Lynn Redgrave did a lot more than just Georgy Girl (1966) and Smashing Time (1967), of course, but the latter especially made an indelible impression on me when it turned up on TV in the early 1970s. George Melly’s smart and funny poke at the pretensions of Swinging London has a satirical edge which meant nothing to a nine-year-old, I just loved the exaggerated modishness, the Richard Lester-style wacky direction and especially Lynn and Rita, two girls from “up north” who I’d have loved to have as older sisters. I haven’t seen Smashing Time for years, it was one of those films which was so much of its time that it seemed to vanish from TV schedules and was never available in video form. I see there was a DVD release in the US although that’s now been deleted. Happily YouTube is more reliable, so here’s Rita and the splendidly camp Murray Melvin (both of whom were in A Taste of Honey) in the ‘Too Much’ boutique, and Lynn recording I’m So Young, the song which makes her a pop star. Austin Powers is a fake, baby, this is the real thing.
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• Through the Wonderwall
Great post, John! I remember seeing Smashing Time one grey bank holiday in the late eighties, probably the last time it was ever shown on TV. It certainly brightened up my day. I’d forgotten Murray Melvin was in it as well, which makes it an even more essential dvd to track down.
Just bought myself a movie starred by her the last saturday (“Spider”, by David Cronenberg). Great actress, not as famour as Vanessa, but just as good on screen. R.I.P.