Whatever Happened to Harold Smith? (1999)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Peter Hewitt

Writer:

Ben Steiner (writer)

Release Date:

10 March 2000 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

When punk meets disco.

Plot:

Harold Smith, a quiet middle-aged Englishman becomes an instant celebrity when he suddenly starts exhibiting psychic and telekinetic powers...

Plot Keywords:

Punctuation In Title | Question In Title | Independent Film | Character Name In Title | Title Spoken By Character

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Tom Courtenay	...	Harold Smith
Michael Legge	...	Vince Smith
Laura Fraser	...	Joanna Robinson
Stephen Fry	...	Dr. Peter Robinson
Charlotte Roberts	...	Lucy Robinson
Amanda Root	...	Margaret Robinson
Lulu	...	Irene Smith
David Thewlis	...	Nesbit
Charlie Hunnam	...	Daz
Matthew Rhys	...	Ray Smith
James Corden	...	Walter
Rosemary Leach	...	Harold's Mother
Charles Simon	...	Oobie
Mark Williams	...	Roland Thornton
John Higgins	...	The Reverend Anthony Cooper

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexual content.

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-11 | Iceland:L | Australia:M | Singapore:PG | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Blackpool, Lancashire, England, UK

Company:

Arts Council of England

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Telltale modern features on the terraced housing, e.g. uPVC windows and the post-1991 dialling code for Sheffield on a poster on window, when setting is intended to be 1977. Also distinctly visible are the modern tram tracks which were laid in 1994.

Highly original, extremely funny and full of heart.

When you see a lot of films they unfortunately tend to blend together after a while due to formula film-making and seeing the same faces over and over again. "Churn and burn Bruckheimer films. G'day again Nick Cage".

Then out of the blue, along comes an absolute gem like WHATEVER HAPPENED TO HAROLD SMITH? This is a wonderfully original British film accessible to any nationality, extremely funny, full of heart and obviously written by someone with imagination... and not just an idea for packaging a concept. A rare movie where the clever script and performances of the cast never have you questioning the most unbelievable of circumstances.

The mostly ensemble cast could not possibly be bettered with Tom Courtney, as Harold, putting in a wonderfully restrained performance... possibly his best over a long career that includes an Oscar nomination for THE DRESSER. Good performances are too many to mention but Michael Legge as son Vince, the driving force of the story, is a real talent with impeccable comic timing and an air of innocence that will definitely see him go places.

If you're looking for something different, give this film a go and be totally immersed in the 70's, have a good laugh and be entertained by a refreshing piece of entertainment.