Working as a humble cobbler, the Optimist (Enn Reitel) is thrown into an international world of crime and classical ballet when a diamond is stolen – the famous Light Fantastic.
Beautiful dancer Olga (Karen Smith) is on the run from incompetent thugs when she hides the stone in a ballet shoe and draws the Optimist into a plot that leads to him being forced on stage to dance a pas-de-deux in Swan Lake with Olga and the Corps de Ballet to great acclaim.
ENN REITEL
the optimist
the optimist
KAREN SMITH
Olga
Olga
CHRISTINE GARNER
the Countess
the Countess
IAN MCNEICE
Boris
GEOFFREY RUSSELL
the Count
the Count
HOWARD ATTFIELD
Ivan
MICHAEL BEARE
MARION ST. CLARE
principal dancers
MARION ST. CLARE
principal dancers
ANASTASIA BERTRAM
NICOLA DAWSON
ROSE MARIE O'DONNELL
KIM MILLER
FRANCE LE CLINCHE
TRACEY LORRAINE
JACQUI DIXON
SHEILA STYLES
corps de ballet
director
ROBERT FUEST
production supervised by
ROBERT SIDAWAY
written by
ROBERT FUEST
ENN REITEL
devised by
RICHARD SPARKS
script associate
ROBERT SIDAWAY
producers
ROBERT SIDAWAY
JOHN BRITTANY
photography
FRANCIS DE GROOTE
art director
MIKE PORTER
edited by
JOHN DANIELS
HILARY MAWDSLEY
music score by
JOHN CAMERON
Optimist theme by
DAVID SPEAR
title music arranged & conducted by
JOHN CAMERON
casting by
ALAN FOENANDER
executive producer
DAVID GIDEON THOMSON
assistant director
STEVE FINN
focus puller
JEREMY BRIGDEN
technical assistant
ASHLEY SIDAWAY
gaffer
JOHN PARSONS
sparks
RON HERSCHMAN
JIM KNIGHT
grip
JOHN LAKE
costume
JO KORER
JOHN HIBBS
continuity
CAROL SNOOK
make-up
MADELEINE MASTERS
production buyer
GWENDA FOORD
standby props
ANDY HAMILTON
location manager
KATHY FISHER
runners
SIOBHAN MULHOLLAND
CHRIS MCWATTERS
STEVEN TYE
production manager
STEWART RICHARDS
production accountant
IRENE JAY
production assistant
SUE TONKINSON
assistant to producers
BEV LANGLEY
dubbing editor
JURIS EKSTS
dubbing mixer
TED RYAN
dialogue coach
CECIL KORER
production publicity
ALAN TREWEEKE
camera and lighting equipment
supplied by
CRYSTAL FILMS ASSOCIATES
laboratories
STUDIO FILM & VIDEO LAB
opticals and titles by
LES LATIMER OPTICALS
end credit stills by
JO KORER
TRISTRAM SHAPEERO
copying machine supplied by
NASHUA
The Optimist Company
for Channel Four
and Charisma Films
filmed on location at
Wimbledon Theatre, London
March 1984
our special thanks to
London City Ballet
our thanks to
Mazda Cars
