Review of Confessions of a Window Cleaner (1974) by Stuart K — 19 Jun 2012

Directed by Val Guest (The Quatermass Xperiment (1955), The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961) and Casino Royale (1967)), and based on the series of books by Christopher Wood. This film became the most successful film at the UK box-office in 1974.

It might not have aged well, but there's an endearing quality about it which makes it watchable, and it was the most successful of X rated sex films out at the time. Timothy Lea (Robin Askwith) has been employed as a window cleaner by his wheeling-dealing, philandering brother-in-law Sidney Noggett (Anthony Booth), they both live together with Timmy's Dad (Bill Maynard), Mum (Dandy Nichols) and sister Rosie (Sheila White).

With Rosie pregnant, and Sidney looking forwards to becoming a father, he turns to Timmy to give their customers a "service with a smile", however Timmy is very clumsy, and his bumbling often ends up with him in bed with women having sex with bored housewives and even lesbians.

But, when he falls for policewoman Elizabeth Radlett (Linda Hayden), Timmy has to watch his step if he wants to succeed, but every woman seems to want him!! It's a very silly film, but this is what floated the boats of cinemagoers back then, and even if it does have an un-PC attitude here and there, but it made Robin Askwith a star as our hapless hero who ends up in sexual situations, along with cameos from British TV too.

But, it's a film from the 1970's, and proud of it.