i may be about to annoy a lot of very nice and very clever people who have take the time to comment on petulia eruditely and sincerely . i have read them all and even the one i disagree strongly with be well argue and and in the spirit of fairness have mark them up positively for their style if not their content . have say all that i feel i must record that i find it to be pretentious and derivative and self indulgent . a typical richard lester film in fact . steal other film maker trick and jumble them together doesn not make him an auteur any more than a musician who steal other player lick and jumble them up become an innovator . by the time he do the running and jumping and standing still movie in 1960 just about the only person in the uk still do the goon be prince charles . it trad dad be straightforward exploitation and the mouse on the moon a tire follow up to the vastly superior the mouse that roar . then we come to his two movie with the beatles and here i be well aware i be tread on sacred ground for million of admirer of the lovable mop top and but basically they be a rag bag of gimmick base around point his camera at the boy while they do their schtick . he get lucky and ride on their coat tail and a do many another less talent . with petulia his dependence upon the work of superior contitnental european director be nearly total . his work wasn not mere hommage and it be multi sourced plagiarism ( there no such thing in art of course and it merely in the school of . ) . it be beautifully photograph by nicholas roeg and a man who and in turn and would pay hommage to mr lester . and so it go . if you think blow up be antonioni great statement on the 1960s in so call swinging london and mr lester the knack a film that shape a generation then i suspect petulia will be fine for you . if and on the other hand you think antonioni movie be an overblown con trick and the knack too clever by half and then you may prefer to watch the very beautiful miss christie and the admirable mr scott in some other movie . perhaps one where the director isn not always shout watch me i be go to amaze you .