THE FAST LADY is a typical and genteel comedy from 1962, featuring the obligatory all-star cast and a simple plot that's full of action and incident, however slight. I did find Stanley Baxter's somewhat laboured lead performance a bit grating in the extreme, and the wishy-washy romantic stuff with an idealised Julie Christie doesn't really go anywhere. However, the celebration of speed and classic cars is certainly endearing, and there are some fine performances in support, not least Leslie Phillips as the charming friend, James Robertson Justice as the stern father, and Kathleen Harrison as the landlady. The film is quite adequate throughout, but it really picks up for a fast and furious climax which features a quite wonderful string of never-ending cameos.
Review of The Fast Lady
