Billy Liar Poster
MOVIEmeter
SEE RANK
Up 88 this week

Billy Liar (1963)

98 min  -  Comedy | Drama | Romance   -  16 December 1963 (USA)
7.4
Your rating:
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 -/10 X  
Ratings: 7.4/10 from 2,494 users   Metascore: 82/100 
Reviews: 53 user | 28 critic | 5 from Metacritic.com

A lazy, irresponsible young clerk in provincial Northern England lives in his own fantasy world and makes emotionally immature decisions as he alienates friends and family.

Director:

John Schlesinger

Writers:

Keith Waterhouse (novel), Willis Hall (play), and 3 more credits »
 Loading Watchlist 

Watch it

Buy it from Amazon »

Related Lists

image of title
a list of 2,174 titles by Dr-Faustus created 8 months ago
 
image of title
a list of 100 titles by Col Needham created 11 months ago
 
image of title
a list of 26 titles by paul-273-129025 created 1 week ago
 
image of title
a list of 1,805 titles by jacentko created 5 months ago
 

Connect with IMDb


Download the free IMDb App
Nominated for 6 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 1 nomination See more awards »
Edit

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Tom Courtenay ...
Julie Christie ...
Liz
Wilfred Pickles Wilfred Pickles ...
Mona Washbourne Mona Washbourne ...
Ethel Griffies Ethel Griffies ...
Florence, Billy's grandmother
Finlay Currie Finlay Currie ...
Duxbury
Gwendolyn Watts Gwendolyn Watts ...
Rita
Helen Fraser Helen Fraser ...
Barbara
Leonard Rossiter Leonard Rossiter ...
Rodney Bewes Rodney Bewes ...
Arthur Crabtree
George Innes George Innes ...
Stamp
Leslie Randall Leslie Randall ...
Danny Boon
Patrick Barr Patrick Barr ...
Insp. MacDonald
Ernest Clark Ernest Clark ...
Prison Governor
Godfrey Winn Godfrey Winn ...
Disc Jockey
Edit

Storyline

A young British clerk in a gloomy North Country undertaker's office, Billy is bombarded daily by the propaganda of the media that all things are for the asking. This transparently false doctrine, coupled with the humdrum job and his wild imagination, leads him on frequent flights to "Ambrosia," a mythical kingdom where he is crowned king, general, lover or any idealized hero the real situation of the moment makes him desire. His vacillating commitment and post-adolescent immaturity have created situations which make Ambrosia all the more attractive. He's succeeded in becoming engaged to two different girls, simultaneously, while in love with a third, Liz. He's in hot water with his employer, having spent a rather large sum of postage money on his personal frivolities. And last, but not least, his dream of becoming a highly-paid, famous scriptwriter in London seems doomed to failure... Written by alfiehitchie  

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Ambrosia | Train | Imagination | Fantasy World | Immaturity  | See more »

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Edit

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

(USA) See more »

Also Known As:

A hazudós Billy See more »

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$10,785 (USA) (19 November 2000) (1 Screen)

Gross:

$35,609 (USA) (3 December 2000)
See more »

Company Credits

Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
See full technical specs »
Edit

Did You Know?

Trivia

Topsy Jane can still be seen in long-shot in some sequences, notably when Billy and Liz wave to the people of Ambrosia from the balcony. See more »

Quotes

William Terrence 'Billy' Fisher: [daydreaming] It was a big for us, we had won the war in Ambrosia. Democracy was back once more in our beloved country.
See more »

Connections

Referenced in "EastEnders: Episode dated 30 May 2006" (2006) See more »

Soundtracks

"Twisterella"
Sung by Muriel Day See more »