Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageSweet William (1979)
Director: Claude Whatham
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Taken from a Beryl Bainbridge novel, this is basically the education of the English Rose by an American Sweet William. She wears bras, uses the term 'queers', and screws on the floors of taxis; he uses lines like 'This is an idyll...They're episodic'. Basically he (Waterston) is supposed to be a loveable, irresistible shit; unfortunately he comes across as neither of the first two, only 100% the last, and herein lies the collapse of the movie. For instead of feeling any sense of identification with the lovers in this 'contemporary romance', the sheer implausibility of their relationship leads to an intense sense of frustration and confusion as to which of the two - him, for being such a self-obsessed bastard, or her (Agutter), for being such a self-destructive ninny - one would most like to strangle.Author: FF
Cast & crew
Director: Claude Whatham
Producer: Jeremy Watt
Cast: Sam Waterston, Jenny Agutter, Anna Massey, Daphne Oxenford, Geraldine James, Arthur Lowe, Peter Dean full cast
Duration: 90 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Has David Cronenberg turned tame?
Has director David Cronenberg veered too far from his radical and bloody roots with new film 'A Dangerous Method'?
The 10 worst date movies
Just in time for Valentine's Day, we present ten of the least romantic films ever made
Where to watch this year's Oscar-nominated films
Find out where to watch 2012's Oscar-nominated films in London cinemas
10 unlikely badboy biopics
Featuring Phil Collins, Jeremy Clarkson, Nick Clegg, David Starkey and a host of other unlikely subjects
Interview: Sean Durkin on 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'
The first-time director of the brilliant new thriller discusses religious cults and robot boxing
Pop-up cinema for Valentine's Day
Side-step romantic clichés with some alternative Valentine’s viewing
What do you think?
Post your review now