Michael Winner

[Crusoe]

Well, I’m not sure what to say about this. For me, it was undoubtedly the poorest programme in the series, so far.

Mr Winner came across as a bit of a charmer but one who was rather self-centred and far from likeable. I am also not sure that the programme told us much that I was interested in knowing, that I didn’t know already.

And I really didn’t like the choice of music, I’m afraid: all those crooners from Dean Martin to James Blunt were really not my cup of tea.

Hope that I enjoy next week’s more.

[Lux Interior]

The best thing I can say about this is that at least we've got him out of the way.

He actually sounded like quite a nice chap, for someone whose initial choice of luxury item was servants.

[Wilhelm Van Iseghem]

webb said:

Well, I’m not sure what to say about this. For me, it was undoubtedly the poorest programme in the series, so far.

Yes, you’re probably correct with this comment Crusoe. I thought Mr Winner had been on DID before, but the RT didn’t detail this programme as a repeat, so I’m presumably wrong. I’m 85, so perhaps this is why I don’t feel as negative as everyone else? ‘Play It Cool’ is one of my fav. films and it was interesting to hear Mr Winner speaking about this. I love Billy Fury’s version of ‘Once Upon A Dream’, although my all-time favourite Billy Fury song is ‘Fool’s Errand’. I'm afraid James Blunt's music is a complete turn-off for and is the kind of guest that one would hear on smug old Loose Ends

People who boast about not working at university (as he did) shouldn’t in my opinion have ever been allowed near a university. For some reason, DID guests who attended an Oxbridge college often make references such as this and it really does get these universities a bad name. I think it’s shameful not to work at university. Also, PLEASE Ms. Lawley, stop saying: ‘and when you went up to Cambridge’ (or Oxford). The same applies with her regular references to ‘dons’. People who teach at universities are lecturers.

Mr. Winner’s relationship with his mother could have been explored in more depth, especially if this does explain why his personal relationships with women haven’t been too successful. R4 programmes such as Woman’s Hour are forever discussing the mother/daughter relationship (at least twice over the last two years).. This is just typical of the anti-male bias shown by Woman’s Hour and I was concerned that Roger Bolton didn’t pursue this issue more forcefully when he interviewed Jill Burridge in last week’s edition of Feedback

Mr Winner came across as a bit of a charmer but one who was rather self-centred and far from likeable. I am also not sure that the programme told us much that I was interested in knowing, that I didn’t know already.

This issue was on my mind throughout the programme. I’m not so sure that Mr. Winner is as jolly as he’d like us all to believe and recall how he was very grumpy when spending a night in an ordinary house during that TV programme series (‘Sleepover’?). Anyway the programme was O.K. and I loved his reference to the clandestine practice of listening to the radio under the bed sheets. Hee-hee, I was a member of Jimmy Savile’s ‘Under The Bed Clothes Club’ in the days of Radio Luxembourg!

[Crusoe]

Some very interesting comments. I have to say that this:-

Wilhelm said:

I’m not so sure that Mr. Winner is as jolly as he’d like us all to believe

sums up my feeling, too.

The clandestine listening to radio under the bedclothes strikes a chord with many of us, I’m sure. I wonder if this is secretly known about and indulged by some parents? I did get the feeling that this and, more importantly, his solitary cinema-going might have shaped his character and career to some extent (well, I suppose the cinema-going shaped his career in a very obvious way).

[rosalie]

Didn't listen to this one. Mr Winner, director of some of the world's crappest films. Fancy taking caviar as your luxury when you'll be surrounded by fish...what an eejit