Look Back in Anger.
1959 Woodfall Film Productions, distributed to DVD by MGM.
Starring: Richard Burton, Claire Bloom, Mary Ure, Edith Evans, Gary Raymond, Donald Pleasence
Director: Tony Richardson
Buy Look Back in Anger from Amazon.
This 1959 film adaptation of a John Osborne play is also Tony Richardson's directoral debut.
Richard Burton is Jimmy Porter, an aspiring, lower class musician who tries to support himself and his upper class wife Alison (Ure) by working as a street vendor. Jimmy is incredibly angry at everything, particularly the status gap between he and his wife, who he constantly berates verbally. Jimmy's partner Cliff and friend (Raymond) also lives with them, trying to portray the calm voice of reason whenever Jimmy starts to abuse his wife with words.
There's also a further complication: Alison is pregnant with Jimmy's baby, and she's waiting for the right time to tell him. In the meantime, Alison's friend Helena (Bloom) has showed up to help out. Unfortunately, Jimmy hates Helena for her upper class background, and she advises Alison to leave Jimmy temporarily and stay with her parents. This doesn't stop Jimmy from beginning an affair with Helena in Alison's absence.
Cliff eventually strikes out on his own, and Helena ends her affair with Jimmy after an unexpected run-in with Alison. But there's a happier surprise awaiting our man who's angry at the world.
Recommended film. Another fine example of the British kitchen sink drama with an outstanding performance from Richard Burton, who may have been a little too old to play Jimmy...
Showing posts with label tony richardson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tony richardson. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Ned Kelly
This would be the 1970 film, and not the 2003 one with the same title starring Heath Ledger, by the by.
Ned Kelly. 1970 United Artists, owned and issued to DVD by MGM.
Starring: Mick Jagger, Mark McManus, Diane Craig, Clarissa Kaye-Mason
Music: Shel Silverstein
Director: Tony Richardson
Buy Ned Kelly at Amazon.
Mick Jagger plays the legendary Australian outback criminal Ned Kelly, as he is sought by the law for stealing horses. Earlier in his life, Ned had already served a three-year prison term.
When Ned's mother (Kaye-Mason) is arrested on a bogus murder charge, Ned offers to surrender to the police in exchange for his mother's freedom. This offer is refused, so Ned and his brothers go on a crime spree. Cornered in a tavern, Ned's brothers commit suicide rather than be taken into custody, and Ned ultimately takes the fall. He is hanged for the crimes he and his brother committed, which is seen right at the very beginning of the film.
Apparently, neither Jagger nor director Richardson think very highly of the finished film, and neither one attended the London premiere. Still, it's a good film, and Jagger was excellent as the title character. Recommended.
Ned Kelly. 1970 United Artists, owned and issued to DVD by MGM.
Starring: Mick Jagger, Mark McManus, Diane Craig, Clarissa Kaye-Mason
Music: Shel Silverstein
Director: Tony Richardson
Buy Ned Kelly at Amazon.
Mick Jagger plays the legendary Australian outback criminal Ned Kelly, as he is sought by the law for stealing horses. Earlier in his life, Ned had already served a three-year prison term.
When Ned's mother (Kaye-Mason) is arrested on a bogus murder charge, Ned offers to surrender to the police in exchange for his mother's freedom. This offer is refused, so Ned and his brothers go on a crime spree. Cornered in a tavern, Ned's brothers commit suicide rather than be taken into custody, and Ned ultimately takes the fall. He is hanged for the crimes he and his brother committed, which is seen right at the very beginning of the film.
Apparently, neither Jagger nor director Richardson think very highly of the finished film, and neither one attended the London premiere. Still, it's a good film, and Jagger was excellent as the title character. Recommended.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning. 1961 Bryanston Films, owned and distributed to DVD by MGM.
Starring: Albert Finney, Shirley Anne Field, Rachel Roberts, Hylda Baker, Norman Rossington
Producer: Tony Richardson
Director: Karel Reisz
Available at Amazon.
In England during the late 1950s and early 1960s, there was a cultural movement called kitchen sink realism, which usually depicted domestic situations of the working class British living in apartments or townhouses while spending their off-hours in pubs discussing social or political issues. Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, adapted from Alan Sillitoe's novel of the same name, is considered to be the first "kitchen sink drama" film of the 1960s.
Arthur Seaton (Finney) is a young machinist working in a Nottingham factory, and he's having an affair with Brenda (Roberts), the wife of an older co-worker. He's also in a relationship with Doreen (Field), a woman closer to his age. Brenda gets pregnant during the course of the movie, and Arthur asks his aunt (Baker) for advice on aborting the child.
