Rent Georgy Girl (1966)

Sixties Comedy. - Georgy Girl review by Steve

Frantic but dated sex comedy is a good candidate for the ultimate sixties swinging London film. It's a vehicle for Oscar nominated Lynn Redgrave as the goodhearted but frumpy Georgy, alienated by the contemporary scene, and in particular, Charlotte Rampling's chic, slumming superbabe. Dressed by Mary Quant.

The humour has a few sharp edges, particularly regarding the glamour girl's rejection of her new baby. And perhaps Georgy's inner beauty is too defined by her potential for domesticity, to please modern audiences. But the film has incredible energy and is brilliantly photographed and edited.

The characters are eccentric rather than mere period archetypes. What they most have is spontaneity, particularly Alan Bates' incredibly kinetic performance as the lover of both women. James Mason is a northern millionaire who wants to set up Georgy as his mistress. He is a sort of stand-in father figure, but the film glosses over this ambiguity.

It's a quirky romcom which offers a nice snapshot of the London Ray Davies sang about. Though Georgy's fear of missing out is timeless. She only wants love, but it turns out to be too much to ask for. The mood is captured perfectly in the title single by The Seekers; lively, winsome and a bit homespun. Both were huge hits.