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Expresso Bongo

Play trailer Poster for Expresso Bongo 1959,  1h 51m,  Musical/ Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 40% 5 Reviews Tomatometer 42% 100+ Ratings Popcornmeter
40% Tomatometer 5 Reviews 42% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
A talent agent named Johnny Jackson (Laurence Harvey) tries to resurrect his flagging career when he stumbles upon a talented young rock 'n' roll musician, Bert Rudge (Cliff Richard). Although Rudge protests and says he doesn't want to be a star, Jackson transforms the youth into a teen idol, renaming him Bongo Herbert. Pretty soon, Bongo Herbert is making it big, with a single hitting the charts and Jackson pulling the strings. But, as the two find out, success is fleeting.

Critics Reviews

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Frank J. Avella Edge Media Network Feb 7, 2022
B
Expresso Bongo has much to recommend it. Firstly, the film has a clever script (by Wolf Mankowitz, based on Julian More's play) with hilarious, yet keen, moments (the Rudge family scenes are priceless). Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Jan 22, 2022
3/4
More successful as a satire about show biz sleaze than as a bouncy musical. Go to Full Review
MFB Critics Monthly Film Bulletin Jan 24, 2018
In broadening the humour of his original play and watering down some of its more savage satire, presumably in the hope of appealing to a mass audience, Wolf Mankowitz has fallen between two stools. Go to Full Review
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Dec 20, 2007
C+
Has a charm all its own, but that's not enough to take the ringing of the bongo drums out of my ears. Go to Full Review
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Jul 28, 2005
2/5
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Audience Reviews

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Draco R Jun 22, 2017 A funny, fast paced, breezy look at a scene few are aware even existed. The 1950s Soho coffee house scene in London was a brief flickering candle of hip and beat, well sent up in this black & white masterpiece. I've watched it several times and it never grows old. See more
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Expresso Bongo

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Val Guest

Director

Laurence Harvey

Johnny Jackson

Sylvia Syms

Maisie King

Cliff Richard

Bert Rudge

Yolande Donlan

Dixie Collins

Meier Tzelniker

Mayer

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Expresso Bongo

Expresso Bongo (1959) Expresso Bongo (1959) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis A talent agent named Johnny Jackson (Laurence Harvey) tries to resurrect his flagging career when he stumbles upon a talented young rock 'n' roll musician, Bert Rudge (Cliff Richard). Although Rudge protests and says he doesn't want to be a star, Jackson transforms the youth into a teen idol, renaming him Bongo Herbert. Pretty soon, Bongo Herbert is making it big, with a single hitting the charts and Jackson pulling the strings. But, as the two find out, success is fleeting.
Director
Val Guest
Producer
John Pennington, Val Guest
Genre
Musical, Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (DVD)
Jun 11, 2007
Runtime
1h 51m
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