I'll Never Forget What's 'is Name

Rating:
Summary: Reed and Winner are a winning combination
Review: As with their collaborations on "The Girl Getters" and "The Jokers", the efforts of director Michael Winner and actor Oliver Reed are effective in this fast-paced, quick-witted work. Like the ultimate relationship comedy "Annie Hall", this film revolves around the same subject matter a decade earlier. This time, viewers see Andrew Quint, who becomes as disenchanted with his successful advertising career as he is with his team of mistresses. At 32, he is ready to begin again. But as he changes jobs and women, he also encounters a few life changes he had not planned on. Set in London's swinging sixties, this movie captures the setting with style and marks one of Reed's very finest performances. A must-see!

Rating:
Summary: Still fresh...
Review: Considering this movie was made over 30 years ago, it is surprising how fresh it still feels. Orson Welles' character, the diabolical ad agency owner, is compelling and witty. He brings amazing dimension to the story, with laceratingly sharp observations about Western social values.

Oliver Reed is captivating as Andrew Quint, the disenchanted ad agency executive. He exudes sexual and physical power in a way that is nearly unequalled in films on either side of the pond. I need to say something about a barely constrained raw power that Oliver Reed's Quint brings to screen -- it frequently erupts in surprisingly believable acts of violence and fistfights. I tend to think of fistfights and car chases as hokey Hollywood stuff (seriously, how many fist fights have you witnessed in real life?). But, it works, for the most part, in this movie.

Quint resigns from his high-powered position in a spectacular act of rebellion. He seeks to return to a truer calling in life - working as an editor for a declining literary magazine. After whole-heartedly chucking his job, he then goes half-heartedly through the motions of breaking off relations with his assorted blonds. But, not really. In fact, he acquires another blond or two along the way. The break-ups, both professional and personal, are all on the surface. It may be just a European thing or a sixties thing, but movie's characters are strangely bland and accepting about sexual infidelity.

The female characters, a wife and a bevy of girl friends, alas, are nearly interchangeable - stamped from a cookie cutter. Maybe that was intentional; because, it seems, Quint never comes to grips with his angst. He fails to recover that sense of integrity he sought in his attempts to shed the trappings of ad agency success. There is a faint question in the air at the end: does he to come to peace with himself, finally?

The movie provides a terrific glimpse into the social culture of the Sixties, when Britain was in its ascendancy as the celebrated crown jewel of pop culture. But, as I said, it doesn't seem that dated - even the clothes still look fairly okay (the hairstyles and makeup, though, NOT!). Ahead of its time in many ways, the movie has comments on the environment and society that are still valid and compelling today. Orson Welles' character delivers a very insightful speech on the extraordinary generation of waste - both literally in how landfills are swallowing up the country and in the quality of society's intellectual output. The movie is cagey in its revelation that even the hallowed halls of the academic elite harbor decay and moral corruption.

I enjoyed the commentary provided by Michael Winner on the DVD edition. It's chatty - gossipy, in fact, with rare details about the actors' personal lives. As for the title, I still don't get it; and Winner's comments about it are obtuse. Frankly, the title sounds like a slap-dash comedy, which this is not.

Rating:
Summary: Capital portrayal of the "angry young man".
Review: From the opening shot, you know this film is not just another movie from the 60's.

Many films from this era showcase the "angry young man" character rebelling against some unfocused facet of society that they feel oppresses them. "The Girl Getters", also starring Oliver Reed, and "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning" are two such samplings from Britain that are quite memorable (also of note is the even rarer portrayal of the "angry young woman" in "The Girl With Green Eyes").

Oliver Reed is marvelous as the angry young man in this slice of life film set in Swinging London. Reed's disillusioned character has reached a point where the swinging lifestyle has become empty and unsatisfying, and he wonders if there is something more to life than just having fun.

Of course, Welles is on hand, and although his part is relatively small, it it pivotal nonetheless. As Lute, the millionaire advertising executive, Welles exudes the frightening presence of a man who is not to be denied anything he wants. Lute is pragmatic, cynical, and amused at Reed's faniciful idea of working for a cause instead of working for cash.

Even though Reed owns the film, one standout in the cast to be mentioned is the milquetoast character who asks Reed to join his failing literary magazine. Burdened by a harping wife who is unhappy with the poor life of a scholar and wants "things" likes sportscars and washing mashines.

Of course, Carol White is the foxy and quintessential London swinger, and would easily give Felicity Shagwell a run for her money.

These type of films are all too rare. Although there are a few American films that touch on the same issues with the same styling ("The Sweet Smell of Success" and "Love With the Proper Stanger" both spring to mind), the British just had a knack for making solid "class struggle" films. They also had the actors that would make the films work and the characters believable. Reed and his fellow cast members excel in this one, and Welles is wonderful. Don't pass it up!

