 IT'S A SORT of rags-to-rags story without the riches in between. Our hero, Herman, loses the girl, the riches, a chance for his greyhound, Mrs. Brown, to win the Greyhound Derby, the chance for pop group fame. Added to this he looks lovesick and thoroughly miserable all through the film. Like Herman's records, the film is made to make money. It would appear to be made especially for the American market, being something of a travelogue showing backward 'ol England, a touch of pageantry and royalty, and, of course, swinging London portrayed through last year's hippies. The film fails to be the happy-go-lucky comedy it sets out to be, through no fault of Herman, the Hermits or any of the actors. It fails by being too stilted, following a comedy line so far then dropping it. And also having too many characters with important parts. Herman's first big film, which was American-made in America, succeeded through being simple, and building up to the punchline with maximum songs and minimum central characters. Lance Percival as the honest tramp with the very posh accent was excellent but was really superfluous to the story. The story: Herman has a greyhound left to him by his grandfather, which he races with a little help from his friends (the Hermits), who happen to be musicians in their spare time. They go to London to enter the dog, Mrs. Brown, |
 Herman with greyhound Mrs. Brown, and Sarah Caldwell as the lovely daughter. in the Greyhound Derby. After she wins the first trial, they meet Mr. and Mrs. Brown, and their lovely daughter. Although it isn't shown, we assume that Herman falls madly in love with the daughter, who is a model. On the night of their first club date the daughter leaves a heart-broken Herman at the station on her way to Italy for a two-month modelling job. While saying goodbye, Herman loses the dog, doesn't turn up for the club date and the group lose the date. When they have all returned home the tramp turns up with the dog, who is about to have pups, and we built up to the gigantic climax of Herman seeing things in a different light and singing the title song of the film to an hours-old puppy. |