This Sporting Life (1963)

Director:

Lindsay Anderson

Writers:

David Storey (screenplay) and
David Storey (novel)

Release Date:

January 1963 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Sport

Plot:

In Northern England in the early 1960s, Frank Machin is mean, tough and ambitious enough to become an...

Plot Keywords:

Rugby League | Death Bed Plea | Dentist | Coal Miner | Bentley

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Richard Harris	...	Frank Machin
Rachel Roberts	...	Mrs. Margaret Hammond
Alan Badel	...	Gerald Weaver
William Hartnell	...	'Dad' Johnson
Colin Blakely	...	Maurice Braithwaite
Vanda Godsell	...	Mrs. Anne Weaver
Anne Cunningham	...	Judith
Jack Watson	...	Len Miller
Arthur Lowe	...	Charles Slomer
Harry Markham	...	Wade
George Sewell	...	Jeff
Leonard Rossiter	...	Phillips, Sports writer
Katherine Parr	...	Mrs. Farrer
Bernadette Benson	...	Lynda Hammond
Andrew Nolan	...	Ian Hammond
Peter Duguid	...	Doctor
Wallas Eaton	...	Waiter
Anthony Woodruff	...	Tom, Headwaiter
Michael Logan	...	Riley
Murray Evans	...	Hooker
Tom Clegg	...	Gower
Ken Traill	...	Trainer
Frank Windsor	...	Dentist
John Gill	...	Cameron
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Edward Fox	...	Restaurant Barman (uncredited)
Glenda Jackson	...	Singer At Party (uncredited)
Graham Roberts	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Anton Rodgers	...	Restaurant Customer (uncredited)
David Storey	...	Rugby Player (uncredited)

Directed by
Lindsay Anderson

Writing credits
David Storey		(screenplay)
David Storey		novel

Produced by
Leslie Parkyn	....	co-executive producer
Karel Reisz	....	producer
Julian Wintle	....	co-executive producer

Original Music by
Roberto Gerhard

Cinematography by
Denys N. Coop		(photographed by) (as Denys Coop)

Film Editing by
Peter Taylor

Art Direction by
Alan Withy

Costume Design by
Sophie Devine		(dresses)

Makeup Department
Ivy Emmerton	....	hairdresser
Bob Lawrance	....	makeup artist (as Bob Lawrence)

Production Management
Albert Fennell	....	in charge of production
Geoffrey Haine	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ted Sturgis	....	assistant director
Ken Softley	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Claude Watson	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Peter Lamont	....	set dresser
Ernie Quick	....	propertyman
E.W. Brister	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Eric Saw	....	draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Chris Greenham	....	sound editor
Gordon K. McCallum	....	sound recordist
John W. Mitchell	....	sound recordist
Ken Cameron	....	dubbing crew (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Charles Staffell	....	special effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Harris	....	camera operator
Neil Binney	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Christopher Neame	....	camera assistant (uncredited)
George Courtney Ward	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Casting Department
Miriam Brickman	....	casting

Editorial Department
Tom Priestley	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Jacques-Louis Monod	....	musical director
Gary Hughes	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Other crew
Pamela Mann	....	continuity
Malcolm Taylor	....	dialogue coach

Production Companies

• Independent Artists
• Julian Wintle/Leslie Parkyn Productions

Distributors

• J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (1963) (UK) (theatrical)
• Continental Distributing (1963) (USA) (theatrical)
• J. Arthur Rank Film (1963) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• J.Arthur Rank-Film (1964) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Park Circus (2009) (UK) (theatrical) (re-issue)
• Parvisfilmi (1963) (Finland) (theatrical)
• VEB Progress Film-Vertrieb (1967) (East Germany) (theatrical)
• Carlton Video (2000) (UK) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (USA) (laserdisc)
• Divisa Home Video (2011) (Spain) (DVD)
• Future Film (2009) (Finland) (DVD)
• Pickwick Video (1990) (UK) (VHS)
• Rank Video Library (1986) (UK) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1974) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Management and players of Wakefield Trinity Rugby League Football Club, The  the producers wish to thank for their generous co-operation

Also Known As:

Runtime:

134 min | West Germany:122 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | West Germany:16 (f) | Australia:M | UK:15 (video rating) | UK:AA (re-rating) (1970) | UK:X (original rating) | UK:12A (2009) | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

St Paul's Church, Back Lane, Drighlington, West Yorkshire, England, UK

Company:

Independent Artists

Trivia:

It was William Hartnell's appearance in this film that brought him to the attention of Verity Lambert, producer of "Doctor Who" (1963).

Quotes:

Frank Machin:[to scantily clad nightclub singer] Eh love, show us your personality!

Movie Connections:

Featured in 50 Films to See Before You Die (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Here In My Heart

One of the Best of the "Kitchen Sink" Films

"This Sporting Life" is one of the most famous of the British "kitchen sink" dramas of the 1950s and 1960s ("kitchen sink" films were very gritty, social realist films which were very popular in Britain at one time).

Frank Machin (Richard Harris) is a brutal, young miner in a city in northern England. Hoping for fame and fortune, he becomes a successful Rugby League football player. He uses his fame and fortune, along with physical violence, to try to force his widowed landlady (Rachel Roberts) to fall for him.

Photographed in bleak black-and-white, the film's scenes of emotional and physical domestic violence are still shocking today. Also notable are the violent, stylishly-shot rugby matches.

The cast are brilliant without exception, especially Richard Harris who manages to invest even his totally unsympathetic character with some degree of humanity.