I enjoyed it, very authentic looking too,
My only criticism is that they could have tried to get actors who resembled The Beatles more. George looked nothing like him at all.
I remember Beryl Marsden. She was my age, a little younger than Cilla and had a cracking voice. Checking about her she sang with such as Rod Stewart and became one of Martha's Vandellas
I dislike Cilla Black a lot, so does my mam but we watched due to the wonderful reviews Sheridan Smith has been getting for her portrayal and I really like her. She was marvellous, her voice is fantastic and I can definitely see why she's had rave reviews.
This year's Best Actress category for the BAFTA's is going to be very tough. I am sure Sheridan Smith will be nominated for this, Olivia Coleman for Broadchurch, Maxine Peake for The Village and Sarah Lancashire for Happy Valley. Even though I thought she was great I would still like to see SL get it for HV as she was just sublime but it will definitely be a closely fought category!
If Sheridan Smith doesn't win an award for this I'd be amazed, I thought she was fab. The acting and facial expressions were spot on My one gripe if I have one is the music is to perfect, it doesn't sound live enough for me. Other than that I loved it.. 10 out of 10 all round.
Very disappointed with this. I found some of the acting wooden and some of the accents poor.
I once read a thread on here that said that there was once a mix up with her order in a restaurant. Allegedly, Cilla was reported as calling the (gay) waiter a "filthy little queer". I wonder if her bessie Paul O'Grady has heard about this??
The same thread linked to a forum for flight staff. There was loads of them saying how she lords it up and treats staff badly. Apparently, they are not allowed to speak to her directly and must go through the PA sat next to her!!
In her early days she had her own T.V. show and she looked very attractive when dressed in skimpy dancing girl costumes.
And Jimmy Saville was a popular figure even though he looked like a mix of the BFG and Zelda from Terrahawks. Standards were pretty low back then compared to now.
Very disappointed with this. I found some of the acting wooden and some of the accents poor.
I once read a thread on here that said that there was once a mix up with her order in a restaurant. Allegedly, Cilla was reported as calling the (gay) waiter a "filthy little queer". I wonder if her bessie Paul O'Grady has heard about this??
The same thread linked to a forum for flight staff. There was loads of them saying how she lords it up and treats staff badly. Apparently, they are not allowed to speak to her directly and must go through the PA sat next to her!!
Vilela Black is indeed like this, been in her company and I hated every minute of every time we met.
I'm surprised this got produced by ITV as there are people still with them who felt her ire during her heydays at LWT. From what I viewed its sanitised claptrap, the real Black would have made a better story.
Vilela Black is indeed like this, been in her company and I hated every minute of every time we met.
I'm surprised this got produced by ITV as there are people still with them who felt her ire during her heydays at LWT. From what I viewed its sanitised claptrap, the real Black would have made a better story.
It would have but portraying her as an occasionally homophobic, regularly racist and abusive diva beyond her station wouldn't make for endearing material. Although a scene of her refusing to be served by "one of those dirty p@k!s, I'm not eating food put down in front of me by someone who sh1ts in a ditch and wipes their @rs3 with leaves, I wanna word with the mannajurr!" would have made it a lot more realistic.
It would have but portraying her as an occasionally homophobic, regularly racist and abusive diva beyond her station wouldn't make for endearing material. Although a scene of her refusing to be served by "one of those dirty p@k!s, I'm not eating food put down in front of me by someone who sh1ts in a ditch and wipes their @rs3 with leaves, I wanna word with the mannajurr!" would have made it a lot more realistic.
You may think this rather strange but I cannot wait for some celebs to pop their clogs because some of the stories I have to tell are mind-blowing, a few of which are subject to injunctions.
You may think this rather strange but I cannot wait for some celebs to pop their clogs because some of the stories I have to tell are mind-blowing, a few of which are subject to injunctions.
Well if they are only injunctions is there anything to stop you saying which celebs have obtained them.
Did they have to keep getting everybody to say 'la' every five seconds? Annoying.
Sheridan is a wonderful actress, but I was bored stiff.
From what I've heard and read Cilla Black is an awful woman. Would have much preferred a series showing the real Cilla.
As I said in my previous post, she can indeed do all the things you mention, but not very well.
