Sweet Beat (U.S. title: The Amorous Sex) is a 1959 British 'B' black-and-white musical film directed by Ronnie Albert and starring Julie Amber, Sheldon Lawrence and Irv Bauer. The screenplay was by Ron Ahran based on a story by Sheldon Stark. It includes appearances by several American pop acts including The Mello-Kings and The Five Satins.
Preservation status The British Film Institute National Archive holds no stills or ephemera, and no film or video materials. Plot
Bonnie Martyn, winner of a holiday camp beauty contest, heads to London seeking fame as a singer. She is promised a record deal, and is tricked into going to New York. She is eventually reunited with her boyfriend Bill Lacey.
Cast Julie Amber as Bonnie Martyn Sheldon Lawrence as Bill "Larry" Lacey Irv Bauer as Dave Lafferts Leonie Page as Tina Miller David Browning as Gerry Turner Al Burnett as club owner Keith Fordyce as disc jockey (himself) Billy Myles as himself Cindy Man as herself (cut from U.S. version) Fred Parris as himself Lee Allen as himself The Mello-Kings as themselves The Five Satins as themselves
Production Filming locations included Butlin's holiday camps at Clacton-on-Sea and Cliftonville, and London's The Stork Room, run by Al Burnett.
Soundtrack The film featured the following songs:
"Thanks" (Peter Warren, Adrienne Birkhard, Jeff Kruger) "Just for the Asking" (Buddy Kaye, Leon Carr) "Recently" (Tommie Connor) "Careless Caresses" (Billy Myles) "The Joker" (Billy Myles) "How Do You Mend a Broken Heart?" (Winfield Scott) "Boppin' at the Hop" (Lee Allen, A.Tyler) "Sweet Beat" (Tony Crombie) "Luva Luva Love Me" (George Scheck) "Tonite Tonite" (Billy Myles) "I Remember (in the Still of the Nite)" (Fred Parris)
In 1959 a 7-inch double A/B side EP was released in the UK with "Tonite Tonite", "I Remember", "Boppin' at the Hop" and "Luva Luva Love Me" (Top Rank Records, JKR 8007).
Critical reception The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "A mild and artless warning to the stage struck, relying on striptease, "pop" numbers and holiday camp and night club backgrounds for its teen-age appeal. Direction and performance are very uneven."
In British Sound Films: The Studio Years 1928–1959 David Quinlan rated the film as "poor", writing: "Bottom-budget pop musical/moral warning has that home-made look."
Home media The film was released on DVD in 2009 by Pegasus Entertainment.
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