Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Cinema Tuesdays {A Touch of Class}

Picture 1
From 1973, it's A Touch of Class, which shows a wide variety of Seventies fashions. Although I don't wear Seventies styles all that often, I do enjoy looking at them and it's time for them to make a comeback. I think you'll all agree that the Eighties have been don't to death, particularly after they brought back acid wash.
Picture 9
This is how they meet
He's playing baseball in the park
She catches the runaway ball
He's Steve, a married insurance man from the US
She's Vicki, a divorced single mother and fashion designer
He's played by George Segal
She's played by Glenda Jackson and she won an Oscar for this role
Picture 51
Some days later, they meet again and share a cab in the rain. He invites her to tea.
Love the gingham raincoat with the red accents.
Picture 60
Definitely Seventies. Wide pointy collars and menswear. The transition from Sixties to Seventies fashions has always seemed rather more sudden then the change from the Fifties to the Sixties.
Picture 73
Tea goes well and so Steve invites her to lunch at an out of the way restaurant-hotel.
What do you think the best fashion trend of the Seventies was? I think it was knee length boots.
Picture 92
Bad thing about the Seventies: too many earth tones.
Vicki decides that she doesn't want a quickie in a flea bitten hotel, why don't they go somewhere warm for the weekend.
Picture 124
This is Vicki's office. Great isn't it.
She goes to fashion shows and copies the designs which are then made up in cheap fabrics and sold in New York's bargain department stores. What a fantastic job!
Picture 131
I've never seen anyone wear their glasses like this before or since.
Picture 118
Steve takes a look at the claims wall and selects one in sunny Spain.
Picture 166
Remember when you could just buy a ticket a few hours before a flight without being overcharged and having to prove that you aren't going to blow anything up?
Picture 207
The only problem is for Steve to get out of the house without his wife wanting to come along.
Gloria is played by Hildegarde Neil, who's been married to Brian Blessed for over thirty years.
Picture 236
That problem hilariously solved, Steve runs into his old buddy Walter at Heathrow. Guess where Walter's going?
Picture 250
Eventually the happy couple arrives at the hotel as the tired, rumpled and grumpy couple.
Is it just me, or did they bring far too much luggage for a few days in Spain?
Picture 259
Of course the hotel isn't exactly what it said in the brochure.
Picture 271
Love her Thirties style pyjamas.
Picture 290

Picture 306

Picture 12
Ever since they got off the plane, Steve and Vicki have been acting like they've been married for years. Naturally they have a huge fight.
Picture 53
Man, nobody can throw out an insult like Glenda Jackson can!
Picture 67
What do you think of this dress? I'm not so sure about it.
Picture 82
How awesome is this peasant blouse
Picture 78
I love this dress!
Now Walter and his wife have been watching how Steve and Vicki have been acting, but Walter has figured out what's going on.
Picture 98
He tries to warn Steve that they'll both get hurt if he keeps seeing Vicki in London.
Picture 111
But Steve and Vicki have fallen in love and rent a dive in Soho.
Picture 129
Which they fix up and sneak away to. Or at least Steve sneaks. I really like the original fireplace
Picture 162
And the kitchen, nice and bright.
Picture 153
The Kaftan.
Will it ever make a comeback?
Picture 189

Picture 180
Yes, that is a leather and silk dress.
Picture 148
So, how does it end?
Well, just look at the movie that Steve and Vicki are watching.

A Touch of Class (not to be confused with the Fawlty Towers episode) is available on DVD for Regions 1 and 2 and for all regions as a torrent.

Click here for the trailer

2 comments:

Penny Dreadful Vintage said...

Oh I need to watch this again. Saw it once when I was young but can't even remember anything about it - her clothes are fab though.

Ivy Black said...

I love this film. They are a brilliant duo.x