As for talent, it consists of what is innate and what is acquired. For most who want to become an accomplished actor, formal training at a drama school is a prerequisite. Occasionally, an exceptional individual with a keen intellect and inquiring mind (and frequently academically gifted) comes along who manages to circumvent this well trodden path, such as, for instance, Ian McKellan, who only really started to take acting seriously as a by-product of his love of Shakespeare whilst studying at Cambridge.
Unfortunately, none of the above qualities apply to the badly spoken and poorly educated Ms Smith, who has acquired a sizable following from a certain, unenlightened type of viewer, particularly those keen on soaps, who think, misguidedly, that what she does constitutes good acting,
That the same Ian McKellan who makes his money by playing a mutant who has magnetic powers ? in addition to a bit of Coronation Street and that terrible gay sitcom last year... hmmm
You may think this rather strange but I cannot wait for some celebs to pop their clogs because some of the stories I have to tell are mind-blowing, a few of which are subject to injunctions.
I think that applies to a lot of people, a jazz artist peddling cover versions successfully between 2004 and 2006 now hosting radio is a personality I have disgusting tall tales to tell about the day he takes a dirtnap.
The parts about Catholics and Protestants is very true. It happened in my family - my sister-in-law nearly didn't have her father giving her away as she was marrying a Protestant. But he relented at the last minute.
I just asked my mum (who was a teen in the 60s, living in a small Northern town) about the Catholic/Protestant thing. She confirmed that intermarriage was frowned upon and, if a Catholic wanted to marry a Protestant, the Protestant had to sign a form indicating that any children of the marriage would be brought up Catholic!:o (a friend of hers had to do that) Also, the Protestant bride or groom-to-be would have to have instruction in Catholicism before the wedding!:o
My brother and his Roman Catholic girlfriend had to cancel their wedding ceremony at our local Church of Scotland church because her father wouldn't give her away in a Protestant church. They had to change it to a registrar office and her family still didn't go. This was in 1979 in Glasgow.
I quite enjoyed it. Some of the acting was a bit hammy, and, as a born and bred Scouser, I concur the accents are AWFUL in places (back then they spoke something me and my brother have nicknamed Old Scouse, which is a bit posher and a bit Lancastrian. Oxymoronic I know!)But seeing the recreations of old Liverpool was nice.
I enjoyed it, very authentic looking too,
My only criticism is that they could have tried to get actors who resembled The Beatles more. George looked nothing like him at all.
Have to agree with this. I thought 'Pete Best' was the least handsome of the group when in fact, the opposite was the case but as he only appeared for a short time I guess they thought no-one would notice.
I remember Beryl Marsden. She was my age, a little younger than Cilla and had a cracking voice. Checking about her she sang with such as Rod Stewart and became one of Martha's Vandellas
I think Beryl Marsden is still regarded as the best female singer from Liverpool. Cilla just got lucky.
Did anyone notice the woman sitting at the table with Cilla's mum was Doreen Corkhill from Brookside.
I enjoyed it but felt the accents were a bit off the mark
THAT'S who is was! I just couldn't place her!
I don't like Cilla either (along with most on here, it seems!) and can well believe the stories about her. I love sixties music with a passion (even though I wasn't born until 1967, and my parents also loved that era, so I was brought up hearing the music all the time) but I'm afraid Cilla has never done anything for me, either as a singer or as a TV personality (am I the only person in the world who's never seen 'Surprise Surprise'?!).
On the other hand, Sheridan Smith is a fantastic actress and singer. Perhaps my definition of 'fantastic' is not the same as others, but to my mind, if someone can take on a variety of parts, and make you forget the other roles/characters they've played then they're not doing a bad job. I don't like actors who only seem to 'play versions of themselves, or a now-defunct character they once were most famous for, because that's very narrow and you can never quite 'buy into' the new character. Sheridan Smith definitely doesn't 'play herself' most of the time, and as Cilla she's a long way from most of the other parts she's played (although ironically, Sheridan's own singing talents were fostered because she grew up around singing and singers - so that bit is like Cilla!). The fact she can do her own singing is a bonus - but, if anything, she's too good a singer to 'be' Cilla! She certainly sounds like her when she's tackling dialogue, though - there were times when she sounded exactly like Ms Black, all the little inflections were there that are recognisable as 'hers'!
