Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush

Barry Evans - Jamie McGregor
Judy Geeson - Mary Gloucester
Angela Scoular - Caroline Beauchamp
Sheila White - Paula
Adrienne Posta - Linda
Vanessa Howard - Audrey
Diane Keen - Claire
Moyra Fraser - Mrs. McGregor
Michael Bates - Mr. McGregor
Maxine Audley - Mrs. Beauchamp
Denholm Elliott - Mr. Beauchamp
Christopher Timothy - Spike
Nicky Henson - Craig Foster

Swinging Sixties comedy romp based on journalist Hunter Davies' slight but charming novel about the sexual tribulations of a grammar school sixth-former attempting to overcome his shyness. Typical of the country's swinging youth output, director Clive Donner's eagerness to pour 'swinging style' over everything makes nonsense of source novel’s socially critical attitudes and instead extols the delights of groovy teenage Britain. This is very much a product of its time and like many other quintessential Sixties mod films is loved by nostalgic children of the sexual revolution but appears cringingly dated to the rest of us.  The plot is fairly repetitive, acting weak, and Barry Evans narration eventually begins to grate as the whole bland exercise becomes unwatchable to all but Stevenage location spotters.

Jamie McGregor (Evans) is a frustrated teenager living on a Newtown council estate who is obsessed with losing his virginity and catching up to his friend's success with the opposite sex. Jamie fantasizes about something more than local bird ‘runny old Linda’ (Adrienne Posta), his first date, but all he gets for his trouble is a cold evening standing about the local park. Next up in his attempted conquests is a dance at the local church with Paula (Sheila White), but Jamie manages nothing more than a kiss when the lights fuse. An invitation to spend the weekend partying with capable Caroline (Angela Scoular) at the well-heeled Beauchamp’s appears promising, but ends in drunken frustration. Finally Jamie gets a date with the girl of his dreams, Mary (Judy Geeson), and it appears his luck has finally changed, but Jamie’s disgust at her sexual liberation scuppers the romance. So promiscuity isn’t for Jamie and he looks for something more rewarding.