BB17-057 — THE UPS AND DOWNS OF A HANDYMAN
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YEAR: 1975
FILM STUDIO / PRODUCTION: K.F.R. Productions
AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTOR: GUO Film Distributors Pty. Limited
TAGLINE: “His customers are always satisfied.”
DIRECTOR: John Sealey
CAST: Barry Stokes, Gay Soper, Sue Lloyd, Bob Todd, Chic Murray, Valerie Leon, Penny Meredith, Robert Dorning MUSIC: Vic Elms
GENRE: British Comedy / Sex Comedy / Sexploitation
POSTER PRINTER: Robert Burton Printers Pty. Ltd.
FORMAT: Australian DaybillThe Ups and Downs of a Handyman is a 1975 British comedy starring Barry Stokes as Bob, a handyman whose move to an English village brings him considerably more attention from his female customers than he anticipated. The film was also marketed under titles including Confessions of a Handyman, Confessions of an Odd-Job Man and The Happy Housewives.

POSTER DESIGN FEATURES: A wonderfully lurid Australian Daybill dominated by a bright yellow field with turquoise-blue borders and red, green and blue line artwork. Barry Stokes stands centrally holding a fishing rod, flanked by two bikini-clad women, beneath the cheeky Australian advertising line “His customers are always satisfied.” Particularly interesting is the unusually large GUO Film Distributors Pty. Limited logo occupying the entire upper section. The red Australian R classification diamond, hand-drawn title treatment and Robert Burton printer credit complete its distinctly local theatrical presentation.

COLLECTOR'S NOTE: A fun example of the British “saucy comedy” boom of the 1970s, with particularly good crossover appeal through its cast. Valerie Leon appeared in several Carry On films as well as the James Bond films The Spy Who Loved Me and Never Say Never Again, while Bob Todd was closely associated with The Benny Hill Show. The film is sometimes confused with the popular Confessions series because of its alternate titles, but it is a separate production. The colourful Australian-specific artwork is also completely different in approach from the British Quad artwork.