Rent The Leather Boys (1964)

New Wave. - The Leather Boys review by Steve

This was a change of course for Sidney J. Furie after directing a couple of Cliff Richard vehicles. It's shot in the documentary style of the British new wave. Rita Tushingham plays a working class girl who leaves school at sixteen and gets married to the similarly inexperienced Colin Campbell. They prove incompatible.

The husband finds escape through his love of motorbikes. His gang are the leather boys of the title. It is fertile with images from the world of bikers in the mid-sixties and their hang-outs, particularly the Ace Cafe on the A1 where they start their pivotal race. The visual record of the period is a big part of the attraction.

Campbell meets Dudley Sutton, another young biker, though more worldly, who becomes a role model. But Sutton has an unexpected other life. Tushingham is the nominal star, but Sutton dominates with an irresistible performance. The real draw is his relationship with Campbell. Both still kids, but having to behave like adults, not yet sure what the rules are.

This is more of a low budget reflection on the sixties working class than a UK version of The Wild Ones; more reportage than melodrama. It's a must see for those who enjoy the new realism that reinvigorated British cinema between the war and the permissive society.

Poor quality print - The Leather Boys review by PO

Enjoyed the film, but the quality of the print was very poor - like watching on a 405-line TV back in the day.