A documentary portrait about the life and times of the infamous hellraiser, who died in May 1999 having starred in more than 100 films. Born in Wimbledon in 1938, he became a colourful superstar full of contrasts and contradictions. Clips include his first speaking part in a gay role with Jack Hawkins in a scene from The League Of Gentlemen in 1960. Stories include his celebrated binge with 45 rugby players, the bizarre occasion when he asked director Ken Russell to slay him with a sword and a drinking incident in a London pub in April 1964 which almost finished his career before it had got properly started. Michael Winner, who directed Reed in The System in 1964, says: "There is no greater pendulum swing in any human I've met than Oliver Reed sober to Oliver Reed drunk."