Another film from Michael Winner, this time featuring three beautiful girls who share a flat in London. One of them, Tania Mallett, went on to play Bond girl Tilly Masterson in Goldfinger. Remember, this is before 'the pill', before The Beatles and the influence of an older 'moral-code' definitely in evidence. There are only three things on the girls' minds; getting a job, being beautiful and getting engaged. We are not educated as to what is on the boys minds. With a background of great London street scenes, we are treated to an insight into what a beautiful young woman may aspire in 1961; makeup, hairstyles, fashion, boyfriends and some non-PC ideas about fur coats. The "work-ethic" is there and staying late at work takes precedence over going out with the boyfriend. Written and directed by Michael Winner the script delivered by BBC broadcaster Jack Jackson (Housewives' Choice BBC Light Programme) is both witty and catty and shows a Baim influence. 

Title and Credits:   GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS!

Cast-
Tania Mallett
Primrose Austen
Sandra Le Brocq
Lucy Clayton
Betty Buchel
Jane Croft
Fiona Thompson
Cynthia Cassidy
Ted Burner
Jeremy Howes
Marcus Elkin
Tom Hustler
Philip Buchel
Roy Round
Bob Beltonv
George Kallin
Charles Ferrares

With the voice of: Jack Jackson
Sound Recordists: J.H.Meyers, G Latter
Assistant Director: Gerry Arbeid
Dubbing Supervisor: Gerry Arbeid
Dubbing Supervisor: Wally Milner
Assistant Editor: John Bevan
Main Titles by: Jeth Cohn
Music by: De Wolfe
Edited by: Mark Kingston
Director of EASTMAN Colour Photography: Eric Owen
Produced by: Harold Baim
Directed and written by: Michael Winner

SCRIPT

Girls Girls Girls are my favourite subject. There are lots of them about. Have you noticed? I'm going to limit myself to talking about three. Three very attractive young ladies who came to the big city; Sandra, Primrose, Tania.

Now London is a big place to live in, even if you can find somewhere to live. This looks nice, a ground floor, all "mod-con". That's what she thought. But it's up and up and up and up. Three-hundred-and-eight stairs later, Tania is still going strong. She'll have to live here. She won't have the strength to leave. But it's quite charming. If they demolish eight blocks the view would be superb. This has really put the flat amongst the pigeons. Primrose is here. She has found just what she is looking for. Don't fight girls, share. You can always take turns to sleep on the floor. Good. All settled amicably. Then Sandra arrives on the scene. Why be mean? Two can sleep on the floor as cheaply as one. Rent shared in rent halved.

Now you can choose your friends but not your neighbours. Charles lives next door. What a break for Charles. Remember, these girls have to work to eat.

Under the instruction of Philip and Betty Buchel, Sandra is training to be a dancer. That's what she wants to be and there's no stopping her. The first thing is to learn to loosen up. Good for dancing. Good for slimming. The general idea is to stretch your muscles and these well thought-out exercises really do the trick. At the end of the toning-up Sandra is just about ready for a years rest.

Charles thinks that the best thing would be a date to calm her after the storm, but all play and no work would make Sandra a very dull girl. She has to train, train and train. Simple routines follow the exercises and the girls take their first real steps on their way to stardom.

Amongst Mr Buchel's ex-pupils are Michael Wilding, Anna Neagle and Audrey Hepburn. I'd willing join myself if I had the strength. Eventually they become proficient and the time comes when the next item on the programme is a job.

Coffee with Charles, yes he made it at last. Something there? Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Having teamed up with two other girls from the school, Sandra and partners go in for an audition and as in all good film stories she gets the job.

Meet John. It had to happen. John met Primrose and Primrose met John. But she isn't here now so whilst he's waiting I'll tell you how they met. Famous photographer Tom Hustler had taken some pictures of John who went to pick them up from the studio where Primrose worked as Hustler's assistant. He was just thinking how he photographed when Primrose came in. John suggested they might go out together but the boss had other ideas. Remember Miss, you came here to work.

Tom Hustler is one of Britain's leading photographers. How did he get to the top? Let's watch how he goes to work. She's pretty, but Hustler's experienced eye notices features that must be avoided. Nose, just a bit too long. Cheeks and jaw a little heavy. Chin protruding. Here the lighting has been done incorrectly to throw up all the bad points. When you take snaps, even in sunlight, see the light is full on the subjects face and he or she will be flattered with the result. Now Hustler moves the light to the front with one for back lighting to give a shine for her hair. Observe. No lights at the side. Finally, a little movement just before taking the picture helps loosen up the pose.

What is done in the dark-room can make or spoil the picture. Different paper surfaces, different shades of light and dark, all are points to watch.

Here is an ordinary two-and-a-half inch snapshot taken in Tahiti; portions of the same snapshot blown up give Tom Hustler two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight nine pictures. Could your negatives stand that treatment?

