the knack...and how to get it (1965)

"First you must establish contact..."
Nancy (Rita Tushingham) steps off the train, ready to experience swinging London and soon makes the acquaintance of Colin (Michael Crawford) and his ace face pal Tolen (Ray Brooks). Tolen has 'the knack', seemingly able to sweep any woman he wants off her feet. Colin wants to learn, fed up of missing out on the sexual revolution going on all around him. But when Tolen tries it on with Nancy Colin gets jealous.
A wonderful look at swinging London, with a fine soundtrack by John Barry. A cartoon comedy, with pretensions to saying something real. In essence a distillation of the sixties.

girl with green eyes (1964)

"I was going to ask about the books that you write and if I could read one?"
Irish farm girl Kate Brady (Rita Tushingham), lives in Dublin with with her gregarious friend Baba Brennan (Lynn Redgrave). She's after a more exciting life and finds it with older and more worldly wise writer Eugene Gaillard (Peter Finch). Though initially reluctant he eventually is worn down by her persistence. But then her strict Catholic family learn of the relationship. Can it survive when all are against it?
A quiet unassuming film based on Edna O'Brien's novella "The Lonely Girl", held together by the central performance of Rita Tushingham, who you believe is a waif blowing in the wind, but with a determined streak.

loneliness of the long distance runner (1962)

"The best thing to do is be cunning and stay where you are. I'm going to let them think they've got me house trained, but they never will, the bastards. To get me beat, they'll have to stick a rope around my neck."
Sent to reform school for burglary, Colin Smith (Tom Courtenay) is determined that the system will not break him. But his ability at long distance running brings him to the attention of the governor. Whilst he trains and is bullied by the other inmates, for being the governors favorite, we are privy to his backstory in flashback, and find out what brought him to this point.
Developed by Alan Sillitoe from his own short story, this is a gripping tale in the angry young man mould that was so prevalent at this time.