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Billy Liar

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95% Tomatometer 21 Reviews 83% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
A young Englishman dreams of escaping from his working class family and dead-end job as an undertaker's assistant. A number of indiscretions cause him to lie in order to avoid the penalties. His life turns into a mess and he has an opportunity to run away and leave it all behind.
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Critics Reviews

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Peter Harcourt Sight & Sound 02/11/2020
Finally, of course, the film is Tom Courtenay's. In this, his finest part so far, no praise could be too much and yet all seems impossible. Go to Full Review Ryan Gilbey New Statesman 05/31/2013
It's the director's most assured work, and it includes Courtenay's greatest performance. The young actor balances zestiness and frustration, levity and rage, and never soft-pedals his character's more unsympathetic tendencies. Go to Full Review A.O. Scott New York Times 01/01/2000
4/5
One of the great movies of the 1960's. Go to Full Review David Parkinson Radio Times 06/07/2024
5/5
A hit on page and stage, Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall's Billy Liar was brought to the screen by John Schlesinger as a faultless blend of social realism and satirical fantasy. Go to Full Review Penelope Gilliatt Observer (UK) 03/09/2024
There is nothing sentimental in the film, which is buoyantly accurate and finally very bitter. Tom Courtenay's gritty performance is one of the things that contribute to its seriousness: he's too good an actor to try to make a character sympathetic. Go to Full Review Kat Halstead Common Sense Media 09/13/2023
4/5
Billy Liar takes what could be a wildly unlikable character and creates an antihero it's possible to root for, his frustration and rage making him more sympathetic than his selfish tendencies should allow. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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10/08/2022 Billy is a compulsive liar and day dreamer. He also lives a bigger life than pretty much anyone so he's probably the real winner. A lovely film with a lot of heart and some funny moments. Enjoyed it See more 03/11/2022 Hugely influential and the movie's observations about a particular kind of lazy young male dreamer will be eternally relevant. See more William L 03/30/2020 Wonderfully imaginative, with a protagonist that is simultaneously empathetic and detestable. The main character's penchant for self-delusion, initially comical, is gradually revealed to be a debilitating personal fault, that dooms him to eternal dissatisfaction, and the conclusion is ultimately quite poignant. (4/5) See more 02/29/2020 Loved this movie. Hilarious at time and poignant at others - one of Julie Christie's best. See more 02/13/2020 Ouch. It's hard to watch the selfishness of Billy. He's just so spoiled and trashy. Everyone has a little of that side to them, but Billy is 99% dirty devil and pretty much always listens to 'em. See more S R @ScottR 06/28/2017 Quirky, but entertaining. A nice time capsule. NYT 1000 films. See more Read all reviews
Billy Liar

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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John Schlesinger

Director

Tom Courtenay

Billy Fisher

Julie Christie

Liz

Wilfred Pickles

Geoffrey Fisher

Mona Washbourne

Actor

Ethel Griffies

Actor

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Billy Liar

Billy Liar (1963) Billy Liar (1963) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis A young Englishman dreams of escaping from his working class family and dead-end job as an undertaker's assistant. A number of indiscretions cause him to lie in order to avoid the penalties. His life turns into a mess and he has an opportunity to run away and leave it all behind.
Director
John Schlesinger
Producer
Joseph Janni
Screenwriter
Willis Hall, Willis Hall, Keith Waterhouse, Keith Waterhouse, Keith Waterhouse
Distributor
Continental Distributing Inc., Rialto Pictures
Production Co
Vic Films, Anglo-Amalgamated Productions
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 16, 1963, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 2, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$35.6K
Runtime
1h 38m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)