The BEATLES Illustrated: Ferry Across The Mersey

Ferry Across The Mersey - Gerry And The Pacemakers

Vinyl L.P • United Artists Records • UAL 3387.

1965 • U.S.A.

Back cover

Disc side 1

Disc side 2

Labels

Liner notes:

ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE

SOUNDTRACK

BRIAN EPSTEIN

presents

GERRY & THE PACEMAKERS

FERRY ACROSS THE MERSEY

Released through United Artists

introducing

JULIE SAMUEL

Produced by MICHAEL HOLDEN

Directed by JEREMY SUMMERS

MUSICAL DIRECTOR

GEORGE MARTIN

FERRY CROSS THE MERSEY is the first feature film to be set in Liverpool since the emergence of so many of that city’s bright young beat boys as hit parade headliners. For the first time millions of pop fans across the globe are seeing for themselves what Merseyside really looks like. Director Jeremy Summers and Producer Michael Holden have made sure that everything is authentic by shooting in the streets and clubs which are located within singing distance of Gerry’s home. All the landmarks from the Mersey tunnel to the Pier Head, from the Cavern Club to the Locarno Ballroom are identified. It goes without saying that the sequences showing Gerry and The Pacemakers on the river were filmed on an actual Birkenhead / Liverpool ferry with those famous Merseyside dock scenes as backdrops. It is not only in the selection of locations that FERRY CROSS THE MERSEY is an unusually honest film. The same atmosphere of natural reality pervades other aspects of the production. The camera work is brilliant. All the most modern methods of zooming and of capturing unusual angle shots in close-up have been brought into play. The setting has the same ring of truthfulness about it; indeed Gerry and The Pacemakers might have wile without a script (and at various points they DID!), for their conversations come across without a trace of contrived precision or caution.

Above all it is the music which has made FERRY CROSS THE MERSEY such aworthwhile film. Gerry wrote nine new numbers for the soundtrack in eight days. However, this was no rush job. He’s had many of the basic themes in his mind for the film and couldn’t wait to translate them into finished compositions.

In the title song, ‘‘Ferry Cross The Mersey”’ and ‘‘It’s Gonna Be All Right’’ we’re presented with contrasting examples of Gerry’s composing ability. At one end of the scale there’s the nostalgic warmth, folk-song sincerity and generally reflective mood of ‘‘Ferry Cross The Mersey,’’ one of the most beguiling ballads Gerry has ever written. At the other there’s the boisterous attack of ‘‘It’s Gonna Be All Right,” a driving foot-tapper with all the punch and enthusiasm you could ask for. Between these extremes are seven other Marsden compositions ranging from ‘‘Why Oh Why” to “‘She’s The Only Girl For Me.’’ Each number has a distinctively established and individual atmosphere of its own.

There is much comedy content in FERRY CROSS THE MERSEY, and Gerry and The Pacemakers show themselves to be thoroughly capable clowns, and there is an hilarious police chase sequence which re-creates all the slapstick splendour of the silent screen era. This has drawn praise from many film critics since the film had its first showing at the beginning of December in England.

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