Billy Liar (1963)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

John Schlesinger

Writers:

Keith Waterhouse (novel)
Willis Hall (play) ...
(more)

Release Date:

16 December 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Train | Fantasy World | Failure | Undertaker | Vending Machine

Awards:

Nominated for 6 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Tom Courtenay	...	William Terrence 'Billy' Fisher
Wilfred Pickles	...	Geoffrey Fisher
Mona Washbourne	...	Alice Fisher
Ethel Griffies	...	Florence, Billy's grandmother
Finlay Currie	...	Duxbury
Gwendolyn Watts	...	Rita
Helen Fraser	...	Barbara
Julie Christie	...	Liz
Leonard Rossiter	...	Emanuel Shadrack
Rodney Bewes	...	Arthur Crabtree
George Innes	...	Stamp
Leslie Randall	...	Danny Boon
Patrick Barr	...	Insp. MacDonald
Ernest Clark	...	Prison governor
Godfrey Winn	...	Disc jockey
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alexander Browne	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Jack Cunningham	...	Ticket Examiner (uncredited)
Sheila Fearn	...	Telephonist (uncredited)
George Ghent	...	Danny's PRO (uncredited)
Reginald Green	...	Mr. Matthieson (uncredited)
Natalie Kent	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Margaret Lacey	...	Mrs. Matthieson (uncredited)
Harry Landis	...	Man on train (uncredited)
Leslie Lawton	...	Youth (uncredited)
Ted Morris	...	Funeral Driver (uncredited)
Bryan Mosley	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Elizabeth Murray	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Robin Parkinson	...	Jeweller's assistant (uncredited)
James Payne	...	Man in station cafe (uncredited)
Graham Rigby	...	Supermarket Manager (uncredited)
Jessie Robins	...	Large Woman in Hospital (uncredited)
David Scase	...	Man in the record shop (uncredited)
John Schlesinger	...	Officer in Dream (uncredited)
Neville Smith	...	Youth (uncredited)
Elaine Stevens	...	Danny's secretary (uncredited)
John Tordoff	...	Youth in wimpey bar (uncredited)
Anna Wing	...	Mrs. Crabtree (uncredited)
William Wymar	...	Army Man (uncredited)

Directed by
John Schlesinger

Writing credits
Keith Waterhouse		(novel)
Willis Hall		(play) and
Keith Waterhouse		(play)
Willis Hall		(screenplay) and
Keith Waterhouse		(screenplay)

Produced by
Joseph Janni	....	producer
Jack Rix	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Richard Rodney Bennett

Cinematography by
Denys N. Coop		(as Denys Coop)

Film Editing by
Roger Cherrill

Art Direction by
Ray Simm

Makeup Department
Joyce James	....	hair stylist
Bob Lawrance	....	makeup artist (as Robert Lawrence)

Production Management
Charles Blair	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frank Ernst	....	assistant director

Art Department
Ken Bridgeman	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Malcolm Cooke	....	sound editor
John Cox	....	sound recordist
Peter Handford	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Jack Atcheler	....	camera operator
Neil Binney	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Harry Gillard	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ron Beck	....	wardrobe mistress
Laura Nightingale	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Jack Gardner	....	first assistant editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Don Higgins	....	advisor: fantasy sequences
Pamela Mann	....	continuity
Pamela Mann	....	script supervisor
Ann Skinner	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Vic Films Productions

Distributors

• Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors (1963) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner-Pathé Distributors (1963) (UK) (theatrical)
• Continental Distributing (1963) (USA) (theatrical)
• Lumiere Pictures (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Republic Pictures Home Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Rialto Pictures (2000) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

France:U | Sweden:11 | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

37 Hinchcliffe Avenue, Baildon, West Yorkshire, England, UK

Company:

Vic Films Productions

Trivia:

Considering the film's uses of 'pissed', 'bastard' and numerous 'bloody's it was passed with an 'A' (now PG) cinema certificate by the BBFC after the removal of one line of dialogue. This was "What you wanted me to do that night" and is said by Liz to Billy during their walk in the park. The line was later restored in all video and DVD releases.

Quotes:

William Terrence 'Billy' Fisher: You've start coming in at night, I'm not having you gallivanting about all hours!
William Terrence 'Billy' Fisher: Who are you having gallivanting about?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "EastEnders: (2006-05-30)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Twisterella

A great film to become completely absorbed in.

What makes this little black and white film so absorbing? As I was watching it on late-night TV, I found myself on the edge of my seat, gripping the arms of my chair, trying not to yell at the main character, Billy Fisher, near the end of the film. How absorbed can you be?

The dialogue, the acting, and the storyline was so realistic and natural that I had completely forgotten that I was watching a film. Years later on the next viewing I had thought it wouldn't suck me in again, especially since I knew the ending, but I was wrong. In fact I was able to appreciate it all the more on the second viewing.

Tom Courtenay plays Billy Fisher, who is an immature, irresponsible young man living in a Walter Mitty-ish fantasy world, and invents implausible stories to attempt to hide his escapades, but his lies keep backfiring on him.

His life is rapidly falling apart. He is supposed to mail out calendars from his employers to their clients, but he doesn't mail them, and keeps the postage money. He even manages to con two girls into becoming engaged to him, and that explodes into a catfight over him when they find out. His grandmother is dying, his father is continually angry at him, and everything he does just makes matters worse.

Fortunately, he meets Liz, (played by Julie Christie, who is the best thing in this great movie). She is sweet, beautiful, and understands him completely because of her own need to escape, which she does by travelling around the country.

He has the opportunity to get away from all the trouble he's in and go to London, and make a fresh start with Liz who is so perfect for him. But can he change? Can he summon the courage to break free of the messy but secure life he knows and face the unknown? Will he recognise that Liz is the best thing that could ever happen to him?

I'm not going to tell you, because that would spoil the film, but, whichever way he decides, any film that has you on the edge of your seat, yelling "Go with her! Don't miss this opportunity! Go! Go!" you know it's a truly wonderful and realistic film!