BILLY LIAR AND ME
It is the story of a young man who loses himself in his imagination to escape the drudgery of everyday life, conjuring up daydreams of wild adventures or, more commonly, women.
Based on the book by Keith Waterhouse, the 1963 film Billy Liar is number 76 in the British Film Institute’s 100 greatest movies – and remains a classic even as it celebrates its 50th birthday. In fact, a newly restored version of the film was shown at the Bradford International Film Festival ahead of its release on Blu-Ray.
In his real life, Billy has to run rings around his three girlfriends to stop each one finding out about the others. Helen Fraser played one of his long-suffering ladies, Barbara – so what is it like to be part of something that is still a cultural icon?
‘At the time, you don’t think much about it,’ she says. ‘But so many people over the years have said, “Oh, you’re Barbara, that’s my favourite film.” It’s a little dated now, but it doesn’t seem to matter.’ Fraser tells me that despite the fact the stage version of the novel was a great success, no one expected the piece of British New Wave cinema to be as popular as it became.
‘We had no idea. We knew it was funny, because the crew used to laugh a lot during filming, and there were a lot of funny people in it. The writing, for one thing, was brilliant, and in each character someone will recognise themselves, so it really appeals to everybody. But I don’t think we realised what a hit it was going to be.’
Fraser had only recently graduated from Rada (with fellow cast member Tom Courtenay).
‘I was doing a play in Manchester and casting people were in the audience. After my performance they asked if I would go to London to do a test with John Schlesinger. I was supposed to be on stage the next evening so they took me to Manchester airport and flew me to London and I met John Schlesinger and was put on camera.
‘I flew back to Manchester that night knowing that I’d got the promise of my first film. The following year, he was making Billy Liar, and there was no test, there was no audition. He just rang me up and said, “You are my Barbara.” I was 20, it was my first big film.’
Tackling her first major role must have been nerveracking. But for Fraser, working with her friend Tom Courtenay (who recently accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Bradford International Film Festival – Bradford was the location for the film) made things a lot easier. ‘There were no barriers to break down,’ she says.
‘We hadn’t been out of Rada very long, perhaps 18 months, and we were in the same class, so we knew each other very well.
‘The whole cast was wonderful. It was a very happy film. It was jolly cold, though – especially those graveyard scenes. And of course I met my husband, who was a soundman, on set during filming.
‘During the very cold graveyard shots, this very nice man came up to me and said, “Would you like to sit in the van?” There’s nothing romantic about a sound van, I can tell you. But he asked if I wanted to borrow his coat. I was so glad of it, and with it wrapped around me, we started to talk. He asked if I liked the ballet and would I like to go on one of my evenings off. I said, “Yes, I would,” and that was the start of it.’
But while the film remains a classic, has the once razor-sharp humour dated?
‘It was a lot more innocent then,’ Fraser tells me. ‘Now, you can swear, and sex has reared its ugly head. We were so innocent in those days. Even a kiss on the cheek was a real “wow” moment.
‘In Billy Liar we did the dream sequence, where Billy dreams of what he’d like Barbara to be really like. I had to be fitted in this black lace corset. It was sexy, but I didn’t know what sexy really meant.
‘But even now, for instance, we laugh at Morecambe and Wise – it’s innocent in a way, but it was brilliant, because of the timing. That was the skill of comedy, the timing. Many modern comics just don’t have the training.
‘There are always reruns of The Good Life and Are You Being Served? and you forget how clever they were in the timing. That is the secret to great comedy.’
But what was it like to be a celebrity in the Swinging Sixties? ‘I think that people are a bit more blasé today. Things are so accessible now. You can find out about everything online. You can’t keep a secret in this world any more, which is quite frightening. In those days, there was a bit of mystery. But I was the same, just as starstruck to meet celebrities as they may have been to meet me.’
Back to 2013, however, and Helen Fraser is about to start a one-woman show.
‘It’s called An Evening With Helen Fraser and that’s exactly what it is. I had a pushy mother, who sent me to board at stage school when I was nine, so I’ve always been a dancer and an actress. I can’t do anything else.’
The remastered Billy Liar is available on DVD and Blu- Ray from 6 May.
