2 Anglaises en délire

'Smashing time' is a well-made English comedy, set in the famous Swinging London of the mid-Sixties. And shot in the same city in the same period, adding extra authenticity.

This film is just fun, without any pretense. The hilarious interaction between Rita Tushingham and Lynn Redgrave, successfully coupled as girlfriends, makes it work. Some of its scenes are clearly inspired by Laurel and Hardy.

'Girlfriends', I said. This friendship between the two heterosexual female leads is devoid of any sex. Such a formula wouldn't probably sell today, but back in the Sixties it did. A friendship of this kind makes this film's core.

Rita Tushingham is head and shoulders above anything in this film and the film as a whole. Lynn Redgrave gives a decent performance but her role doesn't allow for anything much more than camp laughs.

These two are the stars and do keep you watching but as you watch you find yourself dropping to the films level and into its rhythm. Maybe, I wasn't into either its humour or pace because I was watching it for the first time over half a century after the audience it was made for. I have watched many films in the past from this era, 'Up The Junction' for example, that I enjoyed without seeming to have to adapt to the time and there's others so that it's age isn't an excuse. I just found that the humour was predictable and silly at first. However, as mentioned, as it went on I got quite engrossed and I can only put that down to the quality of the lead characters.

Not a film I would recommend but one I would be embarrassed to say I liked.

look, if you are looking for deep meaning - or songs that make you want to sing along, then you're looking in the wrong place.

but if you want a kitschy look (i bet even at the time of release!) at the mid-sixties, then look no further! come on! lynn redgrave as a pop-starlet? rita tushingham as a supermodel?? michael york as a photog???? what could be better??? the scenes of lynn belting out her "hit" song are worthy of admission alone! i was also grateful for some of the shots of carnaby street in it's hayday - god, i just wish i were there! this is a movie that mike myers very obviously borrowed from to create austin powers. it has a lot of the same sensibilities.

see the original - maybe skim by most of the songs... but enjoy the ride!

As someone else has said regarding this film 'I could have done with less slapstick and more satire'. Yep. The satire is most definitely there and it's funny but the slapstick is lame warmed over nonsense and should just be fast forwarded through. Redgrave and Tushingham are great fun together and the supporting cast all pitch in nicely, ghastly stereotypes excepted. It's a film I have long been curious about and now that I've seen it I feel as if I've been rewarded with a bright and zippy laugh out loud at times comedy (somewhat of a rare commodity these days) and an affectionate look at what I suppose is now a lost world.

I can't believe Leonard Maltin dissed this picture -- it's a rare gem of trippy brilliance, influential as hell on arbiters of style like "Absolutely Fabulous" and the "Austin Power" series. Lynn Redgrave (!), fresh out of "Georgy Girl", bumbles through looking like a great big blonde lovable cow in a succession of astonishing wigs, while her costar Rita Tushingham (!!) veers back and forth from frumpy/frowny to slapstick/mime to The Face of the 60's. The humor is broad and scatological, but cutting when its satire -- sample song lyric: "I can't sing, but I'm young!!" If you can find it, grab it.