Perfect Friday

Perfect Friday is an enjoyable crime-comedy flick from the '70s, showcasing an exceptional ensemble cast featuring Ursula Andress, Stanley Baker, and David Warner. With the classic charm of British cinema, this engaging film skillfully integrates wit, suspense, and intricate plotting appealing to enthusiasts of caper-crime cinema and those who enjoy a good dose of humor with their suspense.

The talented Stanley Baker stars as Mr. Graham, an efficient and yet unnoticed assistant bank manager in the heart of London who harbors grand ambitions beyond his ordinary life. Graham has a meticulously devised plan to rob the bank he works in, to escape his monotonously grey existence and fulfill his dreams.

Meanwhile, we meet the stunning Ursula Andress, best known for her role in "Dr. No," who breathes life into the character of Lady Britt Dorset, a thoroughly modern woman of the 70s with all the elegance of a high society woman and a taste for the high life. Dressed in the height of 70s fashion, she offers the audience an intoxicating cocktail of charm, seduction, and cunning wits.

Joining her is the versatile David Warner, portraying her husband, Lord Nicholas "Nick" Dorset. As a supposed aristocrat, he appears to have fallen on hard times and bares a certain carefree aloofness that masterfully conceals his hidden layers. Together, they bring an engaging dynamism that punctuates the crime duo conducting illegal activities behind the veneer of London's high society.

A chance encounter with Britt leads Graham to team up with this intriguingly mismatched couple to fulfill his master plan of robbing his own bank, thus setting the drama in motion. Moreover, the film encompasses the recurring run-ins with a couple participants of the Swinging London scene, a trendsetting youthful subculture of the 60s, adding colorful bursts of humour to the overall narrative.

Expertly directed by Peter Hall, Perfect Friday shines in its simplicity and expert timing. Hall allows the suspense to build naturally, aided by carefully crafted dialogue and the film’s ostentatious visual style. You're not provided with the twists and turns typical of most heist movies, but with continuous tension, all finely balanced with comedic relief, which keeps you rooting for the characters, despite their exuberance.

Another notable feature of the movie lies in its visual aesthetics. Embedding a vibe of the 70s London, the film portrays the blossoming modern architecture of the city, gently juxtaposed with traditional elements. Through the occasional exploration of London's hot spots, it creates an appealing backdrop against which the plot unfolds.

Coming back to the performances, Ursula Andress dazzles with her glamour and clear-headed character, encapsulating the essence of her complex role with flair. Stanley Baker skillfully maintains a delicate balance between a humdrum bank employee and a cunning mastermind, while David Warner fabulously adds eccentricity to the trio with his buoyant act.

However, the real trump card of Perfect Friday is its screenplay. The narrative, filled with clever banter and witty one-liners, manages not to falter or lose its grip throughout. Despite its simple premise, Perfect Friday doesn’t shy away from delicious ironies and enough believable misdirection to keep audiences guessing until the end.

The movie is enriched with an engaging soundtrack matching the narrative’s tone and reflecting the era's most significant musical strains. Additionally, it includes cultural references that perfectly capture the zeitgeist of London in the twentieth century’s seventh decade and add to its charm as quintessentially '70s cinema.

In conclusion, Perfect Friday is a carefully crafted blend of suspense, wit, and 70s flair. For fans of the heist genre, it's a must-watch as it provides plenty of charm, comedy, and charisma, with an unforgettable performance from a team of much-loved actors of their time. What begins as a seemingly straightforward crime-comedy evolves into a classic British caper, offering the viewer a thrilling cinematic ride and a time capsule back to a bygone era.