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

This was a very personal project for Albert Finney, who made his debut as director with it and made it for his own company, Memorial Enterprises. He got fairly lavish backing from an American company, Universal, who were trying to set up a system for making films in England, but then had the greatest difficulty in getting the finished film shown. He made the film in 1966, but, although advance word on it was very positive, and the film eventually won awards as well as rave reviews, it was not shown in either the US or Britain until 1968; its American opening was well over six months in advance of its British one. Finney did his best to promote the film in several countries, but it was written off as a box-office failure. He hoped to direct in films again, and announced a film to be called "The Girl In Melanie Klein" in the early 1970s; but he never made it and never directed another film.

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Quotes

Jack Bubbles: Your life is not your own, is it?
Lottie Bubbles: Oh, eat your orange!
Jack Bubbles: Don't take your bad temper out on me, or I'll leave home.
Lottie Bubbles: I got a better idea. You stay here and I'll leave home.

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Connections

Referenced in Stella Street: Very Twisty Turny (2000)

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Soundtracks

Cherry Ripe
(uncredited)
Traditional
Arranged by Syd Dale
Neo-Phonic Music Ltd

User Reviews

one of finney's finest

Although the apparent unhappiness of Finney as a successfull, and rich writer might seem difficult to accept, think of all the things you thought of as beyond you as a kid. Some of the people reading these words are making a lot of money, live in a beautiful house, have a beautiful, handsome, wife, husband, and dread each new day. Some of it is good old chemical deppression, and some of it is, who the hell knows. That Finney, a working class kid, realized this at such a young age makes me respect him even more than my admiration for him as an actor. The film I feel looks back to the post WW2 Italian existential movies where very little happens. Life is almost slow motion wandering around. Witness Finney's pitiful relationship with his son and his complete lack of interest in his legal an financial affairs with his lawyers in the opening scene. The cast is wonderful. I'm sure the idea of Liza Minelli as his assistant was laughed at. Liza, playing with British pros? Are you kidding? But it works. Billie Whitelaw was born for the movies, and is incidentally Samuel Beckett's favorite actress. She has premiered many of his plays. That Julia Roberts is a superstar, and few people know who Billie Whitelaw is, says something about "something". As a personal aside, one of the great supporting character actors, the late Colin Blakely, who plays Finney's failed sidekick and I, met in front of a London theatre. I told him I came all the way from the US to tell him how wonderful I thought he was. "Did you see my show tonight", he asked. "No sir, I haven't had a chance yet", I replied. He quickly turned away, and walked in a different direction!!!!