Butley (1974): cast, story & where to watch
1974 · Film · ★ 6.3
Released in 1974, Butley is a drama film directed by Harold Pinter, running about 127 minutes. “His wife just left him for another man. And so did his boyfriend.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Butley is set in Queen Mary’s College, London and focuses on two English instructors, Ben Butley, a middle-aged former T. S. Eliot expert whose life is now in a shambles, and his protégé, Joey, a homosexual. With both Joey and his wife leaving, Butley faces a life alone, fighting back with wit, obscenity and booze.
Who’s in it. Butley stars Alan Bates as Ben Butley, Jessica Tandy as Edna Shaft, Michael Byrne as Reg Nuttall and Georgina Hale as Carol Heasman, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.3/10, Butley has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Kino Film Collection and rent or buy it from Amazon Video. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Butley page.
If you liked it. Fans of Butley tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Butley (1974)?
- In US, Butley is available to stream on Kino Film Collection, and rent or buy from Amazon Video. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Butley worth watching?
- Butley holds an audience score of 6.3 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Butley?
- Butley stars Alan Bates, Jessica Tandy, Michael Byrne, Georgina Hale and Simon Rouse.
- When was Butley released?
- Butley was released in 1974, with a runtime of about 127 minutes.