The Knack...and How to Get It
Encyclopedia
The Knack …and How to Get It is a 1965 British comedy film directed by Richard Lester
based on the play by Ann Jellicoe
.The film won the Palme d'Or
at the 1965 Cannes Film Festival
and was nominated for the Golden Bear
at the 15th Berlin International Film Festival
.
), and the neutral artist Tom (Donal Donnelly
) — when a young girl from out of town, Nancy (Rita Tushingham
), enters their London world.
of disapproving members of "the older generation". Talking about the film in the 1980s, actor Ray Brooks said:
Lester himself makes a brief cameo as an annoyed bystander. John Barry
contributed the jazz
y score which features a memorable organ solo by Alan Haven
. Charlotte Rampling
, Jacqueline Bisset
, and Jane Birkin
all made their first cinematic appearances in the film as extras.
According to the Time Out Film Guide the movie is a "patchily funny but generally dated and embarrassing Swinging Sixties tale... A misogynistic basis for comedy, not redeemed by the moralistic and predictable ending."
Richard Lester
Richard Lester is an American film director based in Britain. Lester is notable for his work with The Beatles in the 1960s and his work on the Superman film series in the 1980s.-Early years and television:...
based on the play by Ann Jellicoe
Ann Jellicoe
Ann Jellicoe is a British actor, theatre director and playwright. Although her work has covered many areas of theatre and film, she is best known for "pushing the envelope" of the stage play, devising new forms which challenge and delight unconventional audiences...
.The film won the Palme d'Or
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
at the 1965 Cannes Film Festival
1965 Cannes Film Festival
-Jury:*André Maurois *Olivia de Havilland *Goffredo Lombardo *Max Aub *Michel Aubriant *Rex Harrison *François Reichenbach...
and was nominated for the Golden Bear
Golden Bear
According to legend, the Golden Bear was a large golden Ursus arctos. Members of the Ursus arctos species can reach masses of . The Grizzly Bear and the Kodiak Bear are North American subspecies of the Brown Bear....
at the 15th Berlin International Film Festival
15th Berlin International Film Festival
The 15th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from June 25 to July 6, 1965.-Jury:* John Gillett * Alexander Kluge* Ely Azeredo* Monique Berger* Kyushiro Kusakabe* Jerry Bresler* Karena Niehoff* Hans Jürgen Pohland...
.
Plot
The film depicts the sexual competition between three roommates — the aggressive, womanizing drummer Tolen (Ray Brooks), the shy, paranoid schoolteacher Colin (Michael CrawfordMichael Crawford
Michael Crawford OBE is an English actor and singer. He has garnered great critical acclaim and won numerous awards during his career, which covers radio, television, film, and stagework on both London's West End and on Broadway in New York City...
), and the neutral artist Tom (Donal Donnelly
Donal Donnelly
Donal Donnelly was an English-born Irish theatre and film actor. He was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England, but raised in Dublin, Ireland....
) — when a young girl from out of town, Nancy (Rita Tushingham
Rita Tushingham
-Career:Born in Liverpool, Tushingham began her career as a stage actress at the Liverpool Playhouse. Her screen debut was in A Taste of Honey...
), enters their London world.
Cast
- Rita TushinghamRita Tushingham-Career:Born in Liverpool, Tushingham began her career as a stage actress at the Liverpool Playhouse. Her screen debut was in A Taste of Honey...
- Nancy Jones - Ray Brooks - Tolen
- Michael CrawfordMichael CrawfordMichael Crawford OBE is an English actor and singer. He has garnered great critical acclaim and won numerous awards during his career, which covers radio, television, film, and stagework on both London's West End and on Broadway in New York City...
- Colin - Donal DonnellyDonal DonnellyDonal Donnelly was an English-born Irish theatre and film actor. He was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England, but raised in Dublin, Ireland....
- Tom - John BluthalJohn BluthalJohn Bluthal is a Polish-born British film and television actor, mostly in comedy. He is best known for his work with Spike Milligan and for his roles in the television series Never Mind the Quality Feel the Width and The Vicar of Dibley.-Early life:Bluthal was born in Galicia, Poland, of Jewish...
- Angry Father - Wensley PitheyWensley PitheyWensley Pithey was a South African character actor who had a long stage career.Pithey was born in Cape Town, South Africa. A graduate of the University of Cape Town where he studied music and drama, he travelled to England in 1947...
- Teacher - Timothy BatesonTimothy BatesonTimothy Dingwall Bateson was a British actor. The son of Dingwall Bateson, a solicitor later knighted, he was educated at Uppingham School and Wadham College, Oxford....
- Junkyard Owner - Peter CopleyPeter CopleyPeter Copley was a British television, film and stage actor.-Biography:Copley was born in Bushey, Hertfordshire, son of the printmakers, John Copley and Ethel Gabain....
- Picture Owner - William Dexter - Dress Shop Owner
- Bruce LaceyBruce Lacey"Professor" Bruce Lacey, born 1927, remains one of Britain's great eccentrics. After completing his national service in the RAF he became established on the avantgarde scene with his performance art and mechanical constructs. He has been closely associated with The Alberts performance group and The...
- Surveyor's Asst. - Dandy NicholsDandy Nichols-References:* Dandy Nichols at screenonline.* Dandy Nichols at The Museum of Broadcast Communications.-External links:...
- Tom's Landlady - Kenneth Farrington - Guardsman
History and reputation
Making the film immediately after working with The Beatles on A Hard Day’s Night and just prior to Help!, Lester made major changes to the play, adding his own touch through direct address, unexpected oddly-edited sequences, humorous subtitles, and a Greek chorusGreek chorus
A Greek chorus is a homogenous, non-individualised group of performers in the plays of classical Greece, who comment with a collective voice on the dramatic action....
of disapproving members of "the older generation". Talking about the film in the 1980s, actor Ray Brooks said:
Lester himself makes a brief cameo as an annoyed bystander. John Barry
John Barry (composer)
John Barry Prendergast, OBE was an English conductor and composer of film music. He is best known for composing the soundtracks for 12 of the James Bond films between 1962 and 1987...
contributed the jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
y score which features a memorable organ solo by Alan Haven
Alan Haven
Alan Haven is an English jazz organist.He is best known for his collaborations with John Barry in the James Bond films From Russia with Love and Goldfinger and in the Richard Lester film The Knack …and How to Get It...
. Charlotte Rampling
Charlotte Rampling
Charlotte Rampling, OBE is an English actress. Her career spans four decades in English-language as well as French and Italian cinema.- Early life :...
, Jacqueline Bisset
Jacqueline Bisset
Jacqueline Bisset is an English actress. She has been nominated for four Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy Award. She is known for her roles in the films Bullitt , Airport , The Deep , Class , and the TV series Nip/Tuck in 2006...
, and Jane Birkin
Jane Birkin
Jane Mallory Birkin, OBE is an English-born actress and singer who lives in France. In recent years she has written her own album, directed a film and become an outspoken proponent of democracy in Burma.- Early life :...
all made their first cinematic appearances in the film as extras.
According to the Time Out Film Guide the movie is a "patchily funny but generally dated and embarrassing Swinging Sixties tale... A misogynistic basis for comedy, not redeemed by the moralistic and predictable ending."
External links
- The Knack ...and How to Get It at Rotten TomatoesRotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
- Cannes profile