Whatever Happened to Harold Smith?

This is one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen. The direction is excellent, the acting is great, although really weird, and the script is perfect.

This film is a real masterpiece but I think many people just can't get past the accents. It's NOT a "accurate depiction of the 70s" - or at least, it's not trying to be. It's a movie in which really normal people deal with really WEIRD situations. I love it because everyone stays normal despite this strange phenomena of Howard Smith's.

I've never seen a romantic comedy with such normal, and realistic people who, despite being idiots, were sweet, and honest.

This film is absolutey delightful, a combination of a well-written and hilarious script, and some amazing art direction. Every scene in this movie presents its audience with an eyeful of imaginative staging. If you liked the movie The Royal Tennenbaums, see this... its more funny and even more visually rich.

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.

There are a lot of negatives written about this film. I think people get upset over things that, let's face it, don't really matter much. Who cares if punks are not portrayed very well, or cars arn't painted as perhaps they should be? Tom Courtney is brilliant in this, It's a bit of fun for goodness sake. No boys with their toys, no posing hard guys, no f***k me when you're ready females, there just for decoration. Hey! no wonder a lot of guys don't like it much, how dare somebody make a film that deviates from the same tired old formula!! Myself? I enjoyed it. Of course it's not 'art,' just entertainment, and all the better for it in my view.

If you want to see what the seventies where really like, check this out and avoid TV dramas like Days Like These! An enjoyable film though not as funny as it thinks it is,or could have been. Still nice to know that reasonable British films can be made without obviously appearing to the American market. Worth a look