British Comedy Guide
Rattle Of A Simple Man. Image shows left to right: Percy Winthram (Harry H. Corbett), Cyrenne Martelli (Diane Cilento). Credit: STUDIOCANAL
Rattle Of A Simple Man

Rattle Of A Simple Man

  • 1964 film

A naïve, virginal 30-something football fan has his eyes opened after friends challenge him to chat up a stunning blonde. Stars Harry H. Corbett, Diane Cilento, Michael Medwin, Thora Hird, Charles Dyer and more.

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Rattle Of A Simple Man. Image shows left to right: Percy Winthram (Harry H. Corbett), Cyrenne Martelli (Diane Cilento). Credit: STUDIOCANAL

Key details

Genre
Film
Released
1964
Stars
Harry H. Corbett, Diane Cilento, Michael Medwin, Thora Hird, Charles Dyer, Hugh Futcher, Carole Gray, Brian Wilde and more
Writer
Charles Dyer
Director
Muriel Box
Producer
William J. Gell
Companies

Manchester mill worker Percy is not new to London, visiting to see his beloved United play whenever they have a fixture in the capital. This cup final weekend, however, the 30-something virgin's eyes are opened to a whole new world and lifestyle, up close and personal.

In their usual post-match routine before catching the midnight coach back north, Percy and his friends are enjoying a drink and - in his case - a somewhat blushing ogle of the girls in a Soho strip club when they notice a particularly attractive blonde sat alone at the bar.

The over-confident Ginger makes a move initially, but is given short shrift and sent back to their table with his tail firmly between his legs. Naïve, sweet and with increasingly outdated ideas in London society about how a man should behave towards a lady, Percy is dismayed at his chum's attitude - and is bet £50 or his beloved motorcycle that he can't have more success, even losing his virginity.

The blonde, Cyrenne, however, is a prostitute and well used to all of the egos and brash behaviour Soho has to offer, so when the timid, polite Percy approaches, almost shaking with nerves at merely talking to her, she takes an immediate shine to his innocence and invites him back to her flat.

As the duo depart, Percy's friends look on almost unbelieving - but he will quickly find that there is a lot more to life and the powers of attraction than his slightly sheltered, romantically archaic upbringing has thus far led him to believe. Not everyone is as honest as Percy, and Swinging London still has a whole world of lifestyles he hasn't even dreamed of. As he and Cyrenne begin to talk, a number of skeletons and frank admissions begin to tumble from each of their closets.

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Additional details

UK certificate
X
Duration
95 minutes
UK release
Monday 7th September 1964
Produced
March - May 1964
Distributors

Warner-Pathe

Production
Studio
Camera set-up
Single camera
Picture
Black and white

Website links

Broadcast details

Most recent repeats
  • Tuesday 6th February 2018 at 10:30pm on TPTV
  • Friday 22nd December 2017 at 12:00am on TPTV
  • Wednesday 11th October 2017 at 10:00pm on TPTV

Recording details

  • Associated British Elstree Studios

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