WHERE'S JACK?
UK, 1968, 119 minutes, Colour.
Tommy Steele, Stanley Baker, Fiona Lewis, Alan Badel, Dudley Foster, Sue Lloyd, Noel Purcell.
Directed by James Clavell.
Where's Jack is set in 18th century London, the world of the cartoonist Hogarth, the world of Henry Fielding and Tom Jones. The film has an expert re-creation of London during the period, locations, costumes and decor. The film is a vehicle for Tommy Steele who is excellent as Jack, caught up in city life and becoming a highwayman. Stanley Baker is also expertly sinister as the law enforcer who is actually king of the robbers in London. There is an attractive musical score with a plaintive theme song.
The film was directed by novelist James Clavell who directed Walk Like a Dragon, To Sir With Love and The Last Valley as well as writing his mammoth novels 'Shogun', 'Taipan'.
1. The re-creation of the 18th century? London and its slums? Inner city? A film of London, characters and themes of survival, law and order?
2. The quality of the production, its style? Its re-creation of London in the period? Wealth, the city, crowds, markets? The world of the thieves? Prisons and scaffolds? The slums? Beautiful colour photography, light and darkness?
3. The period costumes, decor, sets? Authentic feeling? Customs? The great attention to detail going on in the background? The influence of Hogarth's sketches? The musical score, the songs - and Mary Hopkins singing?
4. Audience familiarity with 18th century stories of London? Literature and Henry Fielding and the other authors of the period? The comments on society, characters, standards, law,-morals? Survival? The venal system? The aristocracy? The age of reason and revolution?
5. 18th century society, the Hanover rule, the German influence, the powdered and pampered aristocracy and their wealth, the Chancellor and his power, ladies and their fashions, pomp and style, pleasure, gambling, the high stakes, the lack of justice, employing thugs to do the criminal work?
6. London as seen by Hogarth: the city, the streets, poverty? Tom Sheppard and his being caught? The magistrate and his power, executions? Stanley Baker sinister in the role? His court of thieves, power, money? His rule, style, arrogance? Jack and his skills and his overtures? His hold over Tom (and betrayal)? The jobs, the henchmen? Arrests and chases? His being defied by Jack? The pursuit and the wagers? Jack as highwayman, moving amongst the aristocracy? Pressures and anger? Justifying his approach? The final arrest, Jack's execution - but the magistrate outwitted? A sinister figure of greed, power, evil?
7. His henchmen and the gangs, law and abuse, the cutthroats, their sleazy world and behaviour?
8. Tommy Steele as Jack, presence and charm? An ordinary citizen, locksmith, poverty, the family? The magistrate and his overture for Jack to work for him, the refusal, the job? His skills and the robbery? His becoming a highwayman and building up a reputation? The aristocratic ladies and their attraction towards him? Fiona Lewis as the woman helping him-, support, love, the gifts? Jack's boldness and coming to the parties, the bets? His being taken, Bess and self-giving? Escape, the sewers, the chimney? His disguise and deals? The trial? The build-up to the execution and his escape? Becoming a folk hero? Jack summing up this world of Hogarth?
9. Bess and her strength, the taverns, people, the drunks, the poor, the fights, love, grief, the ending?
10. The offsiders and their meeting, the jobs, the face and the blue, the mutual support, caught, messages, escape, deaths and loyalties?
11. The aristocrats and the gambling, the men and the women? The king and his presence? The gambling of houses? The Chancellor? The fire and the trickery?
12. The contrast with the world of the prison, the guards, the urgency? Transportation and cruelty? The gallows? The crowds and their love of executions, eating at the executions? The drama and the final escape?
13. The audience enjoying the characters and their situations? Being immersed in the period and its atmosphere?
