Film buffs tend to turn up their noses at the mention of the name Michael Winner, but the fact is he made some pretty decent films back in the '60's ( 'The Cool Mikado' excepted! ), of which 'The System' was one.
Shot in glorious black and white, it is set in a small British seaside resort, where a gang of young men prey on young female tourists. Object? Sexual conquest. Tinker ( Oliver Reed ), the self-styled leader of this pack of wolves, is a happy-go-lucky photographer who snaps the girls when they arrive, secures their hotel names and room numbers, and then shares the pictures out among his pals, naturally keeping the best looking one for himself. He calls this method 'The System'.
Tinker takes a shine to rich man's daughter Nicola ( Jane Merrow ), and begins courting her. She knows what he is up to, and does not attempt to discourage him. Their relationship develops and Tinker finds himself genuinely falling in love, but Nicola is not keen on settling down.
Similarities between this film and 'Alfie', released a mere two years later, are uncanny. Both feature a good-looking young man whose interest in females goes only as far as the bedroom. Both feature said hero getting his comeuppance at the end - and at the hands of a woman. The ending implies that, despite being rebuffed, Tinker will be back at the railway station the next summer, still practising The System. Both feature the lovely Julia Foster too.
As 'Tinker', Reed gives a magnetic performance. You can see why the girls fall for him like dominoes. Watching this film with my wife, she commented on his eyes, and she's right. They are like blow lamps. Jane Merrow, an actress known mainly to me through her television work such as 'Danger Man' and 'The Prisoner' is gorgeous as the elegant 'Nicola'. Tinker's gang includes David Hemmings ( two years away from starring in the iconic 'Blow-Up' ) and John Alderton, future star of the T.V. sitcom 'Please Sir!'. His character, Nidge, earns Tinker's wrath by openly admitting he has gotten one of his conquests pregnant. Tinker gives him the address of a back-street abortionist ( it was illegal when this was made ), but his friend does the decent thing and marries the girl.
I was only two when this came out, so cannot say for certain whether its depiction of the young people of that era is in any way accurate. It feels authentic though. The fight between Tinker and Derek Newark's character is brutal indeed, as is a later scrap involving the rest of the gang. The use of broken bottles in said fight probably contributed to the film's earning of an 'X' certificate ( today it would be 18 ).
The whole British holiday atmosphere is wonderfully captured. As Denis Norden once said: "it will take you back - even if you were never there originally!".
Peter Draper wrote the thoughtful script, he later collaborated with Reed and Winner on the equally memorable 'I'll Never Forget What'sis name'. He really should have penned more movies.
I'm so glad that this picture has resurfaced on D.V.D. One to put on the shelf next to classics such as 'Alfie' and 'Georgy Girl'.
Shot in glorious black and white, it is set in a small British seaside resort, where a gang of young men prey on young female tourists. Object? Sexual conquest. Tinker ( Oliver Reed ), the self-styled leader of this pack of wolves, is a happy-go-lucky photographer who snaps the girls when they arrive, secures their hotel names and room numbers, and then shares the pictures out among his pals, naturally keeping the best looking one for himself. He calls this method 'The System'.
Tinker takes a shine to rich man's daughter Nicola ( Jane Merrow ), and begins courting her. She knows what he is up to, and does not attempt to discourage him. Their relationship develops and Tinker finds himself genuinely falling in love, but Nicola is not keen on settling down.
Similarities between this film and 'Alfie', released a mere two years later, are uncanny. Both feature a good-looking young man whose interest in females goes only as far as the bedroom. Both feature said hero getting his comeuppance at the end - and at the hands of a woman. The ending implies that, despite being rebuffed, Tinker will be back at the railway station the next summer, still practising The System. Both feature the lovely Julia Foster too.
As 'Tinker', Reed gives a magnetic performance. You can see why the girls fall for him like dominoes. Watching this film with my wife, she commented on his eyes, and she's right. They are like blow lamps. Jane Merrow, an actress known mainly to me through her television work such as 'Danger Man' and 'The Prisoner' is gorgeous as the elegant 'Nicola'. Tinker's gang includes David Hemmings ( two years away from starring in the iconic 'Blow-Up' ) and John Alderton, future star of the T.V. sitcom 'Please Sir!'. His character, Nidge, earns Tinker's wrath by openly admitting he has gotten one of his conquests pregnant. Tinker gives him the address of a back-street abortionist ( it was illegal when this was made ), but his friend does the decent thing and marries the girl.
I was only two when this came out, so cannot say for certain whether its depiction of the young people of that era is in any way accurate. It feels authentic though. The fight between Tinker and Derek Newark's character is brutal indeed, as is a later scrap involving the rest of the gang. The use of broken bottles in said fight probably contributed to the film's earning of an 'X' certificate ( today it would be 18 ).
The whole British holiday atmosphere is wonderfully captured. As Denis Norden once said: "it will take you back - even if you were never there originally!".
Peter Draper wrote the thoughtful script, he later collaborated with Reed and Winner on the equally memorable 'I'll Never Forget What'sis name'. He really should have penned more movies.
I'm so glad that this picture has resurfaced on D.V.D. One to put on the shelf next to classics such as 'Alfie' and 'Georgy Girl'.