Half A Sixpence (1967)

A 10-year-old orphan, Arthur Kipps (Jeffrey Chandler), and his tiny friend Ann (Deborah Permenter) are wandering beside a stream in the English countryside in the early 1900s when they find a shiny new sixpence. They vow that the coin shall be the symbol of their undying affection.

Years later, Kipps (now played by Tommy Steele) is apprenticed to a draper (Hilton Edwards) in a nearby town but before he leaves, he has the local blacksmith cut the sixpence in half and presents one of the halves to Ann (now played by Julia Foster).

Life is hard for Kipps until he hears from a visiting playwright called Harry Chitterlow (Cyril Richard) that he has inherited a sizeable sum of money from his grandfather.

The money changes his lifestyle – and his relationship with Ann as he’s snatched away by beautiful but haughty society girl Helen Walsingham (Penelope Horner), snubbed by her mother (Pamela Brown) and swindled by her brother, Hubert (James Villiers).

Until it runs out of steam towards the end, this enjoyable musical adaptation of HG Wells’ Kipps is a flash-bang-wallop of a film, all sweep and verve, with Steele and Miss Foster giving run-for-years performances in the leading roles.

The song and dance routines have the explosive build of a combined fireworks display.

Marti Webb provided the singing voice for Julia Foster’s character. Tommy Steele did his own.

Arthur Kipps
Tommy Steele
Ann
Julia Foster
Harry Chitterlow
Cyril Richard
Helen Walsingham
Penelope Horner
Kate
Sheila Falconer
Pearce
Grover Dale
Mrs Walsingham
Pamela Brown
Hubert Walsingham
James Villiers
Shalford
Hilton Edwards
Flo
Julia Sutton
Buggins
Leslie Meadows
Victoria
Elaine Taylor
Lady Botting
Jean Anderson
Sid
Christopher Sandford
Laura
Aleta Morrison
Young Kipps
Jeffrey Chandler
Young Ann
Deborah Permenter

Director
George Sidney
Richard Bakalyan