All the Way Up (1970)

Director:

James MacTaggart

Writers:

Philip Mackie (writer)
David Turner (play)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Fred Midway may be a bit short on brains but he's got plenty of ambition. However, before he can gain...

Plot Keywords:

Independent Film | Based On Play

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Warren Mitchell	...	Fred Midway
Pat Heywood	...	Hilda Midway
Elaine Taylor	...	Eileen Midway
Kenneth Cranham	...	Tom Midway
Vanessa Howard	...	Avril Hadfield
Richard Briers	...	Nigel Hadfield
Adrienne Posta	...	Daphne Dunmore
Bill Fraser	...	Arnold Makepiece
Terence Alexander	...	Bob Chickman
Maggie Rennie	...	Mrs. Chickman (as Maggie McGrath)
Clifford Parrish	...	Mr. Hadfield
Lally Bowers	...	Mrs. Hadfield
Frank Thornton	...	Mr. Driver
Valerie Leon	...	Miss Hardwick
Robin Hunter	...	Malcolm

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:16 (1971)

Filming Locations:

St Albans, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

EMI Films

One class up from Alf.

I can't believe nobody has commented upon this already. It was shown once on ITV and everyone at school seemed to have watched it. Although Warren Mitchell occasionally allows Alf Garnett to show through, it's perfectly in keeping with the character since Fred Midway probably started out from a background like Garnett's. Unlike Alf, however, Fred has no intention of living under a dozen or so Prime Ministers and been poor under everyone. He is a ruthless social climber who will sink to any cheap trick. The opening scene is priceless as it opens on Fred laboriously writing a letter that seems to be about a bereavement but is, in fact, an anonymous letter to his boss implicating a work rival in an adulterous affair with the boss's wife. Promoted in his place, Fred embarks on a scheme to elevate his family (newly-moved out of his terraced house and into the suburbs) even further, in the words of the Scaffolds' title song "All the way up, and a little bit higher". A priceless cast of comedy actors helps along the fun with Richard Briers as one of the many chinless wonders he played during this period before The Good Life changed his career forever and the pricelessly pompous Bill Fraser. Vanessa Howard proves what a shame her career did not develop further owing to the collapse of the British film industry as she proved she could play sex kittens with claws in this and the films she appeared in for Freddie Francis and Amicus. One memorable scene has the squabbling Midway's realising that their neighbours can hear their noise and instead put on a great show of laughing - they attack the screen laughing manically - an image not easily forgotten. In the end, just as it looks as if Fred's schemes have come to naught, he latches upon the shapely figure of Valerie Leon's PA for boss Frank Thornton and comes upon the obvious conclusion - and the closing image of Fred laughing in triumph is a truly chilling sight. A shame the British film industry couldn't keep turning out low budget comedies like this unless they had TV connections.