Billy Liar (1963)
Country: GB
Technical: bw/scope 98m
Director: John Schlesinger
Cast: Tom Courtenay, Julie Christie, Mona Washbourne, Leonard Rossiter, Finlay Currie
Synopsis:
Billy works as a clerical assistant at a funeral parlour in a northern town, while dreaming of an imaginary kingdom called Ambrosia in which he is both dictator and military hero. Meanwhile his personal and professional misdemeanours catch up with him. Promise of escape arrives in the shape of work writing gags for a successful comic, and an old free-spirited friend called Liz.
Review:
From a period of real vigour and irreverence in British cinema, this little gem confirmed Courtenay's command of the screen while giving him the best role of his career, and introduced the delightful and charismatic Christie. There are character roles a-plenty, expertly filled, a standout being Washbourne. But the film retains its power and fascination in evoking that period of social change that was the 1950s and 60s, as well as providing a time capsule on which to look back from our equally evolved present.
Country: GB
Technical: bw/scope 98m
Director: John Schlesinger
Cast: Tom Courtenay, Julie Christie, Mona Washbourne, Leonard Rossiter, Finlay Currie
Synopsis:
Billy works as a clerical assistant at a funeral parlour in a northern town, while dreaming of an imaginary kingdom called Ambrosia in which he is both dictator and military hero. Meanwhile his personal and professional misdemeanours catch up with him. Promise of escape arrives in the shape of work writing gags for a successful comic, and an old free-spirited friend called Liz.
Review:
From a period of real vigour and irreverence in British cinema, this little gem confirmed Courtenay's command of the screen while giving him the best role of his career, and introduced the delightful and charismatic Christie. There are character roles a-plenty, expertly filled, a standout being Washbourne. But the film retains its power and fascination in evoking that period of social change that was the 1950s and 60s, as well as providing a time capsule on which to look back from our equally evolved present.
Country: GB
Technical: bw/scope 98m
Director: John Schlesinger
Cast: Tom Courtenay, Julie Christie, Mona Washbourne, Leonard Rossiter, Finlay Currie
Synopsis:
Billy works as a clerical assistant at a funeral parlour in a northern town, while dreaming of an imaginary kingdom called Ambrosia in which he is both dictator and military hero. Meanwhile his personal and professional misdemeanours catch up with him. Promise of escape arrives in the shape of work writing gags for a successful comic, and an old free-spirited friend called Liz.
Review:
From a period of real vigour and irreverence in British cinema, this little gem confirmed Courtenay's command of the screen while giving him the best role of his career, and introduced the delightful and charismatic Christie. There are character roles a-plenty, expertly filled, a standout being Washbourne. But the film retains its power and fascination in evoking that period of social change that was the 1950s and 60s, as well as providing a time capsule on which to look back from our equally evolved present.