Global review
Charley Says... The Best Public Information Films In The World
Write a global rating and review for this title.
A priceless record of British society in the 1960s and 70s, Charley Says is two-and-a-half hours of public information films produced by London's Central Office of Information between 1959 and 1983. Topics, though numerous, are dominated by an obsession with safely crossing the road. Mid-1970s celebs such as Shaw Taylor and Jimmy Saville try to coerce us into wearing then-optional seat belts or propound the still-incomprehensible "Splink" theory of road awareness. Dave Prowse looks uneasy as the Green Cross Code superhero months before he found immortality as Darth Vader and Edward Judd briefly achieves cult status with "ThinkBike". Animation is also well represented, with the engaging psycho-babble of Charley the cat and the witty repartee of Jo and Petunia to guide us through the dangers of everyday living, while Tufty and Mrs Fluffytale look concerned as Willie the Weasel gets hit by every car in town. "Lonely Water", however, is a real spine-chiller, and the TV licence-detector man assumes a menace worthy of Quatermass. By the early 1980s, recourse to passing fads such as Space Invaders and break-dancing confirm that the era of paternalistic TV was almost over.
Community reviews
Sign in / sign up to write a review.
Sign in / Sign upYour review
Share your take in seconds: rate it, add a quick comment, and join the conversation.
Where to watch
Watch now
Find the best option right now, compare subscription and purchase offers, and jump to the platform in one click.
All offers
Streaming information by JustWatch
No streaming providers found in United States.
Watch Peak Clips
Best clips for this title
Open ready-to-use moments, then jump into the full clips workspace in one click.
Similar titles
What to watch next
If you liked this series, here are close picks with a similar vibe.
No similar titles found for now.
About
More about this title
A priceless record of British society in the 1960s and 70s, Charley Says is two-and-a-half hours of public information films produced by London's Central Office of Information between 1959 and 1983. Topics, though numerous, are dominated by an obsession with safely crossing the road. Mid-1970s celebs such as Shaw Taylor and Jimmy Saville try to coerce us into wearing then-optional seat belts or propound the still-incomprehensible "Splink" theory of road awareness. Dave Prowse looks uneasy as the Green Cross Code superhero months before he found immortality as Darth Vader and Edward Judd briefly achieves cult status with "ThinkBike". Animation is also well represented, with the engaging psycho-babble of Charley the cat and the witty repartee of Jo and Petunia to guide us through the dangers of everyday living, while Tufty and Mrs Fluffytale look concerned as Willie the Weasel gets hit by every car in town. "Lonely Water", however, is a real spine-chiller, and the TV licence-detector man assumes a menace worthy of Quatermass. By the early 1980s, recourse to passing fads such as Space Invaders and break-dancing confirm that the era of paternalistic TV was almost over.