How to Get Ahead in Advertising (1989)
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- R
- 1h 30min
- Comedy, Fantasy
- 29 Mar 1990 (West Germany)
- Movie
A cynical advertising exec has a block at work leading to a meltdown. He's hilariously out of control. Getting a big, talking boil on his shoulder doesn't help.
Director:
Writer:
Award:
- 1 nomination.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Richard E. Grant | ... |
Bagley
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| Rachel Ward | ... |
Julia
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| Richard Wilson | ... |
Bristol
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| Jacqueline Tong | ... |
Penny Wheelstock
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| John Shrapnel | ... |
Psychiatrist
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| Susan Wooldridge | ... |
Monica
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Hugh Armstrong | ... |
Harry Wax
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| Mick Ford | ... |
Richard
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| Jacqueline Pearce | ... |
Maud
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| Christopher Simon | ... |
Waiter
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| Gino Melvazzi | ... |
Waiter
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| Victor Lucas | ... |
Tweedy Man
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Dawn Keeler | ... |
Tweedy Woman
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Kerryann White | ... |
Girl in Elevator
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Vivienne McKone | ... |
Sullivan Bristol Receptionist
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Donald Hoath | ... |
Businessman
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John Levitt | ... |
Businessman
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Gordon Gostelow | ... |
Priest
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| Pip Torrens | ... |
Jonathan
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| Tony Slattery | ... |
Basil
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| Rachel Fielding | ... |
Jennifer
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Pauline Melville | ... |
Mrs Wallace
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| Roddy Maude-Roxby | ... |
Dr Gatty
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| Francesca Longrigg | ... |
Nurse
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| Tanveer Ghani | ... |
Hospital Doctor
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| Joanna Mays | ... |
Phillis Blokey
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| Sean Bean | ... |
Larry Frisk
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Roy Beck | ... |
City worker (uncredited)
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| Eric Idle | ... |
Male Love Bird (uncredited) (voice)
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| Bruce Robinson | ... |
The Boil (uncredited) (voice)
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| Cy Town | ... |
Man at wedding (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Bruce Robinson | ||
Written by
| Bruce Robinson | ... | (written by) |
Produced by
| Ray Cooper | ... | co-producer |
| George Harrison | ... | executive producer |
| Denis O'Brien | ... | executive producer |
| David Wimbury | ... | producer |
Music by
| David Dundas | ||
| Rick Wentworth | ||
Cinematography by
| Peter Hannan | ||
Editing by
| Alan Strachan | ||
Editorial Department
| Pat Brennan | ... | assistant editor |
| Paula Connor | ... | assistant editor |
| Peter Holt | ... | associate editor |
| Kevin Lane | ... | assistant editor |
| Sarah Thomas | ... | assembly editor |
Casting By
| Lucy Boulting | ||
Production Design by
| Michael Pickwoad | ||
Art Direction by
| Henry Harris | ||
Set Decoration by
| Robyn Hamilton-Doney | ||
Costume Design by
| Andrea Galer | ||
Makeup Department
| Peter Frampton | ... | makeup creation / makeup designer |
| Sue Love | ... | hair stylist |
Production Management
| Kathy Sykes | ... | production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Dominic Allen | ... | assistant director |
| Peter Kohn | ... | assistant director |
| Melvin Lind | ... | assistant director |
Art Department
| Les Andrews | ... | art stand-by |
| John Bastin | ... | construction |
| Pete Beasley | ... | construction |
| Frank Berlin | ... | construction |
| Bruce Bigg | ... | property master |
| Peter Bigg | ... | dressing props |
| Peter Browne | ... | art stand-by |
| Alan Chesters | ... | construction manager |
| Stan Cook | ... | dressing props |
| Charles Cottrell | ... | construction |
| Martin Duffy | ... | construction |
| Peter Duffy | ... | construction (as Peter Duffey) |
| Jim Foran | ... | construction |
| Les Henning | ... | construction |
| Danny Hunter | ... | art stand-by |
| David Ned Kelly | ... | art stand-by (as Ned Kelly) |
| Patrick Lynch | ... | construction |
| Dennis Maddison | ... | props buyer |
| Larry Marchant | ... | construction |
| Don McLellan | ... | construction |
| Brian Morris | ... | Set Painter / art stand-by / stand/by painter |
| John Robertson | ... | art stand-by |
| Ray Rose | ... | dressing props |
| Brian Webb | ... | construction |
| Michael Webb | ... | construction |
| Charles Cottrell | ... | scenic painter (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Allan Brereton | ... | sound maintenance |
| Alan Paley | ... | sound editor |
| Trevor Rutherford | ... | boom operator |
| Paul Smith | ... | dialogue editor |
| Otto Snel | ... | dubbing mixer |
| Clive Winter | ... | sound mixer |
| David Stephenson | ... | sound recordist (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
| Sue Higgins | ... | foam |
| Ruth Hogg | ... | special effects runner |
| Richard Neal | ... | special effects sculptor |
| Daniel Parker | ... | animatronic constructor |
