Expresso Bongo

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Expresso Bongo

1959

1h 51m

Musical

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

40%

Tomatometer

5 Reviews

40%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

A talent agent named Johnny Jackson (Laurence Harvey) tries to resurrect his flagging career when he stumbles upon a talented young rock 'n' roll musician, Bert Rudge (Cliff Richard). Although Rudge protests and says he doesn't want to be a star, Jackson transforms the youth into a teen idol, renaming him Bongo Herbert. Pretty soon, Bongo Herbert is making it big, with a single hitting the charts and Jackson pulling the strings. But, as the two find out, success is fleeting.

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Frank J. Avella

Edge Media Network

02/07/2022

B

Expresso Bongo has much to recommend it. Firstly, the film has a clever script (by Wolf Mankowitz, based on Julian More's play) with hilarious, yet keen, moments (the Rudge family scenes are priceless).

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

01/22/2022

3/4

More successful as a satire about show biz sleaze than as a bouncy musical.

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MFB Critics

Monthly Film Bulletin

01/24/2018

In broadening the humour of his original play and watering down some of its more savage satire, presumably in the hope of appealing to a mass audience, Wolf Mankowitz has fallen between two stools.

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

12/20/2007

C+

Has a charm all its own, but that's not enough to take the ringing of the bongo drums out of my ears.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

07/28/2005

2/5

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06/22/2017

A funny, fast paced, breezy look at a scene few are aware even existed. The 1950s Soho coffee house scene in London was a brief flickering candle of hip and beat, well sent up in this black & white masterpiece. I've watched it several times and it never grows old.

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01/24/2016

Looked a bit like this was the start of Cliff Richard's career-movie , it could be but it wasn't ! Simple movie ...highlights 3 Cliff-songs ...SOMDVD

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04/23/2015

another early rock n roll pics

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12/24/2009

A bit dated, but that almost adds to the interest of the film. Well acted by Laurence Harvey. Some great music, good score.

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01/27/2008

cliff...he's not at wimbledon or church!)

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11/19/2007

Top stuff - make sure you see it. Or I'll batter you.

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Val Guest

Director

Laurence Harvey

Johnny Jackson

Sylvia Syms

Maisie King

Cliff Richard

Bert Rudge

Yolande Donlan

Dixie Collins

Meier Tzelniker

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Synopsis

A talent agent named Johnny Jackson (Laurence Harvey) tries to resurrect his flagging career when he stumbles upon a talented young rock 'n' roll musician, Bert Rudge (Cliff Richard). Although Rudge protests and says he doesn't want to be a star, Jackson transforms the youth into a teen idol, renaming him Bongo Herbert. Pretty soon, Bongo Herbert is making it big, with a single hitting the charts and Jackson pulling the strings. But, as the two find out, success is fleeting.

Director: Val Guest
Producer: John Pennington, Val Guest
Genre: Musical, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (DVD): Jun 11, 2007
Runtime: 1h 51m

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