THE SYSTEM
UK, 1964, 95 minutes, Black and white.
Oliver Reed, Jane Merrow, Barbara Ferris, Julia Foster, Harry Andrews, Guy Dolman, Andrew Ray, John Alderton, David Hemmings.
Directed by Michael Winner.
Michael Winner’s reputation has gone up and down over many decades. After finishing direction in the 1990s, he became a television personality on quiz shows and competitions as well as doing a range of commercials. However, in the 1960s he made a number of small-budget films which were quite effective including The System. He worked with Oliver Reed who was to appear also in The Jokers, I’ll Never Forget What’s ‘Is Name and Hannibal Brooks for Winner. Winner went to the United States in the 1970s and made more prominent films like Chato’s Land, The Mechanic, Scorpio, with Burt Lancaster and Paul Scofield, and, most significantly in retrospect, Death Wish.
The American title of this film was The Girl Getters, a more explicit title for the theme of the film. In a tourist town, the locals pursue the tourists for sexual conquests. Oliver Reed plays their leader – but finds himself falling in love and having to rethink his values. This was in the vein of Alfie which was to appear in 1966.
1. The interest in and appeal of this film?
2. The film and the 1960's style? Black and white photography, its realistic atmosphere, locations, the types? The overtones of artistic influence from the Continent?
3. The significance of the title and its use in the song? The American title was "The Girl Getters". Was this a more appropriate title?
4. Interest in the beach resorts and their presentation in the film? The satiric commentary on the types of people who holiday there, the visualizing of this? How were the types characterized? The young men, the photographers, those trying to make money, the spivs, the people at the dances, the escorts? The ordinary people on holidays? The upper classes holidaying in wealth with parties and tennis? The film's commentary via the presentation? How satirical how cynical?
5. Girls going to the beach resorts? The indication that they let down their moral guard? The tourists, the boys working out their system and seeing it in operation? As seen in the story of Lorna, her explanation of her background, her love for Tinker, his exploiting her? The innocent abroad, in England?
6. The exuberance of the young men with their system, their push? How attractive were they? How repellent?
7. The change of atmosphere for them: Nidge and his girlfriend's being pregnant, the marriage? The fights? Explaining to newcomer David how the system worked and his learning? The fight with the intruding photographer and his thugs?
8. The central role of Tinker? Oliver Reed's style? Tinker's leadership of the group, masterminding it, his hold over the others?
9. The contrast of the satire on the holiday resort with the presentation of the romance between Tinker and Nicola? Did they love each other? Their attitudes towards freedom, being modern? visualizing of the lovemaking on the beach? The artiness of these scenes? Tinker's buying the drinks and small talk, the humiliation of the tennis? His encounters with Nicola's father?
10. The supporting roles of Susie and the various types in the resort?
11. The picture of the upper classes and their chatter, parties?
12. The importance of various sequences and their impact, the taking of the photos, Tinker at work arguing with his boss, he dances and the ejection of the photographer, the party, the sequence at the end?
13. The insight into a particular place and people? The values explored?
