The Life and Times of Chester-Angus Ramsgood

The Life and Times of Chester-Angus Ramsgood
Directed byDavid Curnick
Written byDavid Curnick
Produced byDon Wilson
StarringRobert Mason
Mary-Beth McGuffin
David Curnick
Ed Astley
CinematographyDavid Curnick
Edited byDavid Curnick
Release date
  • April 26, 1970 (1970-04-26) (Vancouver)
Running time
93 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

The Life and Times of Chester-Angus Ramsgood is a Canadian crime comedy film, directed by David Curnick and released in 1970.[1] The film stars Robert Mason as Chester-Angus Ramsgood, a university student whose date with Mary McPhee (Mary-Beth McGuffin) goes awry and ends up with her parents banning her from ever seeing him again, resulting in his friends Ray (Curnick) and Morris (Ed Astley) concocting a plan to help him win her back by kidnapping her younger brother so that Chester-Angus can rescue him.[2]

Curnick made the film entirely independently, on a budget of just $17,000.[2] The film was originally released in April 1970 as a 93-minute film,[2] but after receiving feedback about the strongest and weakest aspects of the film, Curnick edited it down to a shorter 61-minute version before distributing it on a tour of college campuses.[3]

Critics generally labelled the film as flawed but passable,[1][3] with Michael Walsh of The Province stating that the most remarkable thing about it was that Curnick had managed to make it at all without studio backing.[2] Walsh also praised Curnick's cinematography as the strongest aspect of the film.[2]

The film was submitted to the 23rd Canadian Film Awards in 1971.[4]

  1. ^ a b Gerald Pratley, A Century of Canadian Cinema. Lynx Images, 2003. ISBN 1-894073-21-5. p. 125.
  2. ^ a b c d e Michael Walsh, "The reel truth about Canada: The life and times of David Curnick". The Province, May 2, 1970.
  3. ^ a b Les Wedman, "Longest laugh ever created by local film-makers". Vancouver Sun, October 3, 1970.
  4. ^ Victor Stanton, "Awards competition sets entry record". The Province, September 27, 1971.