Droll British spy comedy from the creators of 'The Likely Lads' and 'Porridge' - Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais. Tom Courtenay ( in probably his best film role since 'Billy Liar' ) is 'Gerald Arthur Otley', a light-fingered, Portobello Road-based antiques dealer. When we first see him he is in bed with his landlady, who then evicts him not only for being behind with the rent but also for selling her furniture. Otley searches for somewhere to spend Saturday night. His friend 'Lambert' ( the recently deceased Edward Hardwicke ) lets him doss down on his sofa. Gerald wakes up on the grass near Gatwick Airport on Monday morning. Worse, the police want him for questioning in connection with Lambert's murder. He runs from one problem into another - Hendrickson ( James Villiers ) and the lovely Imogen ( Romy Schneider ) grab him because they think he has secret information concerning a shady news outfit named I.C.S. which is in the market for secrets...
Based on a book by Martin Waddell, and directed by Clement ( his first film ), 'Otley' is great fun, boasting an impressive British cast ( with the exception of Schneider ). Courtenay throws off the one liners with an almost Groucho Marx-like expertise. For instance, when his friend 'Jean' ( Phyllida Law ) refuses him a bed for the night on the grounds that "the dog is in heat!". He retorts: "She's got nothing to fear from me!". He is no Bond, of course, but manages to scrape through every predicament he's in. There's a great guest appearance from the irreplaceable Leonard Rossiter as an assassin who, when he is not killing people, runs a chicken farm and coach service! Freddie Jones minces about as camp intelligence boss 'Philip Proudfoot', Alan Badel is suave as 'Alec Hadrian', and James Bolam is hilarious as Otley's friend 'Albert'. Schneider is given competition in the glamour department by Fiona Lewis, cast as Albert's wife 'Lin', whom Otley has a thing for. Blink and you'll miss Robin Askwith and Kenneth Cranham! The sparky opening theme - 'Homeless Bones' - is sung by Don Partridge and is as far removed from Shirley Bassey's 'Goldfinger' as is possible to imagine.
Funniest moment - Otley's driving test. Killers give chase and Otley tries to throw them off, causing chaos on the streets of London. The instructor ( the brilliant James Cossins ) is petrified as his client drives like Stirling Moss! Clement and La Frenais returned to espionage three years later for 'Catch Me A Spy' which starred Kirk Douglas and had Courtenay in a small role.
'Otley' is not currently on D.V.D. which is strange as it really should be.
Based on a book by Martin Waddell, and directed by Clement ( his first film ), 'Otley' is great fun, boasting an impressive British cast ( with the exception of Schneider ). Courtenay throws off the one liners with an almost Groucho Marx-like expertise. For instance, when his friend 'Jean' ( Phyllida Law ) refuses him a bed for the night on the grounds that "the dog is in heat!". He retorts: "She's got nothing to fear from me!". He is no Bond, of course, but manages to scrape through every predicament he's in. There's a great guest appearance from the irreplaceable Leonard Rossiter as an assassin who, when he is not killing people, runs a chicken farm and coach service! Freddie Jones minces about as camp intelligence boss 'Philip Proudfoot', Alan Badel is suave as 'Alec Hadrian', and James Bolam is hilarious as Otley's friend 'Albert'. Schneider is given competition in the glamour department by Fiona Lewis, cast as Albert's wife 'Lin', whom Otley has a thing for. Blink and you'll miss Robin Askwith and Kenneth Cranham! The sparky opening theme - 'Homeless Bones' - is sung by Don Partridge and is as far removed from Shirley Bassey's 'Goldfinger' as is possible to imagine.
Funniest moment - Otley's driving test. Killers give chase and Otley tries to throw them off, causing chaos on the streets of London. The instructor ( the brilliant James Cossins ) is petrified as his client drives like Stirling Moss! Clement and La Frenais returned to espionage three years later for 'Catch Me A Spy' which starred Kirk Douglas and had Courtenay in a small role.
'Otley' is not currently on D.V.D. which is strange as it really should be.