Linda *** (1960, Carol White, Alan Rothwell, Cavan Malone, Edward Cast) – Classic Movie Review 13,881

Director Don Sharp’s 1960 British second feature teen romantic and kitchen sink drama film Linda is written by Bill MacIlwraith, and stars Carol White and Alan Rothwell as teenage lovers.

Director Don Sharp’s 1960 British second feature teen drama film Linda is written by Bill MacIlwraith and stars Carol White (Cathy Come Home) and Alan Rothwell (Coronation Street original cast member).

Linda is an entertaining short support feature with two charming star performances, and a lot of story and period charm too, with good, imaginative use of cramped studio sets, as well as precious fragrant location views of south and central London, a visit to Battersea Fun Fair, and a nice side trip Brighton.

Carol White as Linda and Alan Rothwell as Phil provide all the film’s best scenes and moments as their love affair develops sympathetically, sweetly and even credibly (just). Linda and Phil might be a bit dim, but they are by no means dull, and the actors make them appealing. Both of them sport impressive hair-dos and exude sexual allure. The teenage tearaway gang, its bullying leader The Chief (Cavan Malone, way too old), and the kindly, wise ‘progressive’ vicar (Edward Cast, looking right) are all-too-easy stereotypes, giving the actors problems, and the wish-fulfilment course of their story doesn’t run true at all, but nevertheless you still want to like it. It teases by seeming to be developing into a violent crime movie, but that doesn’t happen at all. The vicar and the Salvation Army are way too clever for the teenage tearaways. The film has a sunny take on life: true love and God will conquer boredom and crime. No contest.

Bill MacIlwraith’s screenplay has a lot going for it. It’s amusing and pleasing. Don Sharp’s directing is creative and attentive. The film runs only 59 minutes, and it’s a pleasure.

Let’s try to forgive them for the worst theme tune ever, the campy song ‘Linda’, composed by David Lee (born in Newington, London. on 12 August 1926) and produced by Joe Meek (1929-1967), both legendary names.

The film began shooting on 23 May 1960 over only 15 days, in the studio at Beaconsfield Film Studios, Buckinghamshire, England, UK, and on location in south and central London and Brighton.

It is made on a budget of £22,300 by Independent Artists, who rehired Don Sharp after he worked for them on The Professionals (1960). It was released by Bryanston Films as the support feature to the hit film Saturday Night and Sunday Morning on November 1960 (UK), which meant a lot of people saw it.

It was considered a lost film and was on the British Film Institute’s 75 Most Wanted list of missing British feature films, but has now been rediscovered, and was restored and digitally remastered by Renown Productions in 2025, and was shown on Talking Pictures TV in August 2025.

Cast: Carol White as Linda, Alan Rothwell as Phil, Cavan Malone as Chief, Edward Cast as vicar, Vivienne Lacey as Rosie, Lois Daine as Clara, Larry Dann as Len, Keith Faulkner as Joe, Harry Pringle as Fred, Richard Palmer as Teddy, Tony Lyons as Dave, Pearson Dodd as Jack.

Carol White called the film ‘an unmemorable B flick’, in which her character ‘was a vulnerable, amazingly stupid girl from south of the river’. She recalled: ‘We spent days and days on location at Battersea Fun Fair, the icy wind like cold fingers up my dress as I went from whirlygigs to the big wheel, every shot being repeated until the director managed to film me with a dumb, exhilarated grin and my legs wide open.’

White had just appeared in 1960’s Never Let Go, but Linda was her first starring role. She then starred in 1962’s Gaolbreak, ‘the story appearing to carry on where Linda had left off’, she recalled.

Alan Rothwell played David Barlow in 250 episodes of ITV’s Coronation Street from 1960 to 1968.

 © Derek Winnert 2026 – Classic Movie Review 13,881

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