Hilfe, die Bombe ist weg!

Finders Keepers is a 1966 British musical film directed by Sidney Hayers, written by Michael Pertwee and starring Cliff Richard and The Shadows. It was released in the U.S. the following year. A search was made to find an actress to play the Spanish girl who falls for Cliff, and the 21-year-old Viviane Ventura won the role: born in London, but fluent in Spanish, she sang a spirited duet with Cliff on "Paella".[1]

Cliff and The Shadows travel to a Spanish town for a gig. When they arrive they are puzzled to find the area empty. They find out that a small bomb has accidentally been dropped on the town and the villagers have fled in panic that it will go off. The boys decide to find the bomb and restore peace in the village, with some musical numbers along the way.

The story is loosely based on a real accident on 17 January 1966, when a US B-52 strategic bomber, carrying four thermonuclear bombs, collided in mid-air with KC-135 tanker plane near Palomares, Spain. Three of the four hydrogen bombs were soon found on land near Palomares, and the fourth bomb was recovered from the Mediterranean Sea on 7 April.

The Radio Times described the film as a "dismal romp" which "marked the end of Cliff's screen collaboration with the Shadows".[2] Variety wrote that "Michael Pertwee’s screenplay does not build up much urgency or suspense but provides opportunity for colorful fiesta, a gentle romance between Richard and Ventura, some verbal dueling between Robert Morley and Graham Stark".[3] Sky Movies noted that "Peggy Mount and Robert Morley ('For £10,000, I'd walk naked down Horse Guards Parade') provide formidable comedy support for the stars."[4]

Music and lyrics by The Shadows. Songs include: "Finders Keepers," "Washerwoman," "My Way," "Paella," "La, La, La," "Fiesta," and "Time Drags By."

The soundtrack album Finders Keepers by Cliff Richard and The Shadows was released on Columbia Records (Columbia SCX 6079). It was their fourth film soundtrack album and Richard's eighteenth album overall. The album reached number 6 in the UK Album Charts in an 18-week run in the top 40.[6]

The film's tagline is 'The beat is the wildest! The blast is the craziest!... and the fun is where you find it!'