If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Great Film overall

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

A pretty superb black comedy with award winning screenplay by American born Frederick Raphael, distinguished screenwriter. A good story, great performances and excellent production. And, more than 50 years later, still fresh. Popular music, fashions, decor, language, behaviour -so much has changed in 50 years. But a lot remains unchanged: money and class to name but two.Brewster (Alan Bates) is an exceptional young man. Of lower middle class background he can maintain a habitually pleasant expression, be charming and humorous, is very quick-witted, opportunistic, coldly calculating , completely unscrupulous and will do anything necessary to feed an almost unlimited ambition - without ever losing his habitual pleasant expression. Brewster is determined to climb the social ladder but the exclusive club of the upper class and very wealthy keeps its doors firmly shut to him and his like. However a happy chance meeting suggests a scheme to breach the club's defences. One of its members (Mr Prince - Denholm Elliot), thoroughly-disgraced son, disowned by his family, can be persuaded, for money, to train Brewster in the ways of his class: how to dress, how to speak, how to behave. And quick learner, Brewster turns out to be. But Brewster is no snob and is always practical: while it's his boss's daughter he plans to wed, he nevertheless finds it advantageous to retain a place in his middle-aged landlady's heart and bed.But it is the screenplay which received the film's single award and the dialogue is at its smartest as Prince instructs imposter Brewster in the ways of the class he aspires to join. It's not just their opinions but the different manner with which each must be delivered. Faking an Oxbridge background, how to behave when watching college rowing (be ostentatiously disparaging as if an older and better rower). Suitable opinions (circa 1963) on foreigners: Americans - "let us down badly over Suez". Black people "make fine cricketers". The commandments seem to include: be brief, never bore, never be overly earnest, understate, don't be adventurous.This is Frederick Raphaels satire and take on the British upper classes, that a clever fake can remain under all circumstances undetected. I think the evidence is that their antennae are especially finely tuned for the avoidance of just such unfortunate marriages. However history suggests that the titled owner of the grand London estate agents auctioneers (Harry Andrews) where Brewster works, prizes business acumen over actual social background. Over time, with good schooling for the next generation, social class can be retained. But without money neither a growing financial empire nor a dynasty is possible.Some great moments as when Brewster's pleasant expression is tested to its limits when a familiar large case arrives at his shortly be in-laws grand house, and falls from a considerable height. Bates and Denholm Elliot are both superb. A great British film.Until Talking Pictures TV came on the scene and revived some of these quality films, I would have never realised the cinema talent Britain had. So badly are we let down by the broadcasters

Jimmy Brewster is London's answer to Joe Lampton.He has a few less rough edges perhaps,and is not such a blatant sexual predator,but his ambitions are the same.Like Lampton he has seen how the other half live and he wants a slice of the pie.How he pursues these ambitions and where they take him form the basis for "Nothing but the best". He befriends down-at-heel public school man Charlie Prince(Mr Denholm Elliot)who teaches him how to look,sound and behave like a gentleman,thus segueing rather neatly from "Room at the top" to "My Fair Lady". There is also an historical allusion here,Charlie Prince - Prince Charlie, Jimmy Brewster - King James,mix it up a bit,and you've got a Young Pretender supplanting the true king.Forty years down the line it's hard to say if any of this was intended,but it certainly added to my enjoyment. When Prince ,using Brewster's money,wins a fortune at the track,Brewster murders him and keeps it for himself.Now he has the last essential attribute of a gentleman,an unending supply of cash,and his new life can begin.And,of course,so it would in real life,but this is the movies(and it's 1964)and his come - uppance must,at the very least,be a strong possibility. Mr Alan Bates plays Jimmy Brewster with evident relish,enjoying a rare opportunity to display his talent for light comedy. "Nothing but the best" is a clever,literate,well acted British film. It follows then that it is hardly ever seen on TV,and,in consequence, largely forgotten.When I see that "Are you being served?"or "Confessions of a Window Cleaner" are about to be shown for the hundredth time I am reassured that the TV companies have faith in the adage that no one ever lost money underestimating public taste.

I cannot recall having even heard of this movie until I saw it advertised in the TV listings as part of a series of British movies otherwise unrelated to each other in any way. The cast is wonderful particularly Denholm Elliot. Alan Bates gives the part the bland vacancy it requires. The song that opens the movie was of its time and was so bad I almost stopped watching. And the rest of the movie is never quite right. The movie tries to tell the story that Lindsay Anderson told so well in O Lucky Man, and falls far short...but most movies fall short of O Lucky Man. It's worth seeing for another reason: it illustrates very well the mentality that led to Margaret Thatcher.

What a superb film in my opinion difficult to beat. The British system slyly used to the main characters advantage . Alan Bates and Denholm Elliot excel in this classy tongue in cheek rendition of how to succeed. A film worthy of release particularly since the demise of both main stars.