| Mike Quinn | ... | puppeteer (as Mike Quinby) |
| Luke Sawh | ... | special effects runner |
| David White | ... | animatronics |
| Nik Williams | ... | animatronic constructor |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Sophie Baker | ... | still photographer |
| Adam Cooper | ... | camera loader |
| Alan Grosch | ... | electrician |
| Brian Martin | ... | best boy |
| Andrew McDade | ... | electrician |
| Reg Parsons | ... | gaffer |
| Luke Quigley | ... | grip |
| Ronnie Rampton | ... | electrician |
| Bob Smith | ... | camera operator |
| Stefan Stankowski | ... | focus puller |
| John Turner | ... | electrician |
| Kate Robinson | ... | steadicam operator (uncredited) |
| Peter Versey | ... | camera operator (uncredited) |
Casting Department
| Marilyn Milgrom | ... | casting secretary |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Heather Williams | ... | wardrobe |
Location Management
| Gilly Case | ... | location manager |
| Guy Tannahill | ... | location assistant |
Music Department
| Keith Grant | ... | music engineer |
| Gerry O'Riordan | ... | assistant music engineer |
| Rick Wentworth | ... | conductor / orchestrator |
Script and Continuity Department
| Sally Jones | ... | script supervisor |
Transportation Department
| Mike Beaver | ... | transportation |
| Roy Clarke | ... | transportation |
| Dave Manning | ... | transportation |
Additional Crew
| Bobby Blues | ... | production accountant (as Bob Blues) |
| Vicky Burton | ... | trainee |
| Stephanie Clark | ... | production secretary |
| Valerie Craig | ... | production coordinator |
| Gordon Davis | ... | assistant accountant |
| Robin Demetriou | ... | caterer supervisor |
| Lynn Hoey | ... | runner |
| Jacky Holding | ... | accounts secretary |
| Lorraine Luke | ... | trainee |
| Graham Norton III | ... | trainee (as Graham Norton) |
| Libby Shearon | ... | unit publicist |
Thanks
| Inger Best | ... | special thanks |
| John Buckley | ... | special thanks |
| Cathy Bunce | ... | special thanks |
| Denis Carrigan | ... | special thanks |
| Marigold Charrington | ... | special thanks |
| Bob Crowdy | ... | special thanks |
| Neil Grimshaw | ... | special thanks |
| Rand Holston | ... | special thanks |
| Richard Kuttner | ... | special thanks |
| Lee Martin | ... | special thanks |
| Gerry O'Riordan | ... | special thanks (as Gerry O'Riorden) |
| Paul Olliver | ... | special thanks |
| Ronnie Pearce | ... | special thanks |
| Anthony Price | ... | special thanks |
| Mary Selway | ... | special thanks |
| Willy Smax | ... | special thanks |
| Martin Sponticcia | ... | special thanks |
| John Stanborough | ... | special thanks |
| Ralph Steadman | ... | special thanks |
| Paul Talkington | ... | special thanks |
| Ian Weil | ... | special thanks |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Cineplex Odeon Films (1989) (Canada) (theatrical)
- Virgin Films (1989) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Alliance Atlantis Home Video (2010) (Canada) (DVD)
- Anchor Bay Entertainment (1997) (United States) (video) (Licensed to The Criterion Collection)
- CBS / Fox Video (1990) (United Kingdom) (VHS)
- Cineplex-Odeon Home Video (1990) (Canada) (VHS)
- Image Entertainment (2011) (United States) (DVD)
- Image Entertainment (2011) (United States) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- MCA (1990) (Canada) (VHS)
- MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (United States) (DVD)
- Malo Video (1995) (Canada) (VHS)
- Paragon Entertainment Corporation
- The Criterion Channel (2019) (United States) (digital)
- The Criterion Collection (1997) (United States) (laserdisc)
- The Criterion Collection (2001) (United States) (DVD)
- Umbrella Entertainment (2009) (Australia) (DVD)
- Umbrella Entertainment (2009) (Australia) (video) (VOD)
- VCL Communications (1990) (Germany) (VHS)
- Virgin Vision (1989) (United States) (VHS)
- Warner Bros. (United States)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Dolby Stereo (in selected theatres)
- Fujicolor (originated on)
- KO Creative (package design and layout)
- Lee Lighting (grip and lighting equipment)
- Motion Picture Association (MPA)
- Visual Icon (exclusive clip and still licensing)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Dennis Dimbleby Bagley is a brilliant young advertising executive who can't come up with a slogan to sell a revolutionary new pimple cream. His obsessive worrying affects not only his relationship with his wife, his friends and his boss, but also his own body - graphically demonstrated when he grows a large stress-related boil on his shoulder. But when the boil grows eyes and a mouth and starts talking, Bagley really begins to think he's lost his mind. But has he?
Written by Michael Brooke |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | The Career Where Two Heads Are Better Than One See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | The film Julia switches on just before Denis comes home is Bullshot (1983), another HandMade Films production. Mel Smith is seen on screen. See more » |
| Goofs | After Bagley has lunch with his wife, she drops him back at the advertising firm's office building, but it is a different building to the one used for the interior scenes, which is the tall red building several hundred yards up the street (visible in the crane shot of their car pulling up), right next to the Lambeth bridge, as we can see from the window view in the scenes in Bagley's and Bristol's offices. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Edited into Video Macumba (1991). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Oscillate Wildly See more » |
| Quotes |
Denis Dimbleby Bagley:
My grandfather was caught molesting a wallaby in a private zoo in 1919. Psychiatrist: A wallaby? Denis Dimbleby Bagley: It may have been a kangaroo. I'm not sure. Psychiatrist: You mean sexually? Denis Dimbleby Bagley: I suppose so. He had his hand in its pouch. See more » |