Netflix And Chill: Riding High (1981)

1981 may not have been an absolute classic year for movies, but it was the year that saw film fans presented with the first Indiana Jones movie, The Evil Dead, Possession, Mad Max 2, Escape From New York, An American Werewolf In London, The Howling, Das Boot, Clash Of The Titans, Blow Out, Time Bandits, and many other notable titles. It was also the year in which Riding High was released. Riding High is a star vehicle for British motorbike stunt driver, Eddie Kidd, a young man who was marketed in the UK for a while as the British Evil Knievel. 

Written and directed by Ross Cramer, developing a story idea from associate producer Derek Ford (arguably best-known for his sex romps of the '70s, although he would go on to write the brilliantly bonkers Don't Open Till Christmas), this is a simple and predictable tale of a local boy with a chance to achieve greatness that will turn him into, at the very least, a local legend. His chance is given to him by the brilliantly-named Judas S. Chariot (Bill Mitchell), but Judas will do anything to avoid actually paying this kid for a stunt that most people deem too difficult to even attempt.

Having started his motorbiking career at a very young age, Eddie Kidd is a credible young star here (he was about 22 years old when this was released). That's not to say that he's a natural onscreen performer, but he has the looks and charisma, to a degree, and has the skills that are showcased in a couple of enjoyable motorbike sequences interspersed throughout the storyline, all leading to a stunt so genuinely death-defying that it was filmed last, enabling the film-makers to create a positive or negative ending, depending on the outcome. If you're of a certain age, if you're familiar with the antics of Kidd, then there's definitely something here to watch. It's a fascinating time-capsule, and it helps that the soundtrack is full of some absolutely belting tunes, from a variety of acts including The Police, The Boomtown Rats, Chic, The Pretenders, Squeeze, Gary Numan, and more.

What doesn't help is the rest of the cast. Giving Kidd a central role would make you think that those making the film would surround him with distracting talent. That doesn't happen. The main cast seems to be full of people who were either available, affordable, or (most likely) both. Irene Handl is quite delightful, playing the typical and lovely Gran, and both Lynda Bellingham and Daniel Peacock are probably the most recognisable faces in supporting roles, but Mitchell overacts terribly, and the likes of Murray Salem, Marella Oppenheim, and G. B. Zoot Money can't overcome the weak script to make their characters more appealing and entertaining. Ken Kitson fares a bit better, playing The Halifax Hellcat, but this film was in dire need of a much better roster of names and faces to distract from the clunkiness of Kidd any time he's not on his bike.

Amazingly, as much as I assumed I was going to spend my time laughing through most of this, this holds up in a couple of different ways, much more than you might think. There's some great footage of some small British stunt shows, showing just how the amateurs and pros work together to keep crowds entertained, and you do get that typical feeling of the driving ambition that could hopefully take a young man from a small UK town to at least one moment of stardom. It's also worth stating, in no uncertain terms, that the final sequence is genuinely impressive, heart in your mouth, stuff. Yes, the main stunt is given enough coverage to be replayed about half a dozen times, but it's well worth the respect it's given, and you cannot tell whether or not Kidd will actually land his bike as it needs to be landed for a relatively clean finish. 

This is unlikely to be remembered fondly by film fans in years to come, and I doubt it's remembered fondly by film fans now (it's wild to think that it's just over 40 years old, but somehow seems so much older), but it actually remains now what it was intended to be back then: a testament to the skill and courage of a young British man who set out to become a hugely famous stunt bike rider, and who may have inspired many to follow in his tyre tracks.

6 /10

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Come Play With Me (1977)

Curiosity got the better of me, I admit it, and I finally watched Come Play With Me for the first time a few years ago. It was, in many ways, one of the most successful movies in British cinemas (particularly the Moulin Cinema in London) in the late 1970s, and it was sold on the obvious appeal of Mary Millington, despite her having only a relatively small share of the screentime.

The basic plot concerns Clapworthy (played by writer-director George Harrison Marks) and Kelly (Alfie Bass) trying to lay low at a quiet health resort as they attempt to print numerous forged banknotes that are causing quite the impact on the national economy. They're also hiding away from a tough gangster named Slasher (Ronald Fraser), which makes the resort, run by Lady Bovington (Irene Handl), a perfect place to just relax and stay under the radar. Unfortunately, or fortunately, a coach full of lovely ladies arrive, led by Lady Bovington's nephew, Rodney (Jerry Lordan), and they decide to do whatever it takes to drum up extra business for the resort. That usually means getting quite naked, and getting much more physical with the guests.

