Whitewashing the walls and unintentionally the entire garden of a suburban home, mistaken identity causes the Optimist (Enn Reitel) to be hailed a new impressionist painter. His absurd abstracts sell for thousands and the art world flocks to this new master of the brush for his signature on sausages.

 

When his muse, Mimi (Julie Peasgood), suddenly leaves, he is left in despair and attempts to paint his defining piece of art. Unveiled, the oil painting of three kittens is derided as a disaster. But back on the streets as a labourer, the Optimist unwittingly creates a true masterpiece.

ENN REITEL
the optimist

JULIE PEASGOOD
Mimi

BEVERLEY ISHERWOOD
MARINA LA ROCHE
models

KEVIN BRENNAN
Claude

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 in
London, England
April 1984

our thanks to

Mazda Cars