The Knack... and How to Get It (1965)

Cool, sophisticated Tolen (Ray Brooks) has a monopoly on womanizing - with a long like of conquests to prove it - while the naïve, awkward Colin (Michael Crawford) desperately wants a piece... See full summary »

Director:

Richard Lester

Writers:

Charles Wood (screenplay), Ann Jellicoe (play)

Stars:

Rita Tushingham, Ray Brooks, Michael Crawford

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 6 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rita Tushingham	...	Nancy Jones
Ray Brooks	...	Tolen
Michael Crawford	...	Colin
Donal Donnelly	...	Tom
William Dexter	...	Dress Shop Owner
Charles Dyer	...	Man in Photo Booth
Margot Thomas	...	Female Teacher
John Bluthal	...	Angry Father
Helen Lennox	...	Girl in Photo Booth
Wensley Pithey	...	Teacher
Edgar Wreford	...	Man in Phone Booth
Frank Sieman	...	Surveyor
Bruce Lacey	...	Surveyor's Asst.
George Chisholm	...	Left Luggage Porter
Peter Copley	...	Picture Owner

Storyline

Cool, sophisticated Tolen (Ray Brooks) has a monopoly on womanizing - with a long like of conquests to prove it - while the naïve, awkward Colin (Michael Crawford) desperately wants a piece of it. But when Colin falls for an innocent country girl (Rita Tushingham), it's not long before the self-assured Tolen moves in for the kill. Is all fair in love and war, or can Colin get the the knack and beat Tolen at his own game?

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Plot Keywords:

ywca | bed | mods | british new wave | mod | 

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Taglines:

Some have it, Some Don't.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 July 1965 (France)

Also Known As:

The Knack... and How to Get It

Filming Locations:

1 Melrose Terrace, Hammersmith, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$364,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$8,000,000, 31 January 1970

Company Credits

Production Co:

Woodfall Film Productions

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The play is a much straighter affair. When Richard Lester came on board, he added his own unique touches such as straight-to-camera direct addresses, humorous subtitles and a Greek chorus of disapproving members of "the older generation".

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Quotes

Dress Shop Owner: I never thought I'd see so much purity of pattern. Absolute rightness. I must please you, and I think I can. Don't fail me now, because I may never trust myself with a woman again, ever. Try it on. I'm sure, absolutely, I can please you. Show me. Wait for me.

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Connections

Referenced in Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)

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Soundtracks

The Knack (End Title)
Written by John Barry

User Reviews

Fantastic...May be my favorite film

Richard Lester was the one with the knack...the knack for providing snapshots of Swinging London, and for that we should all be grateful. With The Knack...and How To Get It, Lester builds on his triumph of A Hard Day's Night with a winning cast, dynamic cinematography and a hilarious screenplay.

Michael Crawford carries this film. He is, in short, adorable as the sexually frustrated milquetoast Colin. Another actor may have played Colin as pathetic; Crawford seems to have insight as to Colin's predicament and instead plays him as a well-meaning innocent. Ray Brooks is suitably slimy as skirt-chasing Tolen. Rita Tushingham is the very portrait of a British bird circa 1965, and a fine comedienne at that. My favorite character in the film, though, is Donal Donnelly as Tom. He really serves no ostensible purpose other than comic relief, which he amply provides. His timing is wonderful, especially playing off Ray Brooks.

Lines from the screenplay make me laugh as I think about them, and the various plays on words throughout the film are incredibly clever.

"Skirt is meat." Watch this film and see what I mean.