The System [The Girl-Getters] **** (1964, Oliver Reed, Jane Merrow, Barbara Ferris) – Classic Movie Review 7767

Oliver Reed was already enjoying a good little career in Hammer horrors when young director Michael Winner picked him as the star of this 1964 black and white youth sex drama The System [The Girl-Getters] about teenage tearaways at the English seaside, where a group of young men seek out tourists for sexual conquests.

Reed does well as group leader Tinker, the local photographer and Casanova, while Jane Merrow as Nicola, Barbara Ferris as Suzy, Julia Foster as Lorna and Ann Lynn as Ella are a very fine collection of female co-stars.

The script, though thinly plotted, is convincingly written by Peter Draper, and Winner films in the British realism style of the day, helped no doubt by sharp lensing work in black and white from cinematographer Nicolas Roeg, filming on location in Devon, as well as at Twickenham Film Studios, Middlesex, England.

It is one of nine films that Reed made with Winner.

Also in the standout cast are Guy Doleman, David Hemmings, Derek Nimmo, Derek Newark, Harry Andrews, Andrew Ray, John Alderton, Jeremy Burnham, Mark Burns, Pauline Munro and Gwendolyn Watts.

In October 2020, Jane Merrow recalled of The System: ‘Another good memory in these bad times, which will pass in time. Bad times…now…pandemic, people fighting, hating. 2020..hmm. 1964 great times.’ She remembers Peter Draper: ‘Nice modest man…so much talent.’

Draper (1925–2004) also wrote the screenplays for Winner’s I’ll Never Forget What’s’isname (1967) and for The Buttercup Chain (1970).

The System runs 93 minutes, is made by Kenneth Shipman Productions and released by British Lion-Bryanston Films (1964) (UK) and American International Pictures (1966) (US). AIP advertised it as ‘The Girl-Getters is an adult film for teenagers… and a teenage film for adults.’

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7767

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com