Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971)

Director:

John Schlesinger

Writer:

Penelope Gilliatt (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

8 September 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

It's about three decent people. They will break your heart.

Plot:

Divorced working woman Alex and well-to-do Jewish family doctor Daniel Hirsh share not only the same...

Plot Keywords:

Jewish | Doctor | Artist | Telephone Switchboard | Mixed Media

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 13 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Peter Finch	...	Dr. Daniel Hirsh
Glenda Jackson	...	Alex Greville
Murray Head	...	Bob Elkin
Peggy Ashcroft	...	Mrs. Greville
Tony Britton	...	George Harding
Maurice Denham	...	Mr. Greville
Bessie Love	...	Answering Service Lady
Vivian Pickles	...	Alva Hodson
Frank Windsor	...	Bill Hodson
Thomas Baptiste	...	Prof. Johns
Richard Pearson	...	Patient
June Brown	...	Woman Patient
Hannah Norbert	...	Daniel's Mother
Harold Goldblatt	...	Daniel's Father
Marie Burke	...	Aunt Astrid
Caroline Blakiston	...	Rowing Wife
Peter Halliday	...	Rowing Husband
Douglas Lambert	...	Man at Party
Jon Finch	...	Scotsman
Kimi Tallmadge	...	Lucy Hodson
Russell Lewis	...	Timothy Hodson
Emma Schlesinger	...	Tess Hodson
Carl Ferber	...	Hodson child (as Karl Ferber)
Patrick Thornberry	...	Baby John Stuart Hodson
Robert Rietty	...	Daniel's Brother
Liane Aukin	...	Daniel's Sister-in-Law
Robin Presky	...	Daniel's Nephew
Edward Evans	...	Husband at Hospital
Gabrielle Daye	...	Wife at Hospital
George Belbin	...	Next door Neighbour
Richard Loncraine	...	Bob's Partner
Royce Mills	...	Bob's Partner
Monica Vasileiou	...	Travel Agent
John Rae	...	Airline Doctor
Ellis Dale	...	Chemist
Joe Wadham	...	Lorry Driver
Henry Danziger	...	Cantor
Ann Firbank	...	Party Guest
Derek Gilbert	...	Party Guest
William Job	...	Party Guest
Nike Arrighi	...	Party Guest (as Nikki Arrighi)
Francis Ghent	...	Party Guest
Donald Sumpter	...	Party Guest
Rohan McCullough	...	Party Guest
Barbara Markham	...	Party Guest
Robert Wilde	...	Party Guest
Esta Charkham	...	Barmitzvah Guest
Hilary Hardiman	...	Barmitzvah Guest
Simon Joseph	...	Barmitzvah Guest
Gideon Kolb	...	Barmitzvah Guest
Martin Lawrence	...	Barmitzvah Guest
Mercia Mansfield	...	Barmitzvah Guest
Reuben Elvy	...	Barmitzvah Guest
Jovey Douben	...	Barmitzvah Guest
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Henry Gilbert	...	1930s Flashback Rabbi (scenes deleted)
Helen Lindsay	...	(scenes deleted)
David Webb	...	Restaurant Owner (scenes deleted)
Cindy Burrows	...	(uncredited)
Daniel Day-Lewis	...	Child Vandal (uncredited)
Petra Markham	...	Designer's Girlfriend (uncredited)
John Warner	...	Party Guest (uncredited)

Directed by
John Schlesinger

Writing credits
Penelope Gilliatt		(screenplay)
David Sherwin		screenplay (uncredited)

Produced by
Joseph Janni	....	producer
Edward Joseph	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Ron Geesin

Cinematography by
Billy Williams

Film Editing by
Richard Marden

Casting by
Miriam Brickman

Production Design by
Luciana Arrighi

Art Direction by