An Evening With Helen Fraser is at The Jubilee Hall, Aldeburgh on 17 May: 01728-452392, www.aldeburghjubileehall.co.uk and Diss Corn Hall on 28 July: 01379-652241, www.disscornhall.co.uk
Based on the book by Keith Waterhouse, the 1963 film Billy Liar is number 76 in the British Film Institute’s 100 greatest movies – and remains a classic even as it celebrates its 50th birthday. In fact, a newly restored version of the film was shown at the Bradford International Film Festival ahead of its release on Blu-Ray.
In his real life, Billy has to run rings around his three girlfriends to stop each one finding out about the others. Helen Fraser played one of his long-suffering ladies, Barbara – so what is it like to be part of something that is still a cultural icon?
‘At the time, you don’t think much about it,’ she says. ‘But so many people over the years have said, “Oh, you’re Barbara, that’s my favourite film.” It’s a little dated now, but it doesn’t seem to matter.’ Fraser tells me that despite the fact the stage version of the novel was a great success, no one expected the piece of British New Wave cinema to be as popular as it became.
‘We had no idea. We knew it was funny, because the crew used to laugh a lot during filming, and there were a lot of funny people in it. The writing, for one thing, was brilliant, and in each character someone will recognise themselves, so it really appeals to everybody. But I don’t think we realised what a hit it was going to be.’
Fraser had only recently graduated from Rada (with fellow cast member Tom Courtenay).
‘I was doing a play in Manchester and casting people were in the audience. After my performance they asked if I would go to London to do a test with John Schlesinger. I was supposed to be on stage the next evening so they took me to Manchester airport and flew me to London and I met John Schlesinger and was put on camera.
‘I flew back to Manchester that night knowing that I’d got the promise of my first film. The following year, he was making Billy Liar, and there was no test, there was no audition. He just rang me up and said, “You are my Barbara.” I was 20, it was my first big film.’
Tackling her first major role must have been nerveracking. But for Fraser, working with her friend Tom Courtenay (who recently accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Bradford International Film Festival – Bradford was the location for the film) made things a lot easier. ‘There were no barriers to break down,’ she says.
‘We hadn’t been out of Rada very long, perhaps 18 months, and we were in the same class, so we knew each other very well.
‘The whole cast was wonderful. It was a very happy film. It was jolly cold, though – especially those graveyard scenes. And of course I met my husband, who was a soundman, on set during filming.
‘During the very cold graveyard shots, this very nice man came up to me and said, “Would you like to sit in the van?” There’s nothing romantic about a sound van, I can tell you. But he asked if I wanted to borrow his coat. I was so glad of it, and with it wrapped around me, we started to talk. He asked if I liked the ballet and would I like to go on one of my evenings off. I said, “Yes, I would,” and that was the start of it.’
But while the film remains a classic, has the once razor-sharp humour dated?
‘It was a lot more innocent then,’ Fraser tells me. ‘Now, you can swear, and sex has reared its ugly head. We were so innocent in those days. Even a kiss on the cheek was a real “wow” moment.
‘In Billy Liar we did the dream sequence, where Billy dreams of what he’d like Barbara to be really like. I had to be fitted in this black lace corset. It was sexy, but I didn’t know what sexy really meant.
‘But even now, for instance, we laugh at Morecambe and Wise – it’s innocent in a way, but it was brilliant, because of the timing. That was the skill of comedy, the timing. Many modern comics just don’t have the training.
‘There are always reruns of The Good Life and Are You Being Served? and you forget how clever they were in the timing. That is the secret to great comedy.’
But what was it like to be a celebrity in the Swinging Sixties? ‘I think that people are a bit more blasé today. Things are so accessible now. You can find out about everything online. You can’t keep a secret in this world any more, which is quite frightening. In those days, there was a bit of mystery. But I was the same, just as starstruck to meet celebrities as they may have been to meet me.’
Back to 2013, however, and Helen Fraser is about to start a one-woman show.
‘It’s called An Evening With Helen Fraser and that’s exactly what it is. I had a pushy mother, who sent me to board at stage school when I was nine, so I’ve always been a dancer and an actress. I can’t do anything else.’
The remastered Billy Liar is available on DVD and Blu- Ray from 6 May.
An Evening With Helen Fraser is at The Jubilee Hall, Aldeburgh on 17 May: 01728-452392, www.aldeburghjubileehall.co.uk and Diss Corn Hall on 28 July: 01379-652241, www.disscornhall.co.uk