About this product

Product Information

A young undertaker escapes from his mundane working-class life by entering a fantasy world where all his dream ambitions come true. As work, romance and family pressures build to almost intolerable levels, a young lady enters his drab life, offering the only chance he'll ever get to leave the past behind.

Product Identifiers

EAN7321900381413

eBay Product ID (ePID)3952918

Product Key Features

ActorWilfred Pickles, Rodney Bewes, Ethel Griffies, Gwendolyn Watts, Mona Washbourne, Leonard Rossiter, Finlay Currie, Tom Courtenay, Julie Christie

Film/TV TitleBilly Liar

DirectorJohn Schlesinger

Release Year2002

FormatDVD

LanguageEnglish

FeaturesBlack & White

GenreGeneral, Comedy

Run Time94 Mins

Additional Product Features

CertificatePG

Country/Region of ManufactureUnited Kingdom

Number of Discs1

Additional InformationBILLY LIAR was an immediate sensation as first a novel, then a hit play--both written by Keith Waterhouse, who also served as screenwriter on the film. Director John Schlesinger's screen version was a British landmark in the fertile cinema of the late 1950s and early '60s, and launched the career of Julie Christie, who plays Liz, one of Billy's flames. A young Englishman named Billy Fisher (Tom Courtenay) dreams of escaping from his dull working-class family and his dead-end job as an undertaker's assistant. In constant conflict with his parents and with the many women with whom he is romantically involved (he is engaged to two), Billy regularly escapes into a rich fantasy world. Sometimes he imagines himself to be the powerful dictator of a small country. In another fantasy, he wants to become the scriptwriter for a popular comedian on television. Unfortunately, he often blurs the line between fantasy and reality, which is exactly the reason that everybody calls him 'Billy Liar'.

ReviewsThe New York Times - One of the great movies of the 1960's, but it has been, in this country at least, maddeningly elusive. In spite of its bitter edge, BILLY LIAR is pure Ambrosia., Sight And Sound - Schlesinger's production remains involving, New York Times - One of the great movies of the 1960's, but it has been, in this country at least, maddeningly elusive. In spite of its bitter edge, BILLY LIAR is pure Ambrosia., Christian Science Monitor - A pungent pleasure from start to finish.

ScreenwriterKeith Waterhouse

Movie/TV TitleBilly Liar

WriterKeith Waterhouse