Room at the Top (1959)

An ambitious young accountant schemes to wed a wealthy factory owner's daughter, despite falling in love with a married older woman.

Director:

Jack Clayton

Writers:

Neil Paterson (screenplay), John Braine (novel),

Stars:

Simone Signoret, Laurence Harvey, Heather Sears

Won 2 Oscars. Another 11 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Simone Signoret	...	Alice Aisgill
Laurence Harvey	...	Joe Lampton
Heather Sears	...	Susan Brown
Donald Wolfit	...	Mr. Brown
Donald Houston	...	Charles Soames
Hermione Baddeley	...	Elspeth
Allan Cuthbertson	...	George Aisgill
Raymond Huntley	...	Mr. Hoylake
John Westbrook	...	Jack Wales
Ambrosine Phillpotts	...	Mrs. Brown
Richard Pasco	...	Teddy
Beatrice Varley	...	Aunt
Delena Kidd	...	Eva
Ian Hendry	...	Cyril
April Olrich	...	Mavis

Storyline

The English factory town is dreary but Joe Lampton has landed a job with a future. To have something to do at night he joins a theatrical group. His boss's daughter Susan is playing ingenue roles on stage and in real life. She is attracted to Joe and Joe thinks about how much faster he will get ahead if he is the boss's son-in-law. This plan is complicated by his strong desire to be with an older woman who also belongs to the theatrical group. She is French and unhappily married. Joe believes he can get away with seeing both women.

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Plot Keywords:

accountant | kitchen sink realism | racetrack | cheating on girlfriend | extramarital affair | 

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Taglines:

A Savage Story of lust and ambition

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 January 1959 (UK)

Also Known As:

Der Weg nach oben

Filming Locations:

Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Romulus Films, Remus

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was essentially the first British film to openly depict adultery and suggest that sex was an enjoyable act. Naturally this landed it in hot water with the censors who initially refused to give it a release certificate. It eventually acquired an X certificate and went on to become a major box office success, opening the floodgates for more adult fare.

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Goofs

The story takes place in 1947, but all the women's fashions and hairstyles are strictly in the contemporary 1958 mode, when the film went before the cameras.

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Quotes

[last lines]
Susan Brown: Joe, wasn't it absolutely the most wonderful wedding? Now we really belong to each other, till death us do part. Darling, you're crying! I believe you really are sentimental after all.

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Connections

Featured in Empire of the Censors (1995)

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Soundtracks

"Roses from the South"
(uncredited)
Music by Johann Strauß
Arranged by Lambert Williamson

User Reviews

a heartwrenching movie

This is an excellent film. The human traits of ambition and greed are played out wonderfully by the well selected cast. Harvey is his usual dour self and the industrial settings of urban England add to the melancholy mood of the film. He is so good as the misguided protagonist that you end up supporting his machinations. For me it seemed to reflect the constant battle between the classes, and the value of merit and truth in life.