Seems a strange choice as writers for a Sam Cook film,they did write The Commitments! https://www.avclub.com/articles/it-looks-like-a-sam-cooke-biopic-is-gonna-come-yes,53176/

Steve

Looks interesting, a must watch.

They also wrote the Likely Lads and Porridge.

But they have a great story already and as the article in link says as long as they stick to the facts they can't go wrong. They don't need to make anything up, plenty in Cooke's life to make a bloody good film.

CEO Jody Klein, whose late father Allen was Cooke's business manager, expects to self-finance the project through ABKCO. "All of the elements have aligned themselves," Klein says, noting the usual roadblocks in biopics -- music and life rights -- are already in hand . "We have secured rights from the Cooke family. One of the benefits of being a private company is that it enables us the appropriate amount of time to develop the script and make this happen. It will not get lost."

What also helps is having a father who (it is alleged) was as slippery as an eel and managed to stitch up so many artists and bands so successfully that his company still owns the rights to their songs today and continues to profit from them to the degree that those same artists and bands have seen very little or even nothing from their creative output.

Here are a few lines from the book 'Boogaloo' by Arthur Kempton, which explores at some length Sam Cooke's career and contractual dealings with Allen Klien:

"By the fall of 1964, Cooke had concluded that Allen Klein was 'No f*cking good'."

"He [sam Cooke] spoke of firing him after Christmas. Cooke never had a chance to act on his premature New York resolution." (Cooke was murdered just a few days later, on December 11th 1964).

"Allen Klein never lost a lawsuit. Later [after Sam Cooke's death], when Barbara Cooke tried him, Klein's claim on the company her husband had been assured existed solely as his means of owning himself, was found to be absolutely and utterly unassailable."

Clement and la Frenais better make sure they get paid in advance

My partner Bev has just reminded me that this is the same Allen Klein who stitched up the Rolling Stones big time and is seen by many as being responsible for the break up of The Beatles (so he couldn't have been all bad, then).

Nice story here courtesy of The Daily Mail from 2009 when reporting on Kein's demise.

Also, it's worth noting that ABKCO - Allen Klein's company - owns the rights to Cooke's publishing legacy (and I presume that would include KAGS) and many of his master recordings!

Clement and la Frenais better make sure they get paid in advance

They best keep away from any Motels as well

As previously stated this SHUD be a good film, gr8 story without any fabrication and gr8 writers as well - fingers crossed.

Edited March 18, 201114 yr by Guest
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They best keep away from any Motels as well

As previously stated this SHUD be a good film, gr8 story without any fabrication and gr8 writers as well - fingers crossed.

I will second that .

Any idea who is up for the lead tole ?

Malc

Edited March 18, 201114 yr by chalky
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It'll probably be a little known actor - which is good cos it gets him AND the film credibility rather than a NAME taking the lead and the credit going to the "star" rather than the score - u know what I mean don'tcha