Charlie Bubbles (1968)

A married writer has an affair with his secretary.

Director:

Albert Finney

Writer:

Shelagh Delaney

Stars:

Albert Finney, Colin Blakely, Billie Whitelaw

Won 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Albert Finney	...	Charlie Bubbles
Colin Blakely	...	Smokey Pickles
Billie Whitelaw	...	Lottie Bubbles
Liza Minnelli	...	Eliza
Timothy Garland	...	Jack Bubbles
Richard Pearson	...	Accountant
Nicholas Phipps	...	Agent
Peter Sallis	...	Solicitor
Charles Hill	...	Head Waiter
Charles Lamb	...	Mr. Noseworthy
Margery Mason	...	Mrs. Noseworthy
Diana Coupland	...	Maud
George Innes	...	Garage Attendant
Arthur Pentelow	...	Man With Car
Alan Lake	...	Airman

Storyline

Charlie Bubbles, a writer, up from the working class of Manchester, England, who, in the course of becoming prematurely rich and famous, has mislaid a writer's basic tool - the capacity to feel and to respond. Now he must visit his estranged wife and son, whom he has set up on a farm outside his native city. His journey accidentally becomes an attempt to reestablish his connections with life, people, and his own history.

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Taglines:

If You Think You're Old Enough

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 February 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

La máscara y el rostro

Filming Locations:

Admiralty Arch, The Mall, St. James's, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Memorial Enterprises, Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was made on a budget of £450,000; it has been estimated that about £200,000 of this went simply to Albert Finney, who was both star and director. Finney later conceded that he had been paid too much.

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Quotes

Lottie Bubbles: [to Charlie] How does a perfect child like you grow up to be such a mess?

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Connections

Referenced in Stella Street: Very Twisty Turny (2000)

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Soundtracks

High Life in Brazil
(uncredited)
Music by Bernie Woods
Carlin Music Ltd

User Reviews

Amazing! I wish Mr Finney had directed more films...

I think it's a classic existentialist movie, very much of the European school. Man can never be truly happy or satisfied, with what he's got or with what he gets even if all his ambitions and dreams come true.I think Albert Finney has done an amazing job. It takes true guts and real skill to make a film like this and 'get life' out of it without resorting to fist fights, car chases and shootouts. I love the small moments, like where he puts the eyelashes on his sons lip to make a 'moustache', or when his wife takes the tea cup and his acting when he reaches for it. Billie Whitelaw looks super-sexy in the film and her performance is beautiful. Her gaze at him when he's tucked in bed said more than a million lines of dialogue could. I wish Mr Finney had directed more films, if his debut as a director was this good, imagine what would have come after a few more films. Aah we'll never know...