ianlouisiana Review of I've Gotta Horse

I've Gotta Horse (1965)

Billy Fury - in his Pomp a pioneer of British rock 'n' roll...........

[5/10 · 24 August 2008]

The title is borrowed from a racing tipster well - known at tracks all over the country who called himself Ras Prince Monolulu which,I'm fairly sure was not his real name.He cut a flamboyant figure with flowing robes and a headdress of ostrich feathers.He would wander round the course shouting "I gotta Horse" and sell you a ticket with a horse's name on it. Occasionally he risked plying his trade on the surrounding streets but this was illegal at the time and if Old Bill were about he would give the tickets away,reasoning that whoever got the winner would see him alright,a nice psychological touch that proved spot on more often than not.And it was perfectly legal. Mr Billy Fury has posthumously been elevated to the Pantheon of British Rock 'n' Roll heroes.In his relatively short pomp he was one of many young boys "developed" by impresario Larry Parnes,most with silly names,many with little apparent talent,nearly all of whom are now forgotten. Mr Fury was immortalised in the great British rock 'n' roll musical"That'll be the day",but much earlier,in 1966,he was featured in a not at all bad little cheapie called "I've gotta horse".With a splendid cast of "under the title" Brit actors to help move things along,Mr Fury sings some soporific songs and acts a bit as a pop star who owns a racehorse.Er,that's about it really.But there's a lot of pleasure to be had here for lovers of 60s movies - or indeed the 60s full stop. A pleasant little film that deserves to be remembered as memorial to one of the pioneers of the second line of British pop idols.