UnowPriceless hyped garbage

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Lee Eisenberg In between "A Hard Day's Night" and "Help!", Richard Lester directed this look at swinging London. "The Knack ...and How to Get It" has the same sort of humor as Lester's collaborations with the Beatles (and even takes time to show the generation gap). Unfortunately, the depictions of gender relations are dated at best, and the last part of the movie turns rape into a joke. This will come across as especially inappropriate in an era when large numbers of women have exposed some notable men as sexual predators.Aside from that, the movie is enjoyable. A fair amount of zany stuff and rapid-fire dialogue make it something that you'll probably like watching, understanding that it's very much a product of its time.

Dalbert Pringle Attention, All You Carnally-Curious Viewers! - If you want the "knack" and seriously wanna know "how to get it" - Then steer clear of this quirky, off-the-wall, 1965, comedy - 'Cause it's sure to leave your head spinning, as you find yourself even more clueless than you already are.If nothing else - "The Knack" (directed by American film-maker, Richard Lester) is (movie-wise) historically significant in that it is sandwiched in between 2 of Lester's more notable pictures - "A Hard Day's Night" and "Help!", which, of course, starred the Beatles.Even though "The Knack" (which was set in London and filmed in b&w) is a pretty silly and scatterbrained tale about the lustful pursuit for sexual conquests - It certainly did have its interesting and entertaining moments.And, yes - With "The Knack" now being 52 years old - It is, indeed, dated - But still definitely worth a view. Yet - With that said - I do caution you, that its decidedly-eccentric brand of humour isn't gonna appeal to everyone.

Richard_vmt The Knack is the pure spontaneity of youth on film. It isn't a laugh riot fed on stand up comedy, but a whimsical journey through life in London during the early 60's as seen by youth. The story revolves around the sexual striving of a staid young male teacher who contrasts his lot with that of a playboy acquaintance from whom he hopes to learn The Knack. Rita Tushingham, a country girl seeking to get a foothold in the city becomes his romantic salvation. The presence of Rita Tushingham on screen is itself a testament to the creative originality of the film-makers of the 60's. What an act of audacity to discover to the camera the unique beauty of this young woman with teeth which would conventionally have ruined her for a screen career! Her eyes are close set and her teeth are crooked but her loveliness is contagious.The Knack must be understood in historical perspective. You must remember that this movie is set just the other side of The Sexual Revolution. From the 40's into the 50's and 60's, magazines and news features fueled a popular anticipation for a revolution in moral values which was supposed to herald a tremendous improvement in emotional health for everyone. Concern and yet yearning is reflected in the ever-present background commentary of the older generation, which condemns, but also looks on wistfully. The two most often repeated complaints are !"Mods and Rockers!" but also, "I am bound". This was still a period when (in the United States) men gave up their seats to women--by which I mean routinely and universally. This was also the last gasp of an era when older people collectively superintended youth (through to marriage and in difficult cases, to parenthood) and commented on them critically in public. This practice has given way to stunned silence or use of the police as intercessors. It is the peasant earthiness of their idioms, overflowing with innuendo, which gives the film an amusing yet poignant backdrop for the antics of youth. Although the film makes reference to grass, it is innocent of the corruption and mystification of the Hippie Movement which would come shortly. Few films capture a period so effectively as this one. But no one should think watching it is an academic chore. It is a sheer delight.

andyetris This is a manic Richard Lester comedy very similar to "A Hard Days Night," and if you liked that movie you'll like this one. It's a somewhat rambling froth-of-life tale about an awkward young man (Michael Crawford) who wants to learn how to pick up girls from his popular housemate (Ray Brooks). Brooks' attempt to instruct Crawford in the mysteries of the knack go hilariously awry when the pair encounter the flighty Rita Tushingham.I'm a little surprised that this won a Palme d'Or, but it IS very funny in a not-too over-the-top way. It's dramatically superior to contemporary early '60's comedy, and the principals turn in wonderful performances. If you like it, be sure to check out Lester's sunny nonsense "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" and the distinctly darker "How I Won the War."