Otley (1969)

A rather aimless young drifter (Tom Courtenay) happens to be homeless when he asks to crash at a friend's (Edward Hardwicke) pad for the night. A day later, he wakes up in a field and discovers he's wanted by the police for questioning in his friend's murder! Based on the novel by Martin Waddell and directed by Dick Clement, this is a jaunty and cheery caper that could only have been made in the swinging 60s in London. Shot on location all over London by Austin Dempster (A TOUCH OF CLASS), I suspect if you weren't a part of the 1960s culture that the film won't hold much interest for you. It's amusing but so very much of its era that its rhythm might seem off putting to contemporary audiences. Courtenay makes for a charming and amiable protagonist but the lovely Romy Schneider seems overqualified for a generic role that a lesser "international" actress like Britt Ekland or Elke Sommer could just have easily done. The 60s score by Stanley Myers definitely dates the film. With Alan Badel, Freddie Jones, Fiona Lewis, Leonard Rossiter, Phyllida Law and James Villiers.