Ah, quite right, it's been a hard day and time to go home, but the boss has a new camera he wants to test, and a little overtime never hurt anyone - except John. He made a date for six. And here he is, on the dot. Well, he'll just have to wait. Pleasure must not be allowed to interfere with business.

In the model and advertising studio a quick flattering picture will search out any fault in the new camera; and no doubt any fault in Primrose. Well, it's all for free. For one-hours overtime a set of magnificent pictures. The girls agree they are good. Of course you don't look like that around the house dear. Incidentally the girls don't live on this roof; it leads out of the living room. And who do you think is lurking in the living room? No, it can't be. Yes it is, John.

Primrose, you've missed your vocation. You should really have been a model, not a photographer's assistant. Why don't you? And she does. Off to model agent Cherry Marshall. In that door dear, on your left. Our Right dear is your left. That's it. And that's how Primrose became a model and got the details of her first job.

The first assignment Primrose has is with top flight advertising picture-taker Roy Round. He's going to work on a picture to advertise a car. From studio in South Kensington to Croydon; one of the quickest journeys ever made. It's all done by mirrors. Three models, a car, a stately home compete with lawns. All this and a camera too. Roy Round chooses the things the models should wear. He selects the location he likes best. How would you arrange this picture if you had a chance of taking it? Roy's placing of the car allows the far away stone staircase to be shown against a front bumper. This need experience and a keen objective eye. It's easy to click the shutter but extremely difficult to obtain the correct and most interesting angles. Roy explains he wants the man to stand by the car door as if he is locking it, and the girls to run down the slope as if they are having a great time in the country - in fact 'gay abandon'

Well, the pace was OK but they ran out a little too far at the side. Keep in line and we'll try it gain. Hey-Presto, here it is. The space at the bottom is left for advertising copy to be inserted.

Three boys waiting for three girls, but there isn't anybody at home. The third one? O, you haven't met Pete, have you? Everybody, Pete; Tania's boyfriend.

Let me tell you about Tania. She went to a model school headed by Lucy Clayton who can turn an ordinary girl into an extraordinary girl. Tania isn't sure. Miss Clayton knows. Every inch a queen, every foot a ruler. This ruler feels if she has a tummy and if she has a too-hollow back. What a performance.

Tania passed the test with flying rulers err sorry - colours; and into the class she goes. Firstly she is shown to the rest of the girls as an example of how not too look. In other words she is being shown up. Shoes, shabby and heels far too low. Skirt, three times too big for someone twice your size. Hem-line, today above the knee, like that. Sweater, hum, too sloppy. Hair, kept up with a rubber band and so very untidy. They'll really have to work on you. Just try to walk like a model. Girls. Girls. Girls. No need to be catty. The posture worries the teacher; it worries me too. You must pull yourself up, from the waist, stretch. Become taller. Practise makes perfect. Sit down for a moment and watch. Watch her. Yes. Yes you. The perfect modelling walk should be smooth and flowing. Posture good. Body held fairly straight. Shoulders not swung from side to side, and weight evenly balanced. This girl is not perfect but she is learning like all the others. Teacher knows how and demonstrates the walk and turn. Note the turn; the feet are placed not quite together but close, swivel round, pause, then walk on. Looks easy doesn't it?

Can you guess what this is? No? Well it represents the seat of a car. It's used to teach the girls the right way, in fact the elegant way to get into a car. And this is not the way. Place your ankles and knees together. Don't bend double. Ease yourself in gracefully, keeping your head as erect as possible and there you are.

It's useful to know and it's useful for a girl to have poise. It's useful for girls to have boys; and even better when they have a car. O no, he's taking her by bus.

Some hair styles can be hair raising. A woman's glory must always be crowning. Next day at school, Tania continues her beautifying process. Maybe you liked it better the way it was, but it didn't suit her face that's for sure. A wrong hairstyle can spoil a very beautiful face. Paul, the stylist, does not know when to stop. Just give him one after the other and very soon he has a head start. Ooh, this one's a mess. Much too severe. And why not show this off to advantage instead of hiding it? Don't worry it will be well worth it. It takes a man to beautify a woman. What would they do without us? That's right, have a go yourself. It will speed things up a bit. Ooh, this one is going to take some ironing out. A week later, as anyone knows who has waited for a woman in a hairdressers, the finished result. You could almost call it a photo-finish. Anyway, he's pleased with it.