Rating:
Summary: There's a sort of idiot-honesty about you I find refreshing
Review: In "I'll Never Forget What's 'Isname," Oliver Reed plays Andrew Quint, an extremely successful 32-year-old advertising executive. While Quint's professional life is a success, his private life is a shambles. Quint goes through a moral crisis, and he leaves his wife, dumps his mistresses, and chops his desk to bits with an axe. Sickened by the corrupt world of advertising, Quint attempts to find meaning in his life by taking a low-paying job at a humble--but respectable--literary magazine run by old school chum, Leonard. Leonard is not a success by anyone's standards. In fact he secretly covets Quint's sports car and envies Quint's success with women. While Quint adjusts to his new poky little office, ex-boss, Jonathan Lute (played by Orson Welles) pursues Quint and pressures him to return to the world of corporate advertising. Jonathan is determined to get Quint back by hook or by crook. Quint deftly juggles his soon-to-be-ex-wife and two demanding mistresses while forming a relationship with Leonard's very available assistant, Georgina (Carol White). Quint's search for some meaning to life seems destined for disaster.

The character of Andrew Quint ironically mirrors many of the dilemmas Oliver Reed had in his own life. Oliver Reed was a rabble-rouser with a penchant for trouble, and "I'll Never Forget What's 'Isname" is a great film for any Oliver Reed fan. Although the film is relatively short, it is packed with action and drama. The story flows seamlessly, and no scenes are wasted. The film is very much a product of the 60s--complete with dolly birds running around in Mary Quant-style mini-dresses, and layers and layers of that 60s eye-make-up. The sexual freedom of the 60s peeks through--especially through Leonard's lascivious envy of Quint's social life. But in spite of the fact that the film is so obviously a product of 60s culture, it does not seem dated at all. Quint's rejection of professional success, and the moral quandaries created by the need to succeed are still relevant issues today. While the story deals with serious issues, everything is treated with a light ironic touch, and both Oliver Reed and Orson Welles fit neatly into the film as antagonists who both know the game all too well. Orson Welles is simply marvellous as the corrupt, wily, decadent Jonathan Lute--a man who will go as far as necessary to sell whatever product he represents. This is my favourite Orson Welles role next to Citizen Kane. The scenes with Welles are some of the best in the film, and the character Welles plays has a way of popping up in the most unexpected places. This disturbs Quint, but adds to the mood of the film. Oliver Reed and his co-star, Carol White had an off-screen romance as a result of this film, and Oliver Reed and Orson Welles maintained a close friendship for the rest of their lives. Watch for Marianne Faithfull in a small part as Josie--one of Quint's mistresses--displacedhuman

Rating:
Summary: Oliver Reed as a disillusioned advertising executive
Review: Oliver Reed stars as Andrew Quint, a successful advertising executive who has been balancing his family life with the demands of his mistress, Josie (Marianne Faithful), when he decides he is not really happy and decides to break free from his life. Andrew does this by showing up with an ax and demolishing his office. So, while his outraged boss, Jonathan Lute (Orson Welles) pursues him, Andrew goes on a bittersweet tour of Swinging London trying to get his head together. When this film came out in 1967 it was a controversial film because of its explicit language and sexuality. However, while the film is extremely tame by contemporary standards, "I'll Never Forget What's 'is Name" remains a potent testament of the disillusionment of the late Sixties. Harry Andrews, Michael Hordern, Wendy Craig and Frank Finlay are key members of the supporting cast in this film. The DVD edition contains audio commentary by director Michael Winner, who would later direct "Death Wish," which is just ironic on so many levels.

Rating:
Summary: Enjoy the F....!
Review: One useful trivia fact: this is reportedly the first movie, where the F-word is pronounced. The perpetrator of this great villany is Miss Faithfull.

Rating:
Summary: FLASHBACK: London. 1967.
Review: This film works wonderfully as a timepiece. What I like so much about Winner's films of the '60's is how much he wizzes around the city. We are treated to location after location...so we really get a look at time and place like very few films of the period. Lots of cars and mini-skirted dolly birds with exaggerated hairdo's and eye make-up.

The story is rather lame. '60's London is the star of this show. It's such a time tunnel that you'll feel quite dazed when it's over...but I think you'll be entertained.

Carol White was always nice eye candy. She plays Oliver Reed's girlfriend. She stumbles and staggers through her lines (in one scene she almost falls over, in another she 'reacts' to the people in the room before she even has entered it,) but you forgive her because she had a sort of innocent charm, like this film.

Reed is at his cool best. He was also at his handsomest in 1967. He handles his part with great ease.

Orson Wells camps it up, maybe a little too much. Marianne Faithfull says the 'f' word...but little else. She looks dreadful, her hair reminds me of those shaggy little rugs people used to put by their beds in those days, in fact maybe that's what it was.

If you like and/or are interested in '60's London...don't hesitate buying this. Otherwise I'd be reluctant to recommend it.

P.S. Almost forgot, the photography is excellent. So sharp and clear and so very London, 1967.