Every Day's a Holiday (1965) starring John Leyton, Michael Sarne, Grazina Frame, Susan Baker, Jennifer Baker, Richard O'Sullivan, Tony Daines directed by James Hill Movie Review

Every Day's a Holiday (1965)   2/52/52/52/52/5


Grazina Frame and John Leyton in Every Day's a Holiday (1965)

Some Holiday Camp

I had planned to start my review of "Every Day's a Holiday" saying that if you had watched this summer movie back in the 60s then maybe there is some sort of nostalgic charm when watching it again but it is a cheesy experience for anyone who stumbles across it now. But whilst no one can deny that "Every Day's a Holiday" is one seriously dated and cheesy movie from the 60s it grows on you to the point of being surprisingly entertaining. Yes some of that entertainment comes from it being dated such as some cheesy musical numbers but some of it comes from spot the star as you suddenly recognize someone and end up shocked to see them in this bit of lightweight fun.

As plot lines go "Every Day's a Holiday" is up their with those Cliff Richard movies and as such it would be fair to say what we get is little more than an excuse for plenty of musical numbers. But in the midst of these musical numbers we have a bit of summer romance, a talent competition and a snobby aunt who thinks her niece is too good to be working on a holdiay camp. It isn't much to go on but just about provides something to connect the various musical numbers together which there are plenty of.

Michael Sarne and Liz Fraser in Every Day's a Holiday (1965)

As to that musical side well I am sure for those who were teenagers during the 60s this will be a wonderful trip down memory lane as this features Freddie & The Dreamers, The Mojos and actors such as Michael Sarne and John Leyton who had brief pop success in that time. And to be honest whilst many of these musical numbers come across as now being cheesy with their amusing 60s dance routines it is kind of entertaining. I suppose in a way it is a case that it is so bad it is good for those like me who weren't even born when this was released.

On the subject of so bad it is good there is a whole other dated side to the movie and some of it is now just plain weird. There is an early scene where John Leyton imagines himself as a black & white minstrel and there is the now creepy element of a character being the children's entertainer at the holiday camp telling the children to call him "Uncle Tim". Trust me if you watch this you will get that same sense of weirdness that struck me and to be honest left me drop jawed for much of the movies duration.

Aside from that well as I mentioned there is the fun of recognizing actors and having only known John Leyton as an actor in war movies when he started to sing it took me aback. But Leyton is not the only surprise because whilst some stars are instantly recognizable such as Liz fraser, Ron Moody and of course Freddie & The Dreamers as chefs it took some time to realise that it was Nicholas Parsons as the TV producer. And there are others and I am sure for some there will be some nostalgic charm to seeing these stars again.

What this all boils down to is that "Every Day's a Holiday" whilst probably a welcome trip down memory lane for some is a cheesy experience for those watching it now for the first time. But as cheesy experiences go it grows on you and becomes surprisingly entertaining, partly for being bad but also because it is simply fun.


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