Stardust (1974)

In this satisfying sequel to That’ll Be the Day (1973), David Essex’s character is now a rock star on a steep rise to fame. Initially he’s in a band (played by actors including Keith Moon, Dave Edmunds and Paul Nicholas), but he later becomes a solo star on a path to self-destruction.

It’s highly entertaining. The story is the classic “rise and fall of a rock star”, but it’s handled well. Adam Faith is excellent as Jim MacLaine’s friend and manager, while Larry “J.R.” Hagman is suitably pushy and ruthless as an American manager and businessman. 

David Essex maintains a magnetic presence throughout, whether performing, smiling or – as his fortunes take a downturn – looking increasingly lost. 

The section in which he performs a ludicrous rock opera celebrating womanhood is suitably ponderous and overwrought.

That'll Be the Day (1973)

Brilliant drama set in England in the late 1950s. A young David Essex stars as Jim MacLaine, a boy who leaves school and goes off in search of women and adventure. Along the way, he works as a deckchair attendant and in a holiday camp. But when he has to return home to his mother (Rosemary Leach) and gets married to Jeanette (Rosalind Ayres), he has to decide whether to accept his responsibilities or continue to live a life of selfish freedom. 

David Essex is a revelation. I’d never seen him act before, and there’s no denying the charm and charisma he exudes with his cheeky smile and curious speaking voice. 

Ringo Starr features as another employee at the holiday camp. He's so recognisable as a Beatle that it’s difficult to see him in any other context. There are also roles for Billy Fury and Keith Moon. 

Impressively, there’s no concealing the grey, gritty quality of the shabby England so perfectly evoked.