The interesting thing about Charlie Bubbles

This film is an introspective character study where nothing much appears to happen--but that's just on the surface. The real action is in the subtext. One knows in order for Charlie to have reached the level of success he has acheived he would at one time have to have been very engaged and ambitious about his work. What we witness is the emotional withdrawal and disillusion that has resulted after achieving great success. Everyone and everything is colored by Charlie's detached mental state and confusion about his life and his success.

The reason the film is of interest from a film/historical perspective is the speculation concerning it's biographical implications for Finney's own life. In the excellent book about the 1960s film industry, "Hollywood England" author/critic Alexander Walker discusses how the screenwriter Shelagh Delaney as well as the star/director, Albert Finney both underwent a phase of disenchantment with success early in their own careers. Delaney was 19 when she was acclaimed for "A Taste of Honey" and Finney was 27 in 1963 when he hit he the pinnacle of fame and financial success with the movie "Tom Jones" while simultaneously appearing in the very successful Broadway production of John Osborn's "Luther". The movie Charlie Bubbles is ultimately about the character's disenchantment with success. Walker references interviews with Finney where he discussed his own phase of withdrawal from success, and how he was able to relate to the character of Charlie. It is common knowledge that when he finished his commitment on Broadway with Luther and was being pressured about how to proceed in his career, he decided to do nothing. Instead, he took a trip around the world, and although he did some stage work, he didn't do another film until "Two for the Road" (1967). (Not counting "Night Must Fall" which was filmed before he left for Broadway in 1963 and released in--I think--1964.)

Charlie Bubbles is a subtle exploration of one person's response to the emptiness and unexpected uncertainty about life and success. It's interesting how the things we most want in life are never quite what we thought they were going to be once we obtain them. Viewed from that perspective, I think it's quite a fascinating film.