The System (1964)

THE SYSTEM is yet another 'gang film' for youthful star Oliver Reed, who made loads of these pictures over the years. It's not on the same level as THE DAMNED, THE PARTY'S OVER, or even BEAT GIRL, but it does have elements of interest for British film fans although I wish the subject matter had been a little darker.Reed plays the leader of a gang of young men (including David Hemmings, of course) who spend the summer months in a beachside tourist trap, preying on the young beautiful women who come to visit. The men take it in turn to woo the women by means of a special system they have devised which sees the females divided equally between the group. However, the threat of real love is ever present, which may break up the group.It's fair to say that a film like THE SYSTEM has dated a lot since first release as the characters and general social milieu have long since disappeared. What one seemed progressive now feels very tame, although Reed's acting remains strong and the supporting cast do very well. This was an early film in the career of Michael Winner, who does his best to deliver a beautifully-shot production.

Strange to think that this is set around the same time as Quadrophenia, with a similar modish feel and seaside destination. Like Quad, it has a fine up and coming cast including Oliver Reed, John Alderton, Julia Foster, Derek Nimmo, Derek Hemmings... It starts with a rackety beat group song complete with whoa yeahs! (why is it the Beatles still sound fresh doing that while other bands sound a bit naff and dated?) The 'system' refers to the local lads at Torquay who work out how to pull girls during the summer season when tourists flock to the seaside holiday resort (no easyJet back then). It opens as the lads walk down the train from London checking out the talent and alerting the leader of the gang Tinker (a young but still not particularly boyish Ollie Reed).Very early on you suss that this film is Alfie without the charm. This may be a good thing, seeing as Alfie isn't exactly a role model. None of the gang are charismatic but the moral trajectory is much the same as Alfie but without any of that Swinging London cheek or sex appeal. Still, it's a fascinating snapshot of the period. Nicolas Roeg did the photography, and er, Michael Winner the directing. Dramatically it faffs about a bit in the final third act.

You might think that by 1964 the world was all swinging sophistication, but no it was like this, I remember. I had recently started working, in a bank. It was hand written ledgers and an outside toilet! Yep, life revolved a fair bit around getting girls and then making sure you didn't get them pregnant and then 'having to get married'. Everyone is s bit too old here, of course, although David Hemmings looks like a little angel. Oliver Reed puts in a good performance as the leader although it's hard at the end to take his more introspective ponderings. Great direction by Michael Winner, there not many people have said that, and the movie speeds along with some excellent sequences, especially the wedding celebration on the beach, played more like a wake. Winner is an under rated director, he did a couple of others of this ilk, then I like his Innocents and there is Death Wish. I liked the hated Death Weekend but in general his career went downhill and it stops people giving the earlier films a chance. Well worth watching, if only to appreciate that the mid 60's in Britain were still much like the 50's, except with teenagers.

"The System" was both the first time director Michael Winner had ventured away from films featuring pop groups to something more serious and representative of the 60s, and the first time Oliver Reed had a lead role that wasn't in a Hammer horror. The scene where you see him for the first time in the camera range gives you some idea of what kind of screen presence he had before the booze became more important than the image. As Tinker the photographer, the leader of a randy gang in Brighton, Reed is exceptionally good, and also in the cast are John Alderton, David Hemmings, and Andrew Ray, all offering good support. The film gets under the skin of the decade and manages to be interesting to watch as well.