Other people maybe not quite so on the ball with the accents, bit at least some of the lead actors really are from that neck of the woods to some degree. I suppose, apart from the main/most famous characters involved, most people don't know/care what everyone else looked like, so casting for looks might be a bit 'looser', but certainly The Beatles haven't been cast with any attempt to find 'look-a-likes'! Ringo's far too tall for a start, and whilst it's well-known that John didn't have a strong accent normally, and only put it on when he wanted to, the actor didn't sound very 'John-like' in either mode last night!
It must be difficult, even as a good actor with a voice coach, when it comes to some accents, and the Scouse/Liverpudlian access must be one of the most parodied UK regional accents, so the temptation to slip into parody must be there even for actors. As someone married to a Merseyside man myself, I had to consciously stop myself taking on the 'sing-song' accent when I first used to visit his family in case they thought I was taking the proverbial! I wasn't, I just couldn't help falling into the rhythms of the speech patterns. (I'm a musican too; maybe that has something to do with being more aware of the rhythms of speech?) It's also posssible that some aspects of the accent are a lot stronger in some people now than maybe it was in the 60s - you can hear the differences between what someone further back up the thread dubbed 'old Scouse' and 'new' in my husband's family, certainly. I wonder if that's because the world has become more aware of 'professional Scousers' and have evolved their own accents accordingly so that it's now become more 'normal'?
Anyway, I digress! So, I'll be sticking with it for the next episode at least because it's a chance to see a period in time, in a city with a musical evolution I've read so much about, and have loved since childhood. I'll also be sticking with it because I think Sheridan Smith is doing a great job so far in evoking what they'd like us to think was the essence of young Cilla's personality and journey to fame, exactly as asked by the producers, rather than a straight 'impersonation' of her.
However, I'm definitely not sticking with it because I have any fondness for Cilla "Sorry, Chuck, I'm a professional Scouser" Black or her back catalogue! ;-)
Would Cilla Black have had the hairstyle that SS was wearing last night so early in her career? As last night was prior to 1964 surely she would have had straight long hair or a short perm?
Would Cilla Black have had the hairstyle that SS was wearing last night so early in her career? As last night was prior to 1964 surely she would have had straight long hair or a short perm?
I did wonder that myself. The story opened in 1960 and some of the hairstyles were dodgy, to say the least, for that period.
Comments
But Paul did sound like Paul:p
Related to Gerry Marsden ?
This year's Best Actress category for the BAFTA's is going to be very tough. I am sure Sheridan Smith will be nominated for this, Olivia Coleman for Broadchurch, Maxine Peake for The Village and Sarah Lancashire for Happy Valley. Even though I thought she was great I would still like to see SL get it for HV as she was just sublime but it will definitely be a closely fought category!
I once read a thread on here that said that there was once a mix up with her order in a restaurant. Allegedly, Cilla was reported as calling the (gay) waiter a "filthy little queer". I wonder if her bessie Paul O'Grady has heard about this??
The same thread linked to a forum for flight staff. There was loads of them saying how she lords it up and treats staff badly. Apparently, they are not allowed to speak to her directly and must go through the PA sat next to her!!
And Jimmy Saville was a popular figure even though he looked like a mix of the BFG and Zelda from Terrahawks. Standards were pretty low back then compared to now.
Vilela Black is indeed like this, been in her company and I hated every minute of every time we met.
I'm surprised this got produced by ITV as there are people still with them who felt her ire during her heydays at LWT. From what I viewed its sanitised claptrap, the real Black would have made a better story.
It would have but portraying her as an occasionally homophobic, regularly racist and abusive diva beyond her station wouldn't make for endearing material. Although a scene of her refusing to be served by "one of those dirty p@k!s, I'm not eating food put down in front of me by someone who sh1ts in a ditch and wipes their @rs3 with leaves, I wanna word with the mannajurr!" would have made it a lot more realistic.
No not against Sarah Lancashire and Keeley Hawes with much better material
You may think this rather strange but I cannot wait for some celebs to pop their clogs because some of the stories I have to tell are mind-blowing, a few of which are subject to injunctions.
Utter rubbish. Sheridan is multi talented playing Cilla is high profile role it's story about her eventful life.
Well if they are only injunctions is there anything to stop you saying which celebs have obtained them.
Sheridan is a wonderful actress, but I was bored stiff.
