1-World Festival of Foreign Films
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"Expresso Bongo"
1959
Directed by Val Guest

Johnny Jackson (Laurence Harvey), a sly, sleazy and unscrupulous music agent, discovers a Presleyesque, bongo-playing rebel (Cliff Richard) singing in a SoHo coffeehouse. He renames him "Bongo" Herbert and, with the help of his stripper girlfriend (Sylvia Syms), guides the potential teen idol along the rocky path to fame. Reminiscent of The Sweet Smell of Success in its savvy critique of the corruptive values of showbiz, Expresso Bongo is a witty, smart, entertaining exploration of one aspect of the Brit Beat phenomenon. 111 minutes.