“Are you still working sir or do you just do the writing now?"
I've posted about this film before but it's worth another gander. Charlie Bubbles (1967)was the great Albert Finney’s directorial debut and is, in fact, the only film he has ever directed.
Charlie is successful writer; an ageing angry young man who – jaded and cynical, drunk and disorderly - decides to go home again to revisit his ex-wife and child in the North Country, where he was born, dragging along his wraith like and waif like secretary, Liza Minnelli.
Charlie roams the frozen wastelands of post WW2 Salford in Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III convertible - CB 1E looking like a fish out of water, unable to find the ‘roots’ that he was once so keen to free himself from.
The ‘false values ‘ of the South are thrown in Bubbles face by old friends although for me the key scene takes place in a swanky Manchester hotel room when an elderly waiter says:
"I used to know your father sir. We're all very proud of you. Are you still working sir or do you just do the writing now?" Bubbles retorts "No. Just the writing."
The film's writer was the splendid Shelagh Delaney who also wrote A Taste of Honey and Lindsay Anderson's 1967 film The White Bus and indeed Charlie Bubbles straddles the kitchen sink drama of Finney’s classic Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960) and the more psychedelic British films to come such as Anderson’s If.... (1968)
Charlie Bubbles the film, like Charlie Bubbles the man, is bittersweet and not to everyone’s taste but personally I love it.
Oh, and the names are great too.
Albert Finney - Charlie Bubbles, Colin Blakely - Smokey Pickles, Billie Whitelaw - Lottie Bubbles!
There are more forgotten films at Todd Mason's splendid blog.
11 comments:
A great film, actor, and terrific review for soomeone thats yet to see it.
I think I've seen it but I'll be looking for again, Paul. I was born in Salford but lived in Eccles. Thanks mate.
It is a cracking film I've got another 'Bert Finn' piece coming up soon.
Sounds like a good one. If I can find it, I'd love to watch it. Cleaning out a closet, I found "The Man With Teh Golden Arm" the other day. I bought it around 16 years ago. A Sinatra classic for sure.
Hi! Paul D. Brazill...
Unfortunately, I'am unfamiliar with this film, but I'am quite sure that "internet" film buffs, and DVD sellers, may be familiar with this film. Hopefully, I can obtain a copy from a film collector.
Thanks, for sharing!
DeeDee ;-D
Your blog seems to have run into money - through working, or just writing? ;)
Always ready for an actually good film with Minelli in it. And thanks for the praise! (Where are the zlotys? Or was that ever the Polish currency?)
Oh, another favorite from my teen years. Liza did seem like an up and coming actress with this and THE STERILE CUCKOO and ARTHUR
I've always heard about this film but never seen it. A lack I must mend. I love the image of the Rolls prowling Salford! Funny, three analogues pop into my mind: I'm in the midst of rewatching series 3 of "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" and the third episode has one of those 'false values' of the South motifs and competetiveness with a nice SF twist. But it also reminds me of the Python bit about that twists the old story so the be-suited son is working in the mines and the cloth-capped dad is a writer. And of course the Pete and Dud bit "Father and Son".
Never heard of this one. Be interesting to a young Liza.
As usual, your reviews are great. No matter how hard you work to get your writing out you always manage to find the time do a nice review or try to help others get noticed. We saw Charlie Bubbles a few years back and thought it entertaining.
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