We see Arthur leading his reckless lifestyle simply to compensate for his boring job, and he does not want to become like his father (Frank Pettitt), whose entire existance seems to revolve around sitting in front of the television all day, every day. He is confident in his own manhood, viewing himself as superior to everyone else.
After Brenda's news, she discovers that Arthur is also seeing Doreen, which increases tensions between everyone. Doreen is an old fashioned girl, insisting on values like marriage and home ownership before she considers going to bed with Arthur, which still manages to captivate the young man. Brenda's husband discovers the affair, and has two soldiers (one is his brother) physically deal with Arthur in the streets. After recovering, Arthur returns to work a changed man, contemplating settling down and spending the rest of his life with Doreen.
Recommended movie.
Starring: Albert Finney, Shirley Anne Field, Rachel Roberts, Hylda Baker, Norman Rossington
Producer: Tony Richardson
Director: Karel Reisz
Available at Amazon.
In England during the late 1950s and early 1960s, there was a cultural movement called kitchen sink realism, which usually depicted domestic situations of the working class British living in apartments or townhouses while spending their off-hours in pubs discussing social or political issues. Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, adapted from Alan Sillitoe's novel of the same name, is considered to be the first "kitchen sink drama" film of the 1960s.
Arthur Seaton (Finney) is a young machinist working in a Nottingham factory, and he's having an affair with Brenda (Roberts), the wife of an older co-worker. He's also in a relationship with Doreen (Field), a woman closer to his age. Brenda gets pregnant during the course of the movie, and Arthur asks his aunt (Baker) for advice on aborting the child.
We see Arthur leading his reckless lifestyle simply to compensate for his boring job, and he does not want to become like his father (Frank Pettitt), whose entire existance seems to revolve around sitting in front of the television all day, every day. He is confident in his own manhood, viewing himself as superior to everyone else.
After Brenda's news, she discovers that Arthur is also seeing Doreen, which increases tensions between everyone. Doreen is an old fashioned girl, insisting on values like marriage and home ownership before she considers going to bed with Arthur, which still manages to captivate the young man. Brenda's husband discovers the affair, and has two soldiers (one is his brother) physically deal with Arthur in the streets. After recovering, Arthur returns to work a changed man, contemplating settling down and spending the rest of his life with Doreen.
Recommended movie.
Monday, December 29, 2008
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner. 1962 Bryanston & Woodfall Film Productions (released to DVD by Warner Bros.)
Starring: Tom Courtenay, Michael Redgrave, James Bolam, Ray Austin, John Thaw, Alec McCowen
Director: Tony Richardson
Buy The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner at Amazon.
A movie based on a 1958 short story written by British writer Alan Sillitoe.
Colin Smith (Courtenay) is sentenced to a juvenile prison after robbing a bakery (how he got there is told in a series of flashbacks throughout the film). "The Governor" (Redgrave) oversees the facility, believing that hard work and discipline imposed on the inmates will ultimately make them useful members of society. Colin and his attitude catches the Governor's eye.
One crucial part of the Governor's rehabilitation program is athletics, and he quickly notices that Colin is a talented runner, easily able to outrun even the best runners in the prison. He wants Colin to compete in a five-mile cross country run against someone from a nearby public school, and Colin is treated to special privileges while training for the meet that the other inmates are not offered.
Finally, the big day arrives, and Colin grapples with personal torment while engaged in the race, and it could cost him the whole thing...
Recommended movie, which is based strongly on Courtenay's performance. My only complaint is that the juvenile prison seemed more like an all boys school rather than an actual correctional facility.
Starring: Tom Courtenay, Michael Redgrave, James Bolam, Ray Austin, John Thaw, Alec McCowen
Director: Tony Richardson
Buy The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner at Amazon.
A movie based on a 1958 short story written by British writer Alan Sillitoe.
Colin Smith (Courtenay) is sentenced to a juvenile prison after robbing a bakery (how he got there is told in a series of flashbacks throughout the film). "The Governor" (Redgrave) oversees the facility, believing that hard work and discipline imposed on the inmates will ultimately make them useful members of society. Colin and his attitude catches the Governor's eye.
One crucial part of the Governor's rehabilitation program is athletics, and he quickly notices that Colin is a talented runner, easily able to outrun even the best runners in the prison. He wants Colin to compete in a five-mile cross country run against someone from a nearby public school, and Colin is treated to special privileges while training for the meet that the other inmates are not offered.
Finally, the big day arrives, and Colin grapples with personal torment while engaged in the race, and it could cost him the whole thing...
Recommended movie, which is based strongly on Courtenay's performance. My only complaint is that the juvenile prison seemed more like an all boys school rather than an actual correctional facility.
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