Billy Liar (1963)

A young man (Tom Courtenay) lives at home with his working class parents (Mona Washbourne, Wilfred Pickles) and grandmother (Ethel Griffies) and works as a clerk at a funeral home. While apparently lacking ambition in his real life, he has an active fantasy life where he imagines himself as the ruler of a mythical country and a war hero. He is also a pathological liar. Based on the novel by Keith Waterhouse by way of a play based on the book (with Albert Finney in the title role) and directed by John Schlesinger (MIDNIGHT COWBOY). I couldn't get into this much admired film which seemed to me a warmed over version of THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY. Except Walter Mitty was a likable dreamer who didn't do anybody any harm but Billy Liar isn't likable and his lies cause distress to the people around him, not to mention he steals money from his work's petty cash. But two things stand out: Denys Coop's impressive B&W wide screen lensing and Julie Christie in her breakthrough role. Bouncing down the street, swinging her purse, she already screams out, "Watch out world, I'm going to be a star!". With Leonard Rossiter, Finlay Currie, Gwendolyn Watts, Leslie Randall and Helen Fraser.