I've Gotta Horse

I've Gotta Horse (also known as Wonderful Day ) is a 1965 British musical comedy film directed by Kenneth Hume and starring Billy Fury, Amanda Barrie, Michael Medwin, Jon Pertwee and pop bands The Gamblers and The Bachelors. It was written by Larry Parnes, Ronald Chesney and Ronald Wolfe. Musical direction was by Mike Leander.

The film is a semi-autobiographical musical comedy.

Plot
Based on the star's famous love of animals, this musical comedy portrays Billy setting out to add a sheepdog to his vast entourage of animals and coming back with an irresistible horse named Armitage instead. To his manager's horror, Billy smuggles the horse backstage during rehearsals for his big show and the horse proceeds to create havoc. Little do either of them know that Armitage is actually a thoroughbred racehorse. Then Billy's horse contracts pneumonia and Billy must choose between love of his horse and the big show.

Cast

 * Billy Fury as Billy
 * Amanda Barrie as Jo
 * Michael Medwin as Hymie Campbell
 * Marjorie Rhodes as Mrs Bartholomew
 * Bill Fraser as Mr Bartholomew
 * Peter Gilmore as Jock
 * Allan Angel as dancer
 * Peter Ardran as dancer
 * The Bachelors as themselves
 * Tom Bowman as Trainer
 * Elisa Buckingham as Melissa
 * Linda Bywaters as dancer
 * Elaine Carr as dancer
 * Tom Carty as dancer
 * Michael Cashman as Peter
 * Doreen Cran as dancer
 * Ronald Curran as dancer
 * Roy Durbin as dancer
 * Leslie Dwyer as Bert
 * Fred Emney as Lord Bentley
 * John Falconer as butler
 * The Gamblers as themselves
 * Richard Gardner as dancer
 * Terry Gilbert as dancer
 * Bill Harvey as dancer
 * Derina House as dancer
 * John Kelly as Michael – donkey man
 * Ann Lancaster as woman shopkeeper
 * Pauline Loring as Lady Bentley
 * Constance Luttrell as Duchess
 * Cal McCord as Whitney
 * Rosemary Neil-Smith as Lady Sloane
 * Sheila O'Neill as Betty
 * Jon Pertwee as costumier's assistant
 * Gareth Robinson as jockey
 * Brian Todd as dancer

Production
It filmed on location in Techniscope at Great Yarmouth where Fury had just finished his summer season at the Royal Aquarium Theatre which was used as the theatre in the film, with shooting also taking place at Shepperton Studios.

The film features Fury's race horse, Anselmo, and several of his dogs.

Soundtrack
The following songs were performed in the film, all written by David Heneker and John Taylor, and performed by Billy Fury, except where noted.
 * "I've Gotta Horse"
 * "Stand by Me"
 * "Do the Old Soft Shoe" (Jay Taylor), performed by Billy Fury and Sheilla O'Neill
 * "I Cried All Night", performed by The Gamblers.
 * "Far Far Away" (Jimmy Kennedy), performed by The Bachelors
 * "I Like Animals"
 * "Find Your Dream" (John Taylor)
 * "Dressed Up For a Man", performed by Amanda Barrie
 * "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" (Phil Raymond, Richard Gregory and Lew Griffiths), performed by The Bachelors
 * "Won't Somebody Tell Me Why"
 * "Problems", performed by Amanda Barrie and Michael Medwin
 * "You've Got to Look Right for the Part", performed by Billy Fury, Amanda Barrie and Jon Pertwee
 * "I Must Be Dreaming"(Jackie DeShannon and Sharon Sheeley)
 * "Like a Child"
 * "My Friend"
 * "How Can You Tell"
 * "Finale Melody"
 * "Wonderful Day" (Mike Leander), performed by the cast.

Billy Fury's numbers included his backing group The Gamblers, consisting of Jim Crawford (lead guitar/vocals), Alan George (piano/organ), Andy Mac (drums), Ken Brady (sax), Tony Diamond (guitar, trumpet, vocals) and Alan Sanders (bass vocals).

The film's soundtrack album "I've Gotta Horse" was released in March 1965. It was produced by Dick Rowe for Decca Records (Decca LK 4677). It does not include four of the songs from the film: "I Must Be Dreaming", "Like a Child", "My Friend" and "How Can You Tell".

Reception
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "The line-up of songs and production numbers is unusually generous: sometimes there is only a brief snippet of dialogue or story development (not that there is, in fact, much of a plot) to separate them. The dance ensembles are executed with precision, yet despite a general liveliness and even suggestions of imagination in the presentation, they lack that eye-catching exuberance and flair which one associates with Hollywood: somehow or other the polish does not create a real shine. Billy Fury makes an agreeable hero, but it is Amanda Barrie who, despite having little to do, steals the show through sheer personality and an ability to make a mediocre line sound like a pearl of humour."