Darling

D: John Schlesinger

Anglo-Amalgamated/Embassy (Joseph Janni)

UK 🇬🇧 1965

127 mins

Drama/Romance/Comedy

W: Frederic Raphael 

DP: Kenneth Higgins

Ed: James Clark

Mus: Johnny Dankworth

Julie Christie (Diana Scott), Laurence Harvey (Miles Brand), Dirk Bogarde (Robert Gold), Jose Luis de Villalonga (Prince Cesare), Basil Henson (Alec Prosser-Jones)

Julie Christie is absolutely fantastic in this satirical drama about the swinging sixties in Great Britain & Europe.

She plays Diana Scott, a fashion model who social climbs her way to success, getting her big break when she has an affair with a news reporter and eventually marrying into royalty, at the expense of her conscience and, ultimately, her happiness.

The performances from the trio of males who Diana has in her life are also great, with Dirk Bogarde a standout.

The attitudes of the time are perfectly captured for this time portal movie, which was incredibly controversial at the time of release and even garnered an X certificate on initial release for its blasé commentary about relationships and sex.  Director John Schlesinger also includes some satirical imagery, such as the opening scene in which a billboard showing a humanitarian cause is replaced with pin-up fashion advertising.

Looking back on it retrospectively, you’ll either wonder what the big deal was, or simply be agog at the attitudes towards women. In either case, it’s a wonderful piece of British cinema and amongst the best films of 1965. 

8/10