Expresso Bongo

Cliff Richard's Top of the Pops career got its start with this musical about life on the low side in London's Soho area, with its stripper clubs and coin-op emporiums. He is discovered playing at the Tom Tom Club by sleazy promoter Harvey and turned into a teen idol. He remains a good boy, though, singing religious songs to his mother and eventually breaking his contract with Harvey. The movie is skillfully done, but Richard is insufferably nice. The fast-talking Harvey does a terrific job as the upwardly striving, would-be impresario, reprising--in a scuzzy manner--the characterization that brought him such success in ROOM AT THE TOP a year earlier. Songs include ...