John Schlesinger

Billy Liar

Billy Liar

Tom Courtenay gives a flawlessly nuanced performance as Billy Fisher, the underachieving undertaker’s assistant whose constant daydreams and truth-deficient stories earn him the nickname “Billy Liar.” Julie Christie is the handbag-swinging charmer whose free spirit just might inspire Billy to finally move out of his parents’ house. Deftly veering from gritty realism to flamboyant fantasy, Billy Liar is a dazzling and uproarious classic.

Film Info

  • United Kingdom
  • 1963
  • 93 minutes
  • Black & White
  • 2.35:1
  • English
  • Spine #121

Special Features

  • Audio commentary featuring director John Schlesinger and actors Tom Courtenay and Julie Christie
  • Excerpts from “Northern Lights,” an episode of the BBC series Hollywood U.K.: British Cinema in the Sixties, hosted by Richard Lester
  • Original theatrical trailer
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

Cover based on a theatrical poster

Purchase Options

Special Features

  • Audio commentary featuring director John Schlesinger and actors Tom Courtenay and Julie Christie
  • Excerpts from “Northern Lights,” an episode of the BBC series Hollywood U.K.: British Cinema in the Sixties, hosted by Richard Lester
  • Original theatrical trailer
  • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

Cover based on a theatrical poster

Billy Liar
Cast
Tom Courtenay
Billy Fisher
Julie Christie
Liz
Wilfred Pickles
Geoffrey Fisher
Mona Washbourne
Alice Fisher
Ethel Griffies
Florence
Finlay Currie
Councilor Duxbury
Leonard Rossiter
Shadrack
Helen Fraser
Barbara
Gwendolyn Watts
Rita
Credits
Director
John Schlesinger
Producer
Joseph Janni
Screenplay
Keith Waterhouse
Screenplay
Willis Hall
Based on the novel by
Keith Waterhouse
And on the play by
Keith Waterhouse
And on the play by
Willis Hall
Music
Richard Rodney Bennett
Conducted by
John Hollingeworth
Cinematography
Denys Coop
Art director
Ray Simm
Editing
Roger Cherrill

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