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All Neat in Black Stockings
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Wikipedia article
'All Neat in Black Stockings' is a 1969 British comedy film directed by Christopher Morahan and starring Victor Henry, Susan George and Jack Shepherd.British Film Institute Film & TV Database: [https://web.archive.org/web/20090116095019/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/131167 All Neat in Black Stockings.] Based on a novel by Jane Gaskell, its plot follows an easygoing window cleaner called 'Ginger' who falls in love with a woman he meets in Swinging London. The film is in the British New Wave tradition and shows the blue collar working man lifestyle. The film is a 1960s time capsule of cars, dress and dancing (even Old Spice cologne and Pepsi bottles).
Plot
Ginger (Victor Henry) is a window cleaner with an eye for the girls. His best friend and neighbour, Dwyer, (Jack Shephard) swaps girls with him. Ginger is cleaning hospital windows and he sets up a date with nurse Babette (Jasmina Hilton). A patient gives Ginger keys to his house and asks him to care for his pets during his hospital stay. Ginger takes Babette to the local pub but his interest wanders to Carole (Vanessa Forsythe) and Jill (Susan George). He sets up a date with Carole and later that night he switches date Babette with Dwyer. Best friends share everything.
Ginger cares for Mr. McLaughlin's birds, rabbits, white rats and many aquaria. This home is far nicer than Ginger's run down bedsit. In fact his pushy brother-in-law moves in with Ginger's pregnant sister, Cecily (Anna Cropper). Issur (Harry Tawb) even moves in with his girlfriend, Jocasta (Nita Lorraine). Ginger's passive and uncomplaining sister seems not to object.
Ginger takes Carole iceskating but his interest moves to her friend, Jill. He starts seeing Jill and even buys her a large plush penguin. He meets Jill's mother and Dwyer sees a difference in his friend. Ginger does not even try to have sex with Jill. Jill and her mother live together and Ginger befriends Mum.
Issur decides to have large unauthorised party in the borrowed residence. Angry Ginger shows up and starts to kick people out. The house has been trashed. Later that night, Ginger finds Jill in bed with Dwyer. She has lost her virginity to Dwyer, who thought nothing was wrong because they always slept with each other's women. Brother-in-law goes off to Mexico with Jocasta. Jill ends up pregnant to Dwyer.
House-sitting man (Terence de Marney) returns from hospital to find his pets hungry and possessions damaged. He nonetheless hires Cecily as his housekeeper. Despite all, Ginger decides to marry Jill. Ginger makes a deposit on a rental property but Jill decides they will live with her mother. Jill has the baby and Ginger says it looks like Dwyer. Ginger continues work cleaning windows and stops for lunch at a caf. The waitress is young and pretty and Ginger flirts with her and the movie ends.
Cast
* Victor Henry - Ginger - Window-washer
* Susan George - Jillian 'Jill'
* Jack Shepherd - Dwyer - Best Mate
* Clare Kelly - Jill's Mother
* Anna Cropper - Cicely 'Sis'
* Harry Towb - Sister's Husband, Issur
* Vanessa Forsyth - Carole - Jill's friend
* Terence De Marney - Old Gunge - Owner of home with pets
* Jasmina Hilton - Nurse Babette
* John Woodnutt - Vicar
* Nita Lorraine - Jocasta - Issur's girlfriend
* Deirdre Costello - New Bird
* Andre Dakar - Man with parrot
* Rosalind Elliot - New Bird
* Gwendolyn Watts - Suburban housewife
* Anna Welsh - Hospital Sister
* Neil Wilson - Angry householder
* Christine Pryor - Cafe waitress
* Grahame James - Young bloke
* Eric Longworth - Businessman
* Malcolm Tierney - Photographer
* Maurice Travers - Car salesman
* Carmen Munroe - Nurse
* Larry Dann - New mate
References
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