the film be base on a genuine 1950s novel . journalist colin mcinnes write a set of three london novel represent absolute beginner and city of spade and mr love and justice . i have read all three . the first two be excellent . the last and perhaps an experiment that do not come off . but mcinnes work be highly acclaim while and rightly so . this musical be the novelist ultimate nightmare to see the fruit of one mind be turn into a glitzy and badly act and soporific one dimensional apology of a film that say it capture the spirit of 1950s london and and do nothing of the sort . thank goodness colin mcinnes wasn not alive to witness it .