I wondered if this second viewing would make Come Play With Me a more enjoyable experience, knowing how bemused I had been when first giving it a go. Nope, it turns out that I am still puzzled about the massive success this enjoyed, which must have been the result of Millington's name and a constant marketing campaign in at least one top shelf magazine titles.

Bemused or not, however, there's no denying that this DID enjoy huge success, and I wanted to explore the filmography of Millington (billed as the most popular British porn star of the 1970s, and a woman who ended her life tragically at the far-too-young age of 33). Having watched Respectable: The Mary Millington Story, I purchased a fine box set of her movies, and also have a superb book all about her. The films might all end up being awful, I'll have to wait and see, but it's easy to see why so many were smitten with Millington, a woman with that perfect mix of "girl next door" looks and liberated sexuality.

Let's get back to the film though, which is only really worth watching for Millington, and the faltering performances from Handl and Fraser, as well as an entertaining little turn from Milton Reid. Every scene makes it obvious that this was made as quickly and cheaply as possible, and Marks and Bass, while moderately capable, are very strange choices for the lead roles. The sex is decidedly unsexy, the humour rarely lands, and there's not enough moments focusing on Millington, despite the mix of other women happy to wear very little clothing, or none at all, while the film stumbles from one sequence to the next, with an odd musical number thrown in for good measure.

I'm not bothered if people question my motives for watching these films, the gratuitous nudity at least guarantees I won't be bored for the entire runtime, but I have a strange affection for the British sex comedies of this era. I'm also fascinated by them, whether they are films that were mis-sold to audiences who expected much more sex, or whether they were films trying to use actors with "cheeky charm" moving from one saucy encounter to another. Whatever you think of them as works of cinema, they were relatively successful with audiences, from the Millington vehicles to "Confessions Of...", as well as the "Adventures Of..." movies. They're not essential viewings, by any means, but they shouldn't necessarily be consigned to the dustbin of history, considering the money and reputations that they made for some of the people involved.

3/10

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Adventures Of A Private Eye (1977)

The second film in the trilogy of "Adventures" movies, Adventures Of A Private Eye is less overtly cringe-inducing than the film before it, yet also feels less entertaining at the same time.

Christopher Neil takes the lead this time, playing Bob West, a young man who works for a private detective (Judd Blake, played by Jon Pertwee). When his boss goes on holiday, Bob decides to pretend he is the main man, taking on a case involving a beautiful woman named Laura (Suzy Kendall), an inheritance, some blackmail, and even murder.

Once again directed by Stanley A. Long, with a script this time from Michael Armstrong, Adventures Of A Private Eye is what you might call perfunctory, at best. Although following the template of the previous film, in a way (the main narrative is interspersed with a number of comedic "sketch" moments), this feels altogether more fragmented and messier. The film is better than the one preceding it, in some ways, and yet worse, because of it just being surprisingly dull.

You do get, as expected, some nudity and random sexual encounters, but the focus here is more on Bob trying, and often failing, to make himself appear like a skilled and smart detective. Which would all be well and good if the case at the heart of things was in any way interesting. Look, I'm not daft (well . . . not all the time). I know what the film is aiming for. But when the plot ends up being built around a mystery element then that element should be strong enough to make up for the times when those seeking titillation and giggles are not getting either of those things.

Neil isn't too bad in the main role, he tries hard to be charming enough to everyone around him while also hoping to cover up his incompetence. Kendall is as lovely as ever, although her performance is quite flat for most of the runtime, and it would have been interesting to make her a more intriguing character with the potential to be a lot less innocent than she appears. The rest of the cast is a great mix of familiar faces from this time, from the charismatic Pertwee to Harry H. Corbett, from Adrienne Posta (returning to the series in a completely different role) and Angela Scoular (same as Posta) to Anna Quayle, Irene Handl, Liz Fraser, and the wonderful Willie Rushton (who gets far too little time onscreen).

After weighing up the good and the bad, I have ended up rating this just below Adventures Of A Taxi Driver. Although it may seem unlikely, this feels more clumsy in how it is plotted and put together. It will kill an hour and a half, it's another film of interest to anyone who enjoys digging in to explore the variety of British cinema releases over the year, but it's an oddly childish tale without any truly satisfying set-pieces.

3/10