Rattle of a Simple Man

Rattle of a Simple Man is a 1964 British comedy-drama film directed by Muriel Box and starring Diane Cilento, Harry H. Corbett and Michael Medwin.[2] It was written by Charles Dyer, based on his 1962 play La Crécelle (Rattle of a Simple Man).

Rattle of a Simple Man
Film poster
Directed byMuriel Box
Written byCharles Dyer
Produced byWilliam J. Gell
StarringDiane Cilento
Harry H. Corbett
Michael Medwin
Thora Hird
CinematographyReginald H. Wyer
Edited byFrederick Wilson
Music byStanley Black
Production
company
Distributed byWarner-Pathé Distributors (UK)
Continental Distributing (US)
Release dates
  • 7 September 1964 (1964-09-07) (London)
  • 20 December 1964 (1964-12-20) (US)
Running time
96 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguagesEnglish, Italian
Budget£141,500[1]

A naive Northern man on a trip to London becomes involved with a prostitute.

Plot

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Percy Winthram is a 39-year-old socially inept, anxious virgin who pretends to be younger. He travels by coach to London from Manchester with a group of friends to watch the FA Cup Final. The group have a night out in Soho and a £50 bet leads Percy to spend the evening with prostitute Cyrenne.

Cast

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Production

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Sydney Box emerged from a temporary retirement from filmmaking to buy the rights to the play for £50,000.[3] Box originally wanted Peter Sellers for the lead role but he was too expensive.[1]

Reception

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Box office

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The film was not a success at the box office.[1]

Critical

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Variety commented that "most of the charm and tenderness that occasionally illuminated Charles Dyer’s successful play has been lost in this coarsened, fatuous film. Only a lively, vivid performance by Diane Cilento in a contrived role holds much interest, though a sound cast does spartan work in juggling the sparse material."[4]

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Such merit as Charles Dyer's stage original possessed sprang from the fact that it was almost entirely a two-hander, a carefully modulated duologue between Percy and Cyrenne in which the humour almost counterbalanced the sentimentality. Here, everything has been conventionally opened out and coarsened. Harry Corbett grossly overplays the coy gaucherie; the Italian family (including sinister, black-shirted brother, lecherous stepfather and grieving mama) is pure melodrama; and the whole atmosphere of London sin is fetchingly ludicrous. Miraculously, though, by her astringent playing Diane Cilento almost achieves the impossible in creating a character out of nothing."[5]

Leslie Halliwell said: "Archetypal farcical situation with sentiment added to string it out to twice its proper length. Production values modest but adequate."[6]

The Radio Times Guide to Films gave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "Harry H Corbett strays into Norman Wisdom territory in this disappointing comedy from the husband-and-wife team of Sydney and Muriel Box. In adapting his play for the big screen, Charles Dyer so overdoes the pathos that what few laughs there are seem rather cruel and out of place. As the innocent following his football team to Wembley, Corbett is unconvincingly wide-eyed, although his scenes with prostitute Diane Cilento have a certain sweetness about them."[7]

Sky Movies called it "a rather touching and at times richly amusing extended playlet about an 'innocent' football fan from the north, and the night he spends talking to a London prostitute in her flat. Not very plausible, perhaps, but winningly done. As Cyrenne, the streetwalker, Diane Cilento is persuasive and just right. And Harry H Corbett was able to break away completely from his Steptoe image. Michael Medwin is also very good as Corbett's big-talking friend."[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Andrew Spicer, Sydney Box Manchester Uni Press 2006 p 183-183
  2. ^ "Rattle of a Simple Man". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  3. ^ Pearson, Kenneth. "Sydney Box company makes a bid for British Lion Films." Sunday Times [London, England] 29 Dec. 1963: [1]. The Sunday Times Digital Archive. Web. 18 Apr. 2014.
  4. ^ "Advertisement". Variety. January 1964.
  5. ^ "Rattle of a Simple Man". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 31 (360): 151. 1 January 1964. ProQuest 1305825671 – via ProQuest.
  6. ^ Halliwell, Leslie (1989). Halliwell's Film Guide (7th ed.). London: Paladin. p. 839. ISBN 0586088946.
  7. ^ Radio Times Guide to Films (18th ed.). London: Immediate Media Company. 2017. p. 757. ISBN 9780992936440.
  8. ^ "Rattle of a Simple Man". Find and Watch.
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