The System (1964)

Sorry, this movie sucks

Just what I expected

good back-story, and good acting

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

A neglected but in its unassuming way very well-made little melodrama by a young Michael Winner, shot mainly on location around Torbay right at the start of the Swinging Sixties era. Fairly racy in its day, it never tries to sensationalise its premise that casual sex is as normal as the twist among the holidaying young people.The cast is exceptional. This was Winner's first collaboration with Oliver Reed, whose charisma and aura of watchful menace here is unmistakable. There was never another star in British cinema quite like him. Jane Merrow is just as excellent as the sympathetic but ultimately unattainable Nicola; she makes the character totally three-dimensional without any histrionics. Barbara Ferris also stands out among a talented young cast, especially in her final stoned lament at the evening beach-party.Winner is helped immeasurably by a brilliant cinematographer, Nicolas Roeg (here in between lensing such notable Brit-flicks as The Caretaker, Nothing But the Best and Masque of the Red Death). His location work right from the title sequence gives a vivid sense of place of a jaded seaside resort in the last days of summer.Directorial flair is surprisingly confident, borrowing just enough new-wave technique to languidly establish the film's youth pedigree without ever indulging in obtrusive effect for its own sake.Winner's previous film, West 11, a lowlife murder suspensor, also made good use of a mainly young cast. After The System he moved on to bigger but not necessarily better things before Hollywood swamped what talent he had. A pity, because this film, never acknowledged as being one of the best British b-films of the time, really is pretty good.

You might think that by 1964 the world was all swinging sophistication, but no it was like this, I remember. I had recently started working, in a bank. It was hand written ledgers and an outside toilet! Yep, life revolved a fair bit around getting girls and then making sure you didn't get them pregnant and then 'having to get married'. Everyone is s bit too old here, of course, although David Hemmings looks like a little angel. Oliver Reed puts in a good performance as the leader although it's hard at the end to take his more introspective ponderings. Great direction by Michael Winner, there not many people have said that, and the movie speeds along with some excellent sequences, especially the wedding celebration on the beach, played more like a wake. Winner is an under rated director, he did a couple of others of this ilk, then I like his Innocents and there is Death Wish. I liked the hated Death Weekend but in general his career went downhill and it stops people giving the earlier films a chance. Well worth watching, if only to appreciate that the mid 60's in Britain were still much like the 50's, except with teenagers.

Film buffs tend to turn up their noses at the mention of the name Michael Winner, but the fact is he made some pretty decent films back in the '60's ( 'The Cool Mikado' excepted! ), of which 'The System' was one.Shot in glorious black and white, it is set in a small British seaside resort, where a gang of young men prey on young female tourists. Object? Sexual conquest. Tinker ( Oliver Reed ), the self-styled leader of this pack of wolves, is a happy-go-lucky photographer who snaps the girls when they arrive, secures their hotel names and room numbers, and then shares the pictures out among his pals, naturally keeping the best looking one for himself. He calls this method 'The System'.Tinker takes a shine to rich man's daughter Nicola ( Jane Merrow ), and begins courting her. She knows what he is up to, and does not attempt to discourage him. Their relationship develops and Tinker finds himself genuinely falling in love, but Nicola is not keen on settling down.Similarities between this film and 'Alfie', released a mere two years later, are uncanny. Both feature a good-looking young man whose interest in females goes only as far as the bedroom. Both feature said hero getting his comeuppance at the end - and at the hands of a woman. The ending implies that, despite being rebuffed, Tinker will be back at the railway station the next summer, still practising The System. Both feature the lovely Julia Foster too.As 'Tinker', Reed gives a magnetic performance. You can see why the girls fall for him like dominoes. Watching this film with my wife, she commented on his eyes, and she's right. They are like blow lamps. Jane Merrow, an actress known mainly to me through her television work such as 'Danger Man' and 'The Prisoner' is gorgeous as the elegant 'Nicola'. Tinker's gang includes David Hemmings ( two years away from starring in the iconic 'Blow-Up' ) and John Alderton, future star of the T.V. sitcom 'Please Sir!'. His character, Nidge, earns Tinker's wrath by openly admitting he has gotten one of his conquests pregnant. Tinker gives him the address of a back-street abortionist ( it was illegal when this was made ), but his friend does the decent thing and marries the girl.I was only two when this came out, so cannot say for certain whether its depiction of the young people of that era is in any way accurate. It feels authentic though. The fight between Tinker and Derek Newark's character is brutal indeed, as is a later scrap involving the rest of the gang. The use of broken bottles in said fight probably contributed to the film's earning of an 'X' certificate ( today it would be 18 ).The whole British holiday atmosphere is wonderfully captured. As Denis Norden once said: "it will take you back - even if you were never there originally!".Peter Draper wrote the thoughtful script, he later collaborated with Reed and Winner on the equally memorable 'I'll Never Forget What'sis name'. He really should have penned more movies.I'm so glad that this picture has resurfaced on D.V.D. One to put on the shelf next to classics such as 'Alfie' and 'Georgy Girl'.

As a young man in his late teens, this film brings back fond memories of Torquay and Paignton where the film was made.It all started on Elberry Cove, near Goodrington, with a big, all night barbecue. It was supposed to be a warm summers evening, which was not quite the case, but it was a lot of fun.I was there as an Extra with Naomi, the daughter of the late Don Kite (Film director) Most of the activity of this film took place around Paignton Harbour and in fact Tinker's Pad or Flat was the Harbour Lights Restaurant. For all us teens, the 400 Club in Torquay, was the place to go. In fact it was the only place that had disco type dancing. And the 400 Club played a big part in the film, with a fight and scuffle, the we had to drag Tinker across the road and throw him in the harbour, I can't actually remember whether we did or not, but I know that his camera went in.This film was probably very close to the truth, you get the feeling that the Writer, Peter Draper had been following us about taking notes on our activities throughout the summer months, particularly as we used to go down to Elberry Cove for barbeque's and dancing at the 400 ClubI give this film 8 for the memories