Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush (film)

Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush is a 1967 British comedy film produced and directed by Clive Donner, based on the novel of the same name by Hunter Davies.[1] The film stars Barry Evans, Judy Geeson and Angela Scoular.[2] It was listed to compete at the 1968 Cannes Film Festival,[3] but the festival was cancelled due to the events of May 1968 in France.[4]

Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush
British quad poster
Directed byClive Donner
Produced byClive Donner
Screenplay byHunter Davies
Larry Kramer (additional dialogue)
Based onHere We Go Round the Mulberry Bush
by Hunter Davies
StarringBarry Evans
Judy Geeson
Angela Scoular
Sheila White
Adrienne Posta
Diane Keen
Christopher Timothy
Music byTraffic
Spencer Davis Group
Andy Ellison
CinematographyAlex Thomson
Edited byFergus McDonell
Production
company
Giant Production Films
Distributed byUnited Artists
Release date
  • January 1968 (1968-01)
Running time
96 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray officially for the first time by the British Film Institute (BFI) in September 2010 as part of its "Flipside" strand.[5]

Plot summary

Jamie McGregor (Barry Evans) is a virginal sixth-former in a Swinging Sixties new town, delivering groceries for the local supermarket. However he is more interested in matters sexual and sets out to lose his virginity by attempting to seduce the local girls – Linda, Paula, Caroline, and his dream girl, Mary. He ultimately succeeds in bedding the sexually aggressive Audrey, only to learn too late that sex isn't as important as he initially believed.

Cast

Music

The music was released by United Artists Records as a soundtrack album in 1968.[6] It has been re-issued on CD by Rykodisc. The Spencer Davis Group provided most of the music and made a cameo appearance in the film at a church fete.[7] The title track "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush" was written and performed by Traffic.[6] Traffic also have two other songs on the soundtrack album "Am I What I Was or Was I What I Am" and a version of "Utterly Simple" that is different from the recording used on the album Mr Fantasy. Andy Ellison of the group John's Children also appears on the soundtrack album with the song "It's Been a Long Time".[8]

Location

The location for the film was Stevenage New Town, Hertfordshire.[9]

The sailing scenes at the "Botel" were filmed on Grafham Water, Huntingdonshire.[10]

Release

The film was meant to screen at Cannes, with early buzz indicating that it would be a festival favourite and go on to become a sleeper hit; it never showed there due to the May 1968 events in France, and, failing to make an impressive premier, went on to an only mediocre performance at the UK box office. Horror journalist Preston Fassel, in his biography of Vanessa Howard, noted this was the first incident in a string of unfortunate coincidences for the actress, whose career was continually derailed by circumstances beyond her control.[11]

Reception

The film was the 14th-most popular movie at the Australian box office in 1969.[12] It was the 10th-most popular film in general release at the British box office in 1968.[13]

References
  1. "Here We Go round the Mulberry Bush (1967)". BFI.
  2. "BFI Screenonline: Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush (1967)".
  3. "Festival de Cannes: Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush". festival-cannes.com. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2009.
  4. "In May 1968, the Cannes Film Festival ground to a halt. Fifty years later, it's still sparking controversy". Los Angeles Times. 20 April 2018.
  5. "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush Blu-ray". Blu-ray.com.
  6. "Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush [RPM]". AllMusic.
  7. "British 60s cinema – Here we go round the mulberry bush". Archived from the original on 24 April 2016.
  8. "The Spencer Davis Group / Traffic – Here We Go 'Round The Mulberry Bush". Discogs.
  9. "Reel Streets".
  10. "Reel Streets".
  11. Fassel, Preston. Remembering Vanessa. Screem Magazine. Spring 2014
  12. "The World's Top Twenty Films." Sunday Times [London, England] 27 Sept. 1970: 27. The Sunday Times Digital Archive. accessed 5 April 2014
  13. John Wayne-money-spinner The Guardian (1959–2003) [London (UK)] 31 December 1968: 3.
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