Al Bowlly obsessive David Peters (
Ian Holm) is visited in his run-down
bedsit by Marie (
Deborah Grant), a researcher for Severn Television, who is collecting material for a documentary about the singer. David is the editor of the Al Bowlly Appreciation Society
fanzine and Marie hopes to secure him as the programme advisor. David is enthusiastic about the offer but has other things on his mind; he has an appointment with an
NHS psychiatrist the following day and his anxiety about the meeting, coupled with the novelty of entertaining his beautiful visitor, leads him to make an unwelcome pass at her. Marie fights off his advances and runs out the flat, leaving a defeated David to reflect on his problems. In the waiting room the next day, David gets into an altercation with an elderly patient who has never heard of Al Bowlly. By the time he is finally called to see Dr Chilton (
Anthony Bate), David is agitated by the older man's ignorance – especially as today is the anniversary of Bowlly's death. The doctor's calm demeanour, however, soon puts David at ease and, with some difficulty, David explains that his mother died six weeks earlier after having nursed her throughout his adult life and harrowingly recounts how, at the age of ten, he was abducted by a stranger and sexually assaulted. Alongside these traumatic events, David hints at some "wicked" acts he has committed but Chilton stops him before he can elaborate on these and prescribes him some anti-depressants. He is warned not to drink alcohol or eat cheese while taking the tablets as they will "make [his] tongue wag." After David leaves, Chilton informs the two student doctors who have been in attendance throughout the session that he believes David's claustrophobic relationship with his disabled mother and the earlier torment of sexual abuse have resulted in a sense of sexual disgust that he overcomes in his obsession with the innocent music of Al Bowlly. Chilton dismisses his junior colleagues' concerns that David may attempt suicide and suggests it is more likely that the desperate desire to discharge his secrets will perhaps lead him to confide in a friend. Later that evening, David attends the annual meeting of the Al Bowlly Appreciation Society. Relieved that his ordeal with the psychiatrist is over, David forgets the warning not to mix his medication with alcohol and drinks heavily. After much merriment, the Society President calls David up on stage to talk about the success of the fanzine. As David holds forth in his speech about the beauty and innocence of Bowlly's music his mind wanders back to the sexual assault and, realising he is surrounded by friends whose attitudes to love and sex match his own, reveals that he has slept with 136 prostitutes. As he leaves the stage and the scandalised Society members return to their festivities, a jubilant David approaches a large blown-up photograph of Bowlly mounted on the wall. He smiles: "Good old Al!"
Principal cast •
Ian Holm as David Peters •
Wally Patch as Old Londoner •
Anthony Bate as Dr Chilton •
Deborah Grant as Marie Holdsworth •
Robin Wentworth as Al Bowlly Appreciation Society President •
Frederick Peisley as Gerald •
Derek Woodward as first medical student •
John Flanagan as second medical student
Music (All songs recorded by
Al Bowlly and the
Lew Stone Orchestra) • "Moonlight on the Highway" (21 March 1938) • "
Lover, Come Back to Me" (13 November 1933) • "Just Let Me Look at You" (12 August 1938) • "Easy Come, Easy Go" (15 June 1934) • "
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" (12 December 1933) • "Oh! Mr Moon" (12 April 1933) • "You'll Always Be the Same Sweetheart" (2 December 1932) • "
My Melancholy Baby" (1934
Pathé News film extract) Songs quoted in dialogue but do not feature on the soundtrack include: • "
You Couldn't Be Cuter" • "Marie" • "Isn't It Heavenly?" • "
I Love You Truly" • "
Love Is the Sweetest Thing" ==Production==