Smashing Time

Critics Consensus

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53%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 111

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Movie Info

Yvonne (Lynn Redgrave) and her best friend, Brenda (Rita Tushingham), head for the big city -- in this case, London -- with dreams of hitting the big time. But when they arrive and quickly lose their savings to a robber, they find that city life is tougher than expected, and success may be more elusive than they planned. The pair separates, and after Yvonne unexpectedly turns a bad song into a hit single, she begins to wonder about the cost of fame, and the whereabouts of her old friend.

Genre:

comedy
Original Language:

English
Director:

Desmond Davis
Runtime:

1h 36m

Cast & Crew

Rita Tushingham
Brenda

Lynn Redgrave
Yvonne

Michael York
Tom Wabe

Desmond Davis
Director

Critic Reviews for Smashing Time

All Critics (7) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (7)

Quote not available.

October 23, 2004 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic
It's on beat and offbeat, a Mod film that makes the most of the Mack Sennett tradition, a satire on swinging London that swings to its own London rhythm.

February 26, 2020 | Full Review…

Judith Crist
Vogue
Quote not available.

June 19, 2005 | Rating: 3/5

Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
Quote not available.

May 25, 2004 | Rating: 3/5

Nell Minow
Movie Mom
Quote not available.

October 31, 2003 | Rating: 4/5

Carol Cling
Las Vegas Review-Journal
Quote not available.

July 30, 2002 | Rating: 3/5

Philip Martin
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
But most of this the film is a delight, especially scenes revolving around Yvonne's continual abuse of Brenda.

January 1, 2000 | Rating: 75/100

Ed Gonzalez
Apollo Guide

View All Critic Reviews (7)

Audience Reviews for Smashing Time

Mar 17, 2008

Ok, this is very silly and wacky yet I found myself really liking it! This is a great satire on Swinging 60s London. Lynn Redgrave and Rita Tushingham play two girls from the North of England determined to make it big in swinging London. What follows is a series of crazy situations as the unlikely pair do find fame only to realize it's not really worth it. This film is so kitsch, with songs to match ("I can't sing but I'm young!"). If you love 60s style then your bound to like this, but this is not one to be taken seriously and overall is just a fun piece of nostalgia.

Emily B Super Reviewer
Mar 17, 2008

"Smashing Time" is a mediocre movie, but it's lots of fun. Not exactly subtle, this British comedy is full of broad, farcical performances and actually has two -- two! -- major food-fight scenes. Is that a first? Yvonne (Lynn Redgrave) and Brenda (Rita Tushingham) have a ball as two daft birds visiting the big city, determined to become all the rage with the swinging Carnaby Street crowd. Yvonne is loud and ditzy, while Brenda is mousy and vulnerable. They flip through a few menial jobs, making a spectacular mess of whatever situation they enter, while also tangling with a cheeky tabloid photographer (the young Michael York). Eventually they stumble into show business via unlikely paths, which motivates one hilarious recording-session scene where every gimmick of the day (sitar, harp, girlie backup vocals) is awkwardly thrown into the mix. The other standout set pieces are a trendy art-gallery opening (booby-trapped robots are sold to people who want to feel nuclear paranoia at home) and a misfired bedroom seduction where a sleazy bounder (Ian Carmichael) puts the moves on Yvonne (too bad that a laxative joke doesn't pay off like it should). Slapstick humor is everywhere (the laundry bills must have been incredible), and the actors exaggerate every gesture, expression and regional accent. The psychedelic band Tomorrow (featuring a pre-Yes Steve Howe) has a small, non-musical role, and the score also includes several sweet songs that Redgrave and Tushingham warble themselves. This is definitely a period piece, but don't expect too much and you'll enjoy some silly laughs.

Eric B Super Reviewer