Perfect Friday *** (1970, Stanley Baker, Ursula Andress, David Warner, T P McKenna, Patience Collier) – Classic Movie Review 5855

Peter Hall’s amusing 1970 British bank-heist caper thriller film Perfect Friday is a bright straggler from the Sixties with Stanley Baker, Ursula Andress and David Warner. 

Director Peter Hall’s amusing 1970 British bank-heist caper thriller Perfect Friday is a bright straggler from the Sixties about bored and bent London West End assistant bank manager Mr Graham (Stanley Baker), and the rich titled married couple Lady Britt Dorset and Lord Nicholas Dorset (Ursula Andress, David Warner) he meets and gets to help him to steal £300,000 from his own bank.

On the manager’s day off playing golf, Lord Dorset poses as a bank inspector and substitutes counterfeit money for the real stuff, putting the real money in Lady’s Britt’s safety box for her to pick up.

The movie’s effect is slightly fudged by the plodding handling of its surprising director – the Seventies British National Theatre boss Hall – though he does encourage classy turns from his posh cast and give it a polished veneer.

Written by Anthony Greville-Bell and C Scott Forbes from an original story by C Scott Forbes, the tale teases and twists pleasingly, however, and the star playing of the eccentric central characters sparkles.

Though it has faded a little with age, it is still a satisfying entertainment for the many fans of the bank heist or caper thriller genres.

Also in the cast are Patience Collier, T P McKenna as Smith, David Waller, Joan Benham, Julian Orchard, Johnny Briggs, Trisha Mortimer, Anne Tirard, Fred Griffiths, Sidney Jennings, Hugh Halliday, Max Faulkner, Carleton Hobbs, Eric Longworth, Brian Peck, Howard Lang, Patrick Jordan, Malcolm Johns. Garfield Morgan, Derek Cox, Barbara Ogilvie and Georgina Simpson.

Perfect Friday is directed by Peter Hall, runs 94 minutes, is made by Sunnymede Film Productions, is released by London Screen (UK) and
Chevron Pictures (US), is written by Anthony Greville-Bell and C Scott Forbes from an original story by C Scott Forbes, is shot by Alan Hume, produced by Dimitri de Grunwald and Jack Smith, scored by Johnny Dankworth, and designed by Terence Marsh.

Producer de Grunwald set up the International Film Consortium, a new production and distribution consortium, a world-wide co-op of independent film distributors, to raise finance for films produced by London Screenplays Ltd – also including The McMasters, The Virgin and the Gypsy, The Last Grenade and Connecting Rooms.

Baker said: ‘What I like about Perfect Friday is that everybody lies to each other, and everybody believes each other’s lies. I don’t know if the audience realises it, but every time the characters speak to each other, they’re lying.’

Oddly, Peter Hall saw it in a different way, saying the sex scenes ‘were meant to make fun of all those sex films that steam up the West End’.

David Warner also stars in Peter Hall ‘s Work Is a Four-Letter Word.

Part of a portrait of Sir Peter Hall by daughter Jennifer Caron Hall.

RIP theatre giant Sir Peter Hall, who died on 11 September 2017, aged 86.

RIP David Warner (29 July 1941 – 24 July 2022).

The cast are Stanley Baker as Mr Graham, Ursula Andress as Lady Britt Dorset, David Warner as Lord Nick Dorset, Patience Collier as Nanny, T. P. McKenna as Smith, David Waller as Williams, Joan Benham as Miss Welsh, Julian Orchard as Thompson, Trisha Mortimer as Janet, Anne Tirard as Miss Marsh, Johnny Briggs as Taxi Driver, Fred Griffiths as Taxi Driver, Sidney Jennings as Taxi Driver, Hugh Halliday as Cyclist, Max Faulkner as Strong Room Guard, Carleton Hobbs as Elderly Peer, Eric Longworth as House of Lords Messenger, Brian Peck as Chauffeur, Howard Lang as Bank Commissionaire, Patrick Jordan as Bank Guard, Malcolm Johns as Swiss Boy Friend, Garfield Morgan as 1st Airport Official, Derek Cox as 2nd Airport Official, Barbara Ogilvie as Woman Airport Official, and Georgina Simpson as Stewardess.

It was released on 10 November 1970 (UK) and 23 December 1970 (US).

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5855

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