Herman’s Hermit

(On Cable TV, October 2022) No matter how you slice it, it’s simply not possible to be all that happy about Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter: its technique is scattershot, its stars (member of the now-forgotten band Herman’s Hermit) run on name recognition more than acting talent, its rhythm is affected by musical numbers and its script feels like a dozen different things stapled together. But as is often the case, even this rather not-good effort gives off a jolt of Swingin’ Sixties contact high: the costumes and bright cinematography alone are worth an astonished look, and the film takes place in a kind of hyperreality that only makes sense with its late-1960s production date. If nothing else, the entire thing is meant to be an amiable, careless, and a huge publicity vehicle for the band. At least you’ll hear a few of their hits. Otherwise, stays for the portrait of what it was like to be young and full of energy in Sixties England.