Poor Cow (1967)

A young woman lives a life filled with bad choices. She marries and has a child with an abusive thief at a young age who quickly ends up in prison. Left alone she takes up with his mate (... See full summary »

Director:

Ken Loach

Writers:

Nell Dunn (novel), Nell Dunn (screenplay),

Stars:

Carol White, John Bindon, Queenie Watts

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Carol White	...	Joy
John Bindon	...	Tom
Queenie Watts	...	Aunt Emm
Kate Williams	...	Beryl
Laurie Asprey
James Beckett	...	Tom's mate
Ray Barron	...	Customer in Pub
Hilda Barry	...	Customer in Pub
Ken Campbell	...	(as Kenneth Campbell)
Ron Clarke
Ellis Dale	...	Solicitor
Gladys Dawson	...	Bet
Terry Duggan	...	2nd Prisoner
Winnie Holman	...	Woman in Park
Rose Hiller	...	Customer in Hairdresser's

Storyline

A young woman lives a life filled with bad choices. She marries and has a child with an abusive thief at a young age who quickly ends up in prison. Left alone she takes up with his mate (another thief) who seems to give her some happiness but who also ends up in the nick. She then takes up with a series of seedy types who offer nothing but momentary pleasure. Her son goes missing and she briefly comes to grips with what is most important to her.

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Plot Keywords:

sequel | animal in title | homelessness | kitchen sink realism | based on novel | 

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Taglines:

"Look at those creeps... bet they haven't even put films in the cameras. Still a girl's got to earn a living... and a loving."

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 January 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

Poor Cow - geküßt und geschlagen

Filming Locations:

Wales, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fenchurch, The National Film Finance Corp., Vic Films Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film debut of Malcolm McDowell, although the only scene he appears in was cut out.

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Connections

Follows The Wednesday Play: Cathy Come Home (1966)

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Soundtracks

"Funny How Love Can Be"
(uncredited)
Written by John Shakespeare and Ken Lewis

User Reviews

Radical film?

In terms of style this film is revolutionary of the time. It could be defined as docudrama since the film is shot in a style of realism. It portrays 1960's London as a poverty stricken bed of prostitution and crime. The main female protagonist seems to always seek male approval. She leaps from one bed to another, loving each of them in much the same way as Diana does in "Darling" 1965. It is hardly an example of feminism and the Radical changes in women's liberation within the 1960's. It does, however, possess a view of hope through all the grit. Dave shows how even a criminal can be loving, gentle and kind. The film offers the audience a 2 hour exploration into the lives of the criminals in London at the time. It challenges the classic Hollywood narrative of peace, disruption and resolution. The narrative structure seems to float along with very little climaxs. This gives the feeling of realism, which many people may find dull or boring. Don't expect your Hollywood Blockbuster. You will find a challenging Independant British film, documenting the feelings of the 1960s in an innovative and unconventional way.