Billy Liar (1963)

☆ ☆ ☆ ½

Billy Liar (1963) – J. Schlesinger

Tom Courtenay gives a brave performance as Billy Fisher given the sometimes embarrassing immaturity that his title character displays in Walter Mitty-like flights of fantasy and escapes from dull reality.  As a late British Kitchen Sink film, this may have been refreshing, since fantasy rarely intruded on the drudgery of working class life (as in Karel Reisz’s Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, 1960, a big hit).  However, the fantasies are not really that imaginative and the encroaching drab problems in reality actually hold more interest.  So, the plot actually gets a bit more invigorating when Julie Christie turns up as a free-spirited lass for her 12 minutes of fame late in the film.  How will Billy respond when he’s faced with the opportunity for true escape with Liz/Julie rather than the easier withdrawal into unreality?  Take a guess.  Schlesinger’s use of widescreen B&W is appealing but he went on to better things (e.g., Midnight Cowboy).