Ferry Cross the Mersey (film)

Ferry Cross the Mersey
Directed by Jeremy Summers
Produced by Brian Epstein, Michael Holden
Written by David Franden, Tony Warren (story)
Starring Gerry and the Pacemakers
Cilla Black
Julie Samuel
Music by Gerry Marsden, George Martin
Cinematography Gilbert Taylor
Edited by John Victor-Smith
Production
company
Subafilms
Distributed by United Artists
Release date
 January 1965[1]
Running time
 88 minutes
Country United Kingdom
Language English

Ferry Cross the Mersey is a 1965 musical film featuring Gerry and the Pacemakers.

The film, directed by Jeremy Summers, was the first to be shot on location in Liverpool after the city's emergence into the music mainstream (which had previously seen only Frankie Vaughan, Russ Hamilton, Billy Fury and Lita Roza as stars). For authenticity, many scenes were shot in clubs near the home of Gerry and the Pacemakers' frontman Gerry Marsden. A scene on a ferry (the Mountwood) on the River Mersey showed the docks as a backdrop. Marsden wrote nine new songs for the film which also starred Julie Samuel, Cilla Black singing "Is it Love?", Jimmy Savile, and The Fourmost. Future Doctor Who actress Elisabeth Sladen appeared in the film as an uncredited extra. Disc Jockey Steve Wright appeared in the crowd as a boy.

Writer David Franden was hired when Coronation Street creator Tony Warren proved unable to complete a script despite "downing bottles of whiskey".[2]

The song "Ferry Cross the Mersey" was written by Gerry Marsden as the theme song for the film.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.britbands.bravepages.com/gerrydiary.html Gerry and the Pacemakers diary
  2. ↑ Hayward, Anthony (2 March 2016). "Tony Warren Obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
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