| Dateline Diamonds | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Jeremy Summers |
| Written by | Tudor Gates (based on an original idea by Harold Shampan) |
| Produced by | Harry Benn |
| Starring | Musical guests: Small Faces The Chantelles Kiki Dee Mark Richardson Acting roles: William Lucas,Kenneth Cope,Conrad Phillips,Patsy Rowlands,Kenny Everett |
| Cinematography | Stephen Dade |
| Distributed by | Rank Organisation |
Release date |
|
Running time | 73 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Dateline Diamonds is a 1966black and whiteBritish music film directed byJeremy Summers and starringWilliam Lucas,Kenneth Cope and theSmall Faces.[2]
It is an example of the "pop and cop" genre of film, which was popular in the UK during the early 1960s and was intended to present young musical talents to theteenage market. The film was a low-budgetB movie and was released as a supporting feature toDoctor in Clover (1966).[3][4]
Major Fairclough is linked to an international criminal gang that uses theMVGalaxy (the ship which was the home of thepirate radio stationRadio London) to smuggle stolen diamonds from the UK toAmsterdam. Fairclough blackmails Lester Benson, the fictitious manager of theSmall Faces, into aiding and abetting his crimes.[5]
The film features the original lineup of the British band theSmall Faces (Jimmy Winston was replaced in 1966 byIan McLagan). The band's manager,Don Arden, arranged for the Small Faces to appear in the film as a promotional vehicle for "I've Got Mine", the November 1965 follow-up to their debut hit single "Whatcha Gonna Do About It". However, the film's release was delayed until April 1966 and the band received no other publicity for the single, which failed to chart. The final sequence, showing Rey Anton and Pro Forma, Mark Richardson and the Small Faces performing on stage, was filmed during a genuine Radio London night at the Rank Ballroom inWatford.
The film was made atPinewood Studios and on location.
Dateline Diamonds has been released onVHS andDVD.
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "An uninspired attempt to capture two markets by combining sleuthing with pop music. Neither element is in any way distinguished, and the intervals for music merely slow down the detection,"[6]