrack album by
Cliff Richard and The Shadows
ReleasedDecember 1966
RecordedMay 1965, Apr-Sep 1966
StudioEMI Abbey Road
LabelColumbia
ProducerNorrie Paramor
Cliff Richard chronology
Kinda Latin
(1966)		 Finders Keepers
(1966)		 Cinderella
(1967)

The soundtrack album Finders Keepers by Cliff Richard and The Shadows was released on Columbia Records (Columbia SCX 6079). It was their fourth film soundtrack album and Richard's eighteenth album overall. The album reached number 6 in the UK Album Charts in an 18-week run in the top 40.[6]

Track listing
  1. "Finders Keepers" (Cliff Richard and The Shadows)
  2. "Time Drags By" (Cliff Richard and The Shadows)
  3. "Washerwoman" (Cliff Richard and The Shadows)
  4. "La La La song" (Cliff Richard and The Shadows)
  5. "My Way" (The Shadows)
  6. "Oh Senorita" (Cliff Richard and The Shadows)
  7. "Spanish Music" (The Shadows)
  8. "Fiesta" (Cliff Richard and The Shadows)
  9. "This Day" (Cliff Richard and The Shadows)
  10. "Paella" (Cliff Richard and The Shadows)
  11. "Finders Keepers"/"My Way"/"Paella"/"Fiesta" (Medley) (The Shadows)
  12. "Run to the Door" (not from the film)
  13. "Where Did the Summer Go" (not from the film)
  14. "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall" (Cliff Richard and The Shadows) (not from the film)

Tagline

The film's tagline is 'The beat is the wildest! The blast is the craziest!... and the fun is where you find it!'

References
  1. "Finders Keepers". Find and Watch.
  2. 1966 Palomares B-52 crash
  3. David Parkinson. "Finders Keepers". RadioTimes.
  4. "Search Results". Variety.
  5. "Finders Keepers". Find and Watch.
  6. "Cliff Richard UK Chart History". www.officialcharts.com. The Official UK Charts Company.
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