From what I've heard and read Cilla Black is an awful woman. Would have much preferred a series showing the real Cilla.
Jive bunny also had 3 numbers Ones ;-)
That the same Ian McKellan who makes his money by playing a mutant who has magnetic powers ? in addition to a bit of Coronation Street and that terrible gay sitcom last year... hmmm
I think that applies to a lot of people, a jazz artist peddling cover versions successfully between 2004 and 2006 now hosting radio is a personality I have disgusting tall tales to tell about the day he takes a dirtnap.
My brother and his Roman Catholic girlfriend had to cancel their wedding ceremony at our local Church of Scotland church because her father wouldn't give her away in a Protestant church. They had to change it to a registrar office and her family still didn't go. This was in 1979 in Glasgow.
Have to agree with this. I thought 'Pete Best' was the least handsome of the group when in fact, the opposite was the case but as he only appeared for a short time I guess they thought no-one would notice.
I think Beryl Marsden is still regarded as the best female singer from Liverpool. Cilla just got lucky.
THAT'S who is was! I just couldn't place her!
I don't like Cilla either (along with most on here, it seems!) and can well believe the stories about her. I love sixties music with a passion (even though I wasn't born until 1967, and my parents also loved that era, so I was brought up hearing the music all the time) but I'm afraid Cilla has never done anything for me, either as a singer or as a TV personality (am I the only person in the world who's never seen 'Surprise Surprise'?!).
On the other hand, Sheridan Smith is a fantastic actress and singer. Perhaps my definition of 'fantastic' is not the same as others, but to my mind, if someone can take on a variety of parts, and make you forget the other roles/characters they've played then they're not doing a bad job. I don't like actors who only seem to 'play versions of themselves, or a now-defunct character they once were most famous for, because that's very narrow and you can never quite 'buy into' the new character. Sheridan Smith definitely doesn't 'play herself' most of the time, and as Cilla she's a long way from most of the other parts she's played (although ironically, Sheridan's own singing talents were fostered because she grew up around singing and singers - so that bit is like Cilla!). The fact she can do her own singing is a bonus - but, if anything, she's too good a singer to 'be' Cilla! She certainly sounds like her when she's tackling dialogue, though - there were times when she sounded exactly like Ms Black, all the little inflections were there that are recognisable as 'hers'!
Other people maybe not quite so on the ball with the accents, bit at least some of the lead actors really are from that neck of the woods to some degree. I suppose, apart from the main/most famous characters involved, most people don't know/care what everyone else looked like, so casting for looks might be a bit 'looser', but certainly The Beatles haven't been cast with any attempt to find 'look-a-likes'! Ringo's far too tall for a start, and whilst it's well-known that John didn't have a strong accent normally, and only put it on when he wanted to, the actor didn't sound very 'John-like' in either mode last night!
It must be difficult, even as a good actor with a voice coach, when it comes to some accents, and the Scouse/Liverpudlian access must be one of the most parodied UK regional accents, so the temptation to slip into parody must be there even for actors. As someone married to a Merseyside man myself, I had to consciously stop myself taking on the 'sing-song' accent when I first used to visit his family in case they thought I was taking the proverbial! I wasn't, I just couldn't help falling into the rhythms of the speech patterns. (I'm a musican too; maybe that has something to do with being more aware of the rhythms of speech?) It's also posssible that some aspects of the accent are a lot stronger in some people now than maybe it was in the 60s - you can hear the differences between what someone further back up the thread dubbed 'old Scouse' and 'new' in my husband's family, certainly. I wonder if that's because the world has become more aware of 'professional Scousers' and have evolved their own accents accordingly so that it's now become more 'normal'?
Anyway, I digress! So, I'll be sticking with it for the next episode at least because it's a chance to see a period in time, in a city with a musical evolution I've read so much about, and have loved since childhood. I'll also be sticking with it because I think Sheridan Smith is doing a great job so far in evoking what they'd like us to think was the essence of young Cilla's personality and journey to fame, exactly as asked by the producers, rather than a straight 'impersonation' of her.
However, I'm definitely not sticking with it because I have any fondness for Cilla "Sorry, Chuck, I'm a professional Scouser" Black or her back catalogue! ;-)
I did wonder that myself. The story opened in 1960 and some of the hairstyles were dodgy, to say the least, for that period.