A lazy, irresponsible young clerk in provincial Northern England lives in his own fantasy world and makes emotionally immature decisions as he alienates friends and family.
Tom Courtenay plays Billy, a cheeky, naughty young man who is as daft as a brush and lives semi-permanently inside his own Walter Mitty-ish fantasy world. But Billy has a complicated love life, having recklessly proposed to two separate women: shy Barbara (Helen Fraser) and Rita (Gwendolyn Watts). But there is a third woman in his life: the gobsmackingly beautiful Liz (Julie Christie). His indiscretions cause him to lie in order to avoid the repercussions, turning his life into a mess, but giving him an opportunity to run away and leave it all behind. Schlesinger’s much-loved British comedy from 1963, based on the 1959 novel by Keith Waterhouse, is a faultless blend of social realism and satirical fantasy. Screening to complement our talk ‘Female British Film Stars and Archival Treasures’ (above), this was the film that made Julie Christie a star and led to her casting in major 60s films including ‘Darling’, ‘Doctor Zhivago’ and ‘Far From the Madding Crowd’.
UK 1963 John Schlesinger 98m
Sat 24 Oct 13:00
