I've Gotta Horse

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stuart.uk
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Joined: January 21st, 2008, 12:25 pm
Location: Dundee, Scotland

I've Gotta Horse

Post by stuart.uk »

Spoiler

I hadn't seen I've Gotta Horse (1966) for about 30-years until recently and I wasn't disappointed. When I first saw the film in the early 70s I was amazed I'd never heard of the films star Billy Fury before, he was that good. However, I later discovered, like Bobby Darin, Billy had a serious heart condition from childhood which in his case pervented him from doing much work in is 30s, the film exception being That'll Be The Day with Ringo Starr and David Essex, and leading to his tragic death at 42 after attempting what was creatively a successful comeback.

The film is like The Beatles A Hard Days Night in the sense Billy plays himself in a fictional story and has a fictional Manager, in his case Michael Medwin. It does however, tell the story of Billy's love of animals, particurly a horse he buys and races, but only for it to sadly die. However, his Manager buys him anther horse that finishes 4th in the Epsom Derby. One of the themes of the film is that a shows producer is concerned that Billy is more concerned with his horses than starring in his show and is mortified when he finds out his star is at Epsom on the very day he's to open the show. Luckilly Billy turns up on time and in his top hat and tails takes to the stage.

It's also nice to see Amanda Barrie as his personal secretary, who carries a torch for her employer, but is only noticed romantically at the end of the film. I'm not sure however, if Amanda did her own vocals or was dubbed. It's a wonder Amande never became a major star in the 60s as she made an impact in a small role of a short skirted taxi driver in the 1962 Carry On Cabby or more so as the female lead as Cleopatra in Carry On Cleo. Amanda in the UK in the 80s and 90s made her biggest impact as cafe owner Alma Baldwin in the 53=year-old soap Coronation Street.

Two songs stand out in the film, I've Gotta Horse and I Like Animals Much Better Than Human Beings
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Fossy
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Re: I've Gotta Horse

Post by Fossy »

Amanda did her own vocals in the songs "You`ve Got To Look Right For The Part" and "Problems". For the songs "Do The Old Soft Shoe" and "Dressed Up For A Man" she was dubbed by Sheila O`Neill.
stuart.uk
Posts: 1805
Joined: January 21st, 2008, 12:25 pm
Location: Dundee, Scotland

Re: I've Gotta Horse

Post by stuart.uk »

Hi Fossy

Thanks for the info. It must have happened before, but I still imagine it's unusual for an actress to use her on vocals on some songs in a film and be dubbed on others. I didn't think I've Gotta A Horse wouldbe that well known outside the U.K
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Fossy
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Joined: April 29th, 2010, 8:13 pm
Location: Cairns, Qld., Australia

Re: I've Gotta Horse

Post by Fossy »

My comment is based only on what I have read. I have not seen the movie. I agree that it is unusual for a singer to be dubbed and to also sing with her own voice in the same movie. I do not know of another instance.
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