Category: Music

Gorging on McHuggetts

Continuing my latest fascination, Here Come the Huggetts with Petula Clark. The dialogue is filled with clever throwaway lines that are easily missed, making a second viewing very worthwhile.

Pet gets a singing spot that lasts only a minute.

Playing a distant Huggett cousin “on the mother’s side,” 16-year-old Diana Dors also had a minute to show off what she could do.

Everyone shines in the movie, but if anyone’s character is underplayed it’s Susan Shaw as the middle Huggett sister. Shaw was such a stunning beauty that she didn’t need much screen time to make a big impression.

Follow-up: I thought that MGM owned Here Come the Huggetts, and maybe it does, but the Internet Archive has the complete film. It has a DogRat ***** rating!

The Dors on Sgt. Pepper

Here Come the Huggetts (1948) is a surprisingly thoughtful comedy that effectively conveys a feeling of British post-war life. The cast includes precocious Diana Dors and England’s sweetheart Petula Clark.

Diana was only 13 months older than 15-year-old Pet! I wonder if working with Diana had an effect on Petula? Because as she told me herself she was surprised and amused that the French later called her “Sexy Pet.”

From the “Funny Because It’s True” file, Dors’ real name was Diana Fluck. And, yes, that’s Diana on the “Sgt. Pepper” album cover!