Appearance
The Knack... and How to Get It
Directed by Richard Lester (fresh off the success of A Hard Day's Night), The Knack... and How to Get It (1965) is a quintessential relic of the "Swinging Sixties." The film follows Colin (Michael Crawford), a shy and awkward schoolteacher who desperately wants "the knack"—the ability to effortlessly attract women, a quality his lodger Tolen (Ray Brooks) seems to possess in spades. Along with another lodger, Tom (Donal Donnelly), they encounter Nancy (Rita Tushingham), a girl newly arrived from the country, and embark on a series of surreal, fast-paced adventures across London.
The film was a major critical success, winning the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. It is celebrated for its avant-garde editing, stylized cinematography, and for capturing the frantic, youthful energy of mid-60s London.
Locations
The film is a visual love letter to 1960s London, featuring many iconic street scenes and utilizing the city's unique urban landscape to facilitate Richard Lester’s signature slapstick style.
The Bed Sequence, West London
One of the most famous sequences in the film involves the characters transporting a large brass bed through the streets of London. This was filmed across various parts of West London, most notably around the Ladbroke Grove and Notting Hill areas. The sight of the bed being navigated through traffic and across the Grand Union Canal remains a highlights of 60s British cinema. Map Location
Melville Road, Barnes
The Victorian house where Colin lives and where much of the character interaction takes place is located on Melville Road in the district of Barnes. The production used the real street and the house's distinctive architecture to ground the film’s more surreal elements in a recognizable London suburb. Map Location
The Royal Albert Hall, Kensington
In a scene reflecting the film's obsession with the "new" vs the "old," the characters are seen in the vicinity of the Royal Albert Hall. The grand Victorian monument serves as a massive, immobile backdrop to the frantic, improvised movements of the young protagonists. Map Location
The Serpentine, Hyde Park
Several scenes were shot around The Serpentine in Hyde Park. The park’s open spaces and water features provided a naturalistic playground for the characters as they wander through the city, and it captures the essence of a London summer in 1964. Map Location
Victoria Station, London
Nancy’s arrival in London, where she is overwhelmed by the scale and pace of the city, was filmed at Victoria Station. The station's bustling platforms and cavernous roof helped establish the theme of the innocent girl lost in the big, "swinging" city. Map Location
Director
Richard Lester
Cast
Rita Tushingham
Ray Brooks
Michael Crawford
Donal Donnelly
Jane Birkin (uncredited debut)
IMDB
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