| I've Gotta Horse | |
| Director: | Kenneth Hume |
| Producer: | Kenneth Hume Larry Parnes |
| Starring: | Billy Fury Amanda Barrie Michael Medwin Marjorie Rhodes Bill Fraser |
| Cinematography: | Ernest Steward |
| Editing: | Ernest Hosler |
| Music: | Mike Leander |
| Distributor: | Leisure view Ltd. |
| Runtime: | 92 minutes |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Language: | English |
I've Gotta Horse (also known as Wonderful Day[1] ) is a 1965 British musical comedy film directed by Kenneth Hume and starring Billy Fury, Amanda Barrie, Michael Medwin, Jon Pertwee and pop bands The Gamblers and The Bachelors.[2] It was written by Larry Parnes, Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe. Musical direction was by Mike Leander.
The film is a semi-autobiographical musical comedy.
Based on the star's famous love of animals, this musical comedy portrays Billy setting out to add a sheepdog to his vast entourage of animals and coming back with an irresistible horse named Armitage instead. To his manager's horror, Billy smuggles the horse backstage during rehearsals for his big show and the horse proceeds to create havoc. Little do either of them know that Armitage is actually a thoroughbred racehorse. Then Billy's horse contracts pneumonia and Billy must choose between love of his horse and the big show.
It filmed on location in Techniscope at Great Yarmouth where Fury had just finished his summer season at the Royal Aquarium Theatre which was used as the theatre in the film, with shooting also taking place at Shepperton Studios. [3] [4] [5]
The film features Fury's race horse, Anselmo, and several of his dogs.
The following songs were performed in the film, all written by David Heneker and John Taylor, and performed by Billy Fury, except where noted.
Billy Fury's numbers included his backing group The Gamblers, consisting of Jim Crawford (lead guitar/vocals), Alan George (piano/organ), Andy Mac (drums), Ken Brady (sax), Tony Diamond (guitar, trumpet, vocals) and Alan Sanders (bass vocals).
The film's soundtrack album "I've Gotta Horse" was released in March 1965. It was produced by Dick Rowe for Decca Records (Decca LK 4677). It does not include four of the songs from the film: "I Must Be Dreaming", "Like a Child", "My Friend" and "How Can You Tell".
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "The line-up of songs and production numbers is unusually generous: sometimes there is only a brief snippet of dialogue or story development (not that there is, in fact, much of a plot) to separate them. The dance ensembles are executed with precision, yet despite a general liveliness and even suggestions of imagination in the presentation, they lack that eye-catching exuberance and flair which one associates with Hollywood: somehow or other the polish does not create a real shine. Billy Fury makes an agreeable hero, but it is Amanda Barrie who, despite having little to do, steals the show through sheer personality and an ability to make a mediocre line sound like a pearl of humour."[6]