For the low down on make-up the girls are taken by Lucy Clayton to the salon of a famous make-up organisation. Here, the company's expert, Mrs Riddle, has the task of making sure that the girls go out looking better than when they came in. First thing is to take off what make-up they have. For this a cleanser and a sponge are used which also tones up the skin. Next comes the choosing of the foundation. This should blend with the natural skin colour so for Tania, because she has a fair skin, it's a moisture make up in a pearl shade. There are ways and ways of putting on the base. The correct way, dab it on in spots then smooth it in. Now, a foundation for the other girls. The first girl has the same as Tania. For Cynthia, a medium feather foundation to cover a few freckles. And for Louise, a moisture make-up because she has a dry skin. Rouge should be applied in three dots on the cheek bones fairly high near the eyes if you smile into the mirror you can see the natural lines of the face to blend the rouge into. Then there is eye shadow which is stippled on under the powder close to the lashes and blended up and out to the upper corners of the eyes. Powder is the one thing to use lavishly. Let it stay on for about five seconds, then smooth it off. Brushing the eyebrows with a clean brush shapes the brows. Then comes the mascara. It's better put on in two thin coats than one heavy one. The choice of lipsticks is a decision girls have to face. On this chart what colours would you choose for our girls? Mrs Riddle makes her choice. Remember, lipsticks should blend with what a girl is wearing. For Louise for example a blue-pink lipstick because she is wearing a blue sweater. And for Tania, Capri-pink. To apply the lipstick the girls are taught to use a brush. By brushing the lipstick on it stays better. And if you can wait five minutes before blotting, then do. Finally a light powder over with a compact. The girls have learnt a lot. And this is the result. There, steady fellas. Don't rush.

Bet he'll hardly recognise her. Go on. You knew it was her all the time. Believe it or not he's brought his new car, now that she's learnt to get into one properly.

Breakfast time at the apartment. Things are starting to move. Tania, her course finished at Lucy Clayton's is going to her first modelling job; and furs no-less.

Hey-ho, hey-ho and off to work we go. This is what she has been hoping for and the day has finally arrived. This lady is hoping for a mink coat. Yes, that's the one, walking about. The salesman is showing her styles and the finer points of mink-coat-getting. Hubby will pay - or else. Just something to slip on the shoulders instead of that old mac.

Tania did it, she got the job and the boss wants to initiate her into the idiosyncrasies of fur coat making; o it's quite an art believe me. This is the skin room housing a quarter of a million pounds worth of furs and I don't mean in weight - in pounds sterling.

Let's see if you know your furs. What's this one? No, it isn't Sudanese Ox, it's Dark Ranch Mink. What's this, Sable? Sable? Wrong, it's called Natural Martin. Ah, easy, Leopard, anyone knows that. No, there are no samples Tania; it's a case of furs come furs served. Sable? Right this time, full name Russian Dark Sable. This is Russian too; Russian Broad Tails - dead of course. Leopard did you say? Wrong, its, its, Ocelot. Correct. How many did you get right? Six out of six? How about this? That's it Chinchilla. Ten together, what are they? Quick! Minks, all different shades. To make one mink coat take mink skins and cut them into thin strips called by the furriers of all things Spaghetti. They use razor blades to do the cutting. They cut them, only to sew them together again but in a different pattern so that the grading of the fur colour is more even when made into the actual coat.

Here is a mink coat, laid out on the table and pinned to a cardboard pattern underneath. Looks as if they need a piano tuner. Interesting isn't it? I didn't know there was so much to it.

In the salon the fur show is now in full swing. This number was designed by Michelle Gaumar and executed by Deanfield, who have quite a name in the world fur industry. It's Tania's big day and her friends have turned out in force to watch. Doesn't she look something? Remember the original at the model school? What a transformation.

She's wearing fifteen hundred pounds worth of white three-quarter length mink. Another nice little number - I mean the coat. A diadem mink stole at six-hundred pounds. No stamps or postal-orders please. Now here's something you can take home one evening to surprise your wife. Russian Sable designed by Gaumer. She'd be surprised alright. So would you. It cost five thousand pounds. Here's a coat of Russian Broad Tails wearing Tania. Err, I'm sorry, so sorry, I'm getting a bit dizzy with it all. Ah, it's hard going on the feet and a rest is well deserved.

At the society restaurant in London, Sandra is making her debut. Let's watch the rehearsal and fellas; you don't have to look if you're squeamish.

I think she deserved that, and so did he.

The whole thing was just good clean fun.

The girls got what they wanted and so did the boys.

References:

Model Agent Cherry Marshall
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1510774/Cherry-Marshall.html

Tania Mallett
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tania_Mallet
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0539965/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tilly_Masterson_by_Tania_Mallett.jpg
http://www.bondstars.com/taniamallet/index.htm

Primrose Austen
http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait.php?LinkID=mp61781&rNo=0&role=sit

Sandra Le Broq
http://google.co.uk/search?

Lucy Clayton
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucie_Clayton_Charm_Academy

Betty Buchel & Philip Buchel
http://www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com/shows_o/123.htm

Jane Croft
Fiona Thompson
Cynthia Cassidy
Ted Burner
Jeremy Howes
Marcus Elkin
Tom Hustler
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1525282/Tom-Hustler.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/tom-hustler-411086.html

Roy Round
http://www.tristansgallery.com/showPhotographer/70
Bob Belton
George Kallin
Charles Ferrares
With the voice of Jack Jackson
Directed and written by Michael Winner
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Winner