Ornshaw eventually recovers from the feelings of rejection and decides to help the couple in their plans to be wed. Obviously their parents strongly disapprove writing off the relationship as puppy love and a novelty that won’t last. The young couple decide that they want to get married, not when they get older but immediately. Ornshaw becomes very jealous of his new friends obsession with a girl, especially when Daniel no longer wants to spend time with him. When they eventually meet, Melody is embarrassed by the attention but they soon fall deeply in love. Initially too shy to approach Melody, Lester spends many hours observing her from afar and following her on the walk home from school. After peeking in on the girl’s dance lesson Daniel spots Melody Perkins (Tracy Hyde) and quickly becomes infatuated with her. Melody tells the story of Daniel, (Mark Lester) who starts at a new school and quickly befriends troublemaker Ornshaw played by Jack Wild. The screenplay was the first for Alan Parker, who went on to direct some hugely successful films such as Midnight Express, 1978 Mississippi Burning, 1988 and The Commitments, 1991. The film was directed by Waris Hussein, who is best known for his work in British TV, most notably early episodes of Doctor Who. It was a flop at the box office, but was apparently a huge hit in Japan and in some Southern American countries, which has resulted in a cult following. Originally released in the UK as S.W.A.L.K., (Sealed with a Loving Kiss) Melody is a very sweet film essentially about puppy love.
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Melody-1971 came 3 years later and co-stars Jack Wild, who also played alongside Lester as the Artful Dodger in Oliver! Incidentally Lester was only 13 in 1971 and Jack Wild was already 19, who often played characters much younger than himself.
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Known mostly for his role in Oliver!-1968, he played the title role with such an innocence and timidity famously uttering the often quoted and parodied line, “Please sir, can I have some more!” If you do want to see some more of Mark Lester’s films there are a few other interesting British and European horror/thriller titles from the 60’s and 70’s, including Our Mother’s House – 1967 Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? – 1971 and What the Peeper Saw, 1972. Mark Lester’s film career is an interesting one for sure.