{"id":4552,"date":"2007-10-11T17:19:52","date_gmt":"2007-10-12T00:19:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=4552"},"modified":"2021-12-26T12:53:40","modified_gmt":"2021-12-26T19:53:40","slug":"knack-and-how-to-get-it-the-1965","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=4552","title":{"rendered":"Knack&#8230; and How to Get It, The (1965)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;If you ask me, they&#8217;re a new breed of characters altogether.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-and-How-to-Get-It-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-and-How-to-Get-It-Poster-199x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-62981\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-and-How-to-Get-It-Poster-199x300.png 199w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-and-How-to-Get-It-Poster-679x1024.png 679w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-and-How-to-Get-It-Poster-85x128.png 85w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-and-How-to-Get-It-Poster-179x270.png 179w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-and-How-to-Get-It-Poster.png 731w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nAn insecure teacher (Michael Crawford) who desires his womanizing tenant&#8217;s (Ray Brooks) &#8220;knack&#8221; with women thinks getting a bigger bed might help his luck; while at the dump with his new housemate (Donal Donnelly), he meets a naive young girl from the country (Rita Tushingham), who Brooks immediately puts the moves on &#8212; with unexpected consequences.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Charlotte Rampling Films<\/li>\n<li>Comedy<\/li>\n<li>Play Adaptation<\/li>\n<li>Richard Lester Films<\/li>\n<li>Rita Tushingham Films<\/li>\n<li>Sexuality<\/li>\n<li>Womanizers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nIn between his two feature hits with The Beatles &#8212; <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=42454\"><em>A Hard Day&#8217;s Night<\/em> (1964)<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=42519\"><em>Help!<\/em> (1965)<\/a> &#8212; Richard Lester helmed this dated, irritating sex farce, based on a 1962 play by Ann Jellicoe. Michael Crawford (future star of &#8220;Phantom of the Opera&#8221;) is annoyingly high-strung as the film&#8217;s simpering protagonist, and the script isn&#8217;t any better: the sexual double-entendres (Crawford is convinced his &#8220;bed&#8221; is too small) are juvenile at best, while Lester&#8217;s humorous treatment of imagined rape in the final section of the film is extremely discomfiting. Only the appealing Tushingham: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Tushingham3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Tushingham3-1024x636.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"398\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-62988\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Tushingham3-1024x636.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Tushingham3-300x186.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Tushingham3-128x80.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Tushingham3-768x477.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Tushingham3-1536x954.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Tushingham3-435x270.png 435w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Tushingham3.png 1647w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8212; with her thickly-lined eyes and gapped teeth &#8212; and zany non-conformist Donnelly (a refreshingly <em>non-sexualized<\/em> counterpoint to Crawford and Brooks):<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Donnelly.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Donnelly-1024x609.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"381\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-62985\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Donnelly-1024x609.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Donnelly-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Donnelly-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Donnelly-768x457.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Donnelly-1536x913.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Donnelly-454x270.png 454w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Donnelly.png 1731w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>make the story bearable. <em>The Knack&#8230;<\/em> is primarily known today for showcasing Lester&#8217;s unique cinematic style &#8212; including faux fantasy sequences, over-dubbing, jump-cut editing, and zany slapstick &#8212; but these innovations ultimately come across as tedious rather than energizing; you&#8217;re better off (re)watching <em>A Hard Day&#8217;s Night<\/em> instead. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Rita Tushingham as Nancy<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Tushingham5.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Tushingham5-1024x631.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"394\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-62989\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Tushingham5-1024x631.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Tushingham5-300x185.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Tushingham5-128x79.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Tushingham5-768x474.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Tushingham5-1536x947.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Tushingham5-438x270.png 438w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Tushingham5.png 1659w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Tushingham, Crawford, and Donnelly shamelessly rolling a bed across the streets of London<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Bed.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Bed-1024x626.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"391\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-62986\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Bed-1024x626.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Bed-300x183.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Bed-128x78.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Bed-768x469.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Bed-1536x939.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Bed-442x270.png 442w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Knack-Bed.png 1661w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo. While it holds historical importance as winner of the Golden Palm at Cannes, this tedious comedy is best avoided altogether. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/imdb.com\/title\/tt0059362\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1965\/06\/30\/archives\/screen-the-knack-opens-at-plazadirector-gives-pace-to-offbeat-story.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s603knack.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/80456\/the-knack-and-how-to-get-it#articles-reviews?articleId=84070<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;If you ask me, they&#8217;re a new breed of characters altogether.&#8221; Synopsis: An insecure teacher (Michael Crawford) who desires his womanizing tenant&#8217;s (Ray Brooks) &#8220;knack&#8221; with women thinks getting a bigger bed might help his luck; while at the dump with his new housemate (Donal Donnelly), he meets a naive young girl from the country (Rita Tushingham), who Brooks immediately puts the moves on &#8212; with unexpected consequences. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Charlotte Rampling Films Comedy Play Adaptation Richard&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=4552\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4552","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4552","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4552"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4552\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":79295,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4552\/revisions\/79295"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4552"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4552"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4552"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}