cult film freak: IAN HENDRY & JUNE RITCHIE FLING THROUGH 'THIS IS MY STREET'

June Ritchie and Ian Hendry in THIS IS MY STREET Year: 1961 Rating: ***

Ian Hendry in a role that would have better fit a more downright handsome Laurence Harvey, but he's got the right amount of scoundrel charm that's initially fully-loaded towards pretty married June Ritchie, who definitely has a daughter... In fact she and her mom's loose lodger Hendry consummate after both take bonding time to find the kid...

But while there are a fair number of scenes with June's bored, jobless husband (Mike Pratt), they really don't seem all that married... and either way there's zero chemistry between the actors...

Annette Andre in THIS IS MY STREET with Ian Hendry

On the other hand, as the film opens, Ian and June's Harry and Margery are the perfect couple in both age and looks, so their inevitable romantic twist is hardly daring... That's left to the second act as June's younger, spunkier lookalike college-aged sister Annette Andre turns up and gets the full-press treatment...

As predictable soap operatic romance ensues and IS initially intriguing... in fact both affairs have the right amount of rudimentary "how far will this flirtation go" mystique...

Philippa Gail in THIS IS MY STREET

But the far more interesting character's kept on the side, a neighboring b-story's b-girl brunette (contrasting the blonde leads) in Philippa Gail, having an affair with a random married man while hit-on by greasy spoon co-worker John Hurt...

And, overall, THIS IS MY STREET does effectively use the titular location that includes the uual bleak B&W "kitchen sink drama" streets, huddled housing and even a bombed-out scrapyard. Yet what's lacking in the romance department is RISK. Without any real MALE obstacles, our boy Hendry basically seems like a single dude sharking after single girls.