Where’s Jack? *** (1969, Tommy Steele, Stanley Baker, Alan Badel, Fiona Lewis, Alan Badel, Dudley Foster, Sue Lloyd) – Classic Movie Review 9951

Director James Clavell’s 1969 film Where’s Jack? provides a serious role for Tommy Steele (fresh from success in Half a Sixpence and Finian’s Rainbow) as Jack Sheppard, the celebrated notorious 18th-century British highwayman wanted by the government, and a showy villain role for Stanley Baker as the nasty thief-catcher Jonathan Wild.

Steele and Baker are excellent in this pleasing historical adventure boosted by the very strong, interesting cast and a careful production aiming for realism.

It is directed by the writer Clavell who had just made To Sir, with Love and was to have his finest hour on TV with Shogun.

It uses many of the same Irish locations as John Huston’s Sinful Davey (also 1969).

The actor Michael Douglas, playing Constable, is a different Michael Douglas.

Rock Brynner, the son of Yul Brynner, appears uncredited as a drunkard. The movie was filmed in Ireland and Rock was studying in Trinity College, Dublin. Yul’s visits caused much media buzz.

Also in the cast are Fiona Lewis, Alan Badel, Dudley Foster, Sue Lloyd, Noel Purcell, Yole Marinelli, Eddie Byrne, Ivan Dixon, Michael Douglas, Michael Elphick, Roy Evans, Howard Goorney, John Hallam, Dafydd Havard, Fred Johnson, Harold Kasket, John Kelly, Esmond Knight, Leon Lissek, William Marlowe, Skip Martin, John Morley, Caroline Munro, Cardew Robinson, Liam Sweeney, George Woodbridge and Jack Woolgar.

Where’s Jack? is written by Rafe Newhouse and David Newhouse, shot by John Wilcox, produced by Stanley Baker and scored by Elmer Bernstein.

It was made at Ardmore Studios, Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland, and on location at County Wicklow, Ireland.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9951

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