Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Confessions of a Window Cleaner Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov September 5, 2024

Val Guest's "Confessions of a Window Cleaner" (1974) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the release include new audio commentary with star Robin Askwith; new program with actress Judy Matheson; archival interviews with Val Guest; vintage promotional materials; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

Virtually all mainstream critics whose opinion is supposed to matter will warn you not to waste your time with the Confessions films gathered in Indicator/Powerhouse Films’ box set. They will describe them to you as tasteless, dull, unfunny, poorly acted, etc. Somewhere in their warning, there will be a note that they do not have any social relevance, meaning that they do not message what these critics are trained to think makes a film worthy of their time. The same critics will then educate you that the emergence of the Confessions films, and all the other films they mimicked, plus the films that mimicked them, is when British cinema hit the nadir of its existence.

It is all a bunch of malarkey.

While not masterpieces of British cinema, the Confessions films and their many relatives, like the Adventures films, and the dozens of other films the likes of Leslie Phillips and Terry-Thomas made, are very much worth seeing. The overwhelming majority of them are pretty darn good, too -- unless, of course, you are conditioned to believe that ‘good’ British films are only the ones that rehash the same miserabilist, ideologically tainted content the likes of Ken Loach and Mike Leigh have been churning out for decades. In other words, if you wish to end your day with a smile, the Confessions films and their many relatives can be exactly the fix you need, which I would argue is enough to consider them ‘good’ films.

The other reason to see the Confessions films is one that a little over a decade ago would have been utterly irrelevant. They are not safe films, meaning their sense of humor is as flexible as possible. They have characters that are often masters of innuendo and manufacture situations where no one and nothing is protected. This is how comedy was made in the old days -- without filters and excuses, with countless targets both sexes acknowledged and loved to hit.

Directed by Val Guest in 1974, Confessions of a Window Cleaner follows closely Timmy Lea (Robin Askwith), a young virgin willing to become a man while cleaning windows for his brother-in-law, Sid Noggett (Anthony Booth), who has years of experience with the ladies and is soon going to be a father. Under Sid’s guidance, Timmy becomes a man and, while working hard, also something of a star with the many lonely ladies who need their windows cleaned as often as possible. But somewhere along the way, Timmy also discovers true love, so he is forced to choose between pursuing a career in the window cleaning business and a girl in a police uniform who may be worth spending the rest of his life with.

The main credits highlight a novel by Christopher Wood that provided the original material Guest used to shoot Confessions of a Window Cleaner. However, even though Guest frequently consulted Wood, it is pretty easy to tell that he went in a different direction. Why? Because Confessions of a Window Cleaner focuses almost exclusively on the personalities of its leads and the visual comedy they create, not on developments and events that are part of a carefully scripted story.

Askwith’s ability to appear funny in a variety of awkward situations is easy to praise, but only if it is acknowledged that he does not have star qualities. In other words, he is not the magnet Phillips and Terry-Thomas were expected to be in similar films. However, this is precisely what makes Confessions of a Window Cleaner a charming film. It does not have a genuine star, only a motley crew of ordinary characters who engage in silly fun of the kind that now feels like ancient art.

In a few areas, good outdoor footage can be seen, but it is not enough to declare that Confessions of a Window Cleaner is effective as a time capsule.

Confessions of a Window Cleaner Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Confessions of a Window Cleaner arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.

Even the entire film can look slightly fresher, I thought that the overall quality of all visuals was very, very good. It is the type of quality I would expect to see produced from an older but solid organic master struck from an interpositive. Delineation, clarity, and depth range from very good to occasionally even excellent, though in a few areas density fluctuations are easy to see. Grain exposure can be a little more convincing, but I did not see any anomalies. On the contrary, even in darker areas, where older masters usually produce looser visuals, everything looked quite nice. Color balance is stable and convincing. There is a bit of room for minor improvements that can affect saturation levels and expand a few supporting nuances, but I liked what I saw on my system a lot. Image stability is excellent. I did not notice any large and distracting cuts, debris, stains, warped or torn frames to report in our review. My score is 4.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Confessions of a Window Cleaner Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The narration and all exchanges are very clear and easy to follow. There are no balance issues. In a few areas, there is some minor dynamic unevenness, but I have to assume that it is inherited. Also, while clear and nicely rounded, the music does not create any memorable dynamic contrasts, which of course is not surprising. There are no encoding anomalies to report.

Confessions of a Window Cleaner Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Judy Matheson: Hey, Judy! - in this new program, Judy Matheson discusses the early stages of her career, her initial encounter with Val Guest, and contribution to Confessions of a Window Cleaner. In English, not subtitled. (17 min).

• Commentary - in this exclusive new audio commentary, Robin Askwith recalls what it was like to play the lead character in Confessions of a Window Cleaner, some instructions he received from Val Guest, his interactions with other cast members, where and how various sequences were shot, etc.

• The BEHP Interview with Val Guest - presented here is material from several interviews with Val Guest conducted by Roy Fowler in 1988. The late director discusses his background, career, and work.

• Trailer - presented here is a fully remastered trailer for Confessions of a Window Cleaner. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Image Galleries -
  
  1. Vintage original promotional materials for Confessions of a Window Cleaner.
  2. Additional behind the scenes stills.

• Book - a limited edition exclusive 120-page book with a new essay by Simon Sheridan, archival articles on producer Greg Smith, executive producer Michael Klinger, screenwriter and novelist Christopher Wood, director Norman Cohen, and actors Robin Askwith, Sheila White and Linda Hayden, archival production reports on Confessions of a Driving Instructor and Rosie Dixon – Night Nurse, and film credits.

Confessions of a Window Cleaner Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Like the Adventures films, the Confessions films are perfect to see at the end of a long and exhausting day. While they are not as witty as the classic sexy comedies Leslie Phillips and Terry-Thomas appeared in, virtually all of them are very charming and relaxing. A few can be even surprisingly decent time capsules. Val Guest's Confessions of a Window Cleaner is included with the remaining three films in this four-disc box set from Indicator/Powerhouse Films. If you decide to pick it up for your library, please keep in mind that it is Region-B "locked". HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.