The Knack...and How to Get It

In Britain during the early 1960s, while “serious” directors were making socially aware “kitchen sink dramas,” American-born Richard Lester was creating comedies inspired by the zany humor of the radio program The Goon Show and the freewheeling cinematic vocabulary of the French New Wave. Lester was fresh off the playful Beatles movie A Hard Day's Night when he directed this 1965 adaptation of Ann Jellicoe's play The Knack, applying the same acrobatic, tongue-in-cheek style for a satirical take on Swinging London and the sexual revolution. Michael Crawford stars as grade school teacher/landlord Colin, who turns to his ladies-man tenant, Tolen (Ray Brooks), for lessons in the ways of seduction. Rita Tushingham is Nancy, the free spirit Colin falls for—only to find Tolen moving in on his new crush. Crawford's underdog desperation—a mix of innocence and desire—makes him an appealingly nerdish hero, while Tushingham's kooky charm and bright comic delivery practically steal the film. Lester's offbeat sense of humor and zippy pace drive this goofy romance loaded with sight gags and non sequiturs, while John Barry's lovely score balances the manic energy with a tender romanticism. Despite all the talk of sex, The Knack is a delightfully innocent and sweet film. Long out of print but newly available again as part of MGM's manufactured-on-demand “Limited Edition Collection,” this is recommended. (S. Axmaker)[Blu-ray Review—Jan. 26, 2016—Kino, 84 min., not rated, Blu-ray: $29.95—Making its debut on Blu-ray, 1965's The Knack…and How to Get It features a nice transfer with a DTS-HD 2.0 soundtrack. Extras include “Trailers from Hell” segments with filmmakers Allan Arkush (3 min.) and John Landis (3 min.), and a Richard Lester trailer gallery. Bottom line: a classic ‘60s comedy makes a welcome debut on Blu-ray.]