The Life and Times of Chester-Angus Ramsgood

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]

The Life and Times of Chester-Angus Ramsgood
Directed by	David Curnick
Written by	David Curnick
Produced by	Don Wilson
Starring	Robert Mason Mary-Beth McGuffin David Curnick Ed Astley
Cinematography	David Curnick
Edited by	David Curnick
Release date	April 26, 1970 (1970-04-26) (Vancouver)
Running time	93 minutes
Country	Canada
Language	English

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]