The System

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.

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.

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 Club

I give this film 8 for the memories

I first saw this film when it was released (in 1964) and it had a profound effect on me then, imagine my surprise when I saw it in the middle of the night on TV a few days ago and it hasn't lost any of it's freshness. Oliver Reed is brilliant, as he always was before he took to the bottle, and the idea of the girl turning the tables on the cock-sure man is executed magnificently. Furthermore the quote that I remember for forty years still rang true (Harry Andrews, a photographer, says "we're here to make memories" and Oliver Reed's reply "I thought we were here to make money"). People may laugh at Michale Winner now but this was god, very good. Even today.

When I saw " The System " for the first time I was about 14 years of age,and had never heard of Oliver Reed or David Hemmings.By today's standards it is hardly very shocking or thrilling;and yet in 1964 it was rather risqué,being about young men who were essentially trying to get young ladies into bed.It is filmed in black and white,and has a young and very handsome Oliver Reed seducing young ladies,but eventually falling in love.It also has a young David Hemmings,who later goes on to make some of the more memorable films of the 60's.It has many quality performances from British character actors, such as Juliette Foster and John Alderton.It also is directed by the very underrated Michael winner,and is worth viewing for its cinematographic interest,but also for its particular take on the 1960's.