West 11
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motion picture |
| Founded | 1963 |
| Founder | Michael Winner (director) |
| Products | Crime film |
West 11—also referred to as West II and West Eleven—is a British crime movie from 1963, directed by Michael Winner and featuring performances by Alfred Lynch, Kathleen Breck, Eric Portman, Diana Dors, and Kathleen Harrison. The film adapts Laura Del-Rivo's first novel, The Furnished Room (1961), with a screenplay crafted by Willis Hall and Keith Waterhouse. Its title alludes to the W11 postal district in west London.
Plot
Set in Notting Hill during the early 1960s, the story follows Joe Beckett, a young unemployed drifter who is convinced by former army officer Richard Dyce to kill Dyce’s affluent aunt for her inheritance. Traveling to the South Coast, Beckett loses his nerve but inadvertently kills the woman amid a confrontation. After a witness identifies him, the police apprehend Beckett; however, Dyce denies any involvement, prompting Beckett to surrender himself.
Production
In 1962, Associated British announced plans for a film adaptation starring Claudia Cardinale and directed by Joseph Losey. Ultimately, Michael Winner took over directing duties; he was recognized for working on modestly budgeted films such as Play It Cool (1962). Winner remarked that many had turned down the project, and producer Danny Angel dismissed Losey due to creative differences. Despite an imperfect script, Winner accepted the assignment, viewing it as an improvement over his prior projects.
Winner initially sought to cast Sean Connery, Oliver Reed, Julie Christie, and James Mason, but the producer vetoed these choices. Oliver Reed later appeared in Winner’s The System (1964). Winner recalled:
Sarah Miles exited shortly before filming began. Although Winner was enthusiastic about Julie Christie after screen tests, she was rejected by the producer—who considered her a B-movie actress despite her contract with Rank. This view was shared by others except for an A.B.C. casting assistant. Similarly, Oliver Reed was dismissed as suitable only for B-movies.[1]
Producer Angel also rejected Sean Connery for the lead role on similar grounds and declined James Mason for the antagonist role due to his age. The final ensemble featured Alfred Lynch, Kathleen Breck, and Eric Portman, whose work Winner valued highly.
Diana Dors returned from Los Angeles specifically to take part in this production.
Filming occurred on location in Notting Hill. This project represented one of Peter Reynolds’s final appearances in British cinema.
Critical reception
The Monthly Film Bulletin recognized the film's ambitious approach through its on-location shooting and exploration of contemporary issues but criticized its transition into an unrealistic melodramatic narrative. The script, crafted by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall, was considered heavy-handed, while Michael Winner's direction was viewed as uneven. Nevertheless, Otto Heller's stark and somber cinematography received commendation.
According to the Radio Times, Winner effectively portrayed the bedsit lifestyle in Notting Hill before it became widely known. Although the screenplay appeared as a series of loosely linked vignettes, Otto Heller's camera work on location vividly depicted the area's deteriorating Regency architecture overshadowed by poverty and exploitative rent practices. The musical score by Stanley Black and Acker Bilk was regarded as overly sentimental, with the overall film seldom rising above mediocrity.
Variety praised certain aspects of the film, notably its genuine depiction of London's seedy environments, though it suggested this portrayal might have been somewhat excessive.
Home media
The film was digitally restored and issued on DVD in 2021.
References
- ↑ "Interview with Michael Winner". Screen. Vol. 10, no. 3. pp. 10–11.
External links
- West 11 at Letterboxd