Brush Strokes : Whistling at end of ep #3.5 = 'Paddlin' Madelin Home': why that song?!

Whistling at end of ep #3.5 = 'Paddlin' Madelin Home': why that song?!

The penultimate episode of Series 3 of 'Brush Strokes' (S3, Ep5) was broadcast this week (Wed 14 May: on Freeview channel 'Drama').

It is:
Episode #3.5 (original broadcast date: 9 Jan. 1989)
SYNOPSIS: Jacko's new self-employed painting company 'Splosh' opens; the publican Elmo decides on a new career as a wannabe pop star 'Tommy Hooligan'; Jacko & co. wrangle a £2K p/a 'consultancy' bonus for Jacko's bro-in-law (& Mr Bainbridge's painter) Eric.

What intrigues me is that at the end of the 'con' scene in the pub - where Mr Bainbridge thinks he has won out (but in fact Jacko has - of course!) - Jacko starts whistling the melody to an old 1920s song: "Paddlin' Madelin' Home".

This was a well-known song, set to a foxtrot (dance) melody, written by the Tin Pan Alley songwriter Harry Woods in 1925. It is from the Musical Comedy "Sunny". The first famous recording was in the same year by the singer Cliff Edwards (also known as "Ukelele Ike"). Here's his recording at YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR92PoFUrCk

(Yes, I DO know the song rather too well - LOL! )

What I want to know i: is there any particular reason why the character of Jacko/the actor Karl Howman/the scriptwriters/etc. chose that particular song?!?! As I can't see any reason why it has any relevance to the scene in the pub!! The 1920s reference is not pertinent, nor are the lyrics! :-D

I suppose it could be just that the scene was written so that Karl Howman had to whistle in the script, but his choice of tune was a bit unnecessary. If he was supposed to be trying to look innocent (when in the scene he is anything but!) & the whistling was supposed to represent this, then IMHO(!) it would have been better for him to whistle some tuneless notes. The usage of a SPECIFIC song seems confusing. Particularly as K.H. doesn't even whistle it as if he's trying to appear all innocent. No rolling eyes, for example. Altogether it seems too deliberate in its performance.

I'm just wondering why that song was chosen . . .

(. . . Not important, really; it's just one of those niggling little things, that keeps bothering me . . . ! LOL! )

from SceneByScene (UK) . . . I films & Freeview TV!

Re: Whistling at end of ep #3.5 = 'Paddlin' Madelin Home': why that song?!

Sorry, but you are wrong. Jacko is whistling "The Entertainer", which was used as the main theme in the movie "The Sting". As such is perfectly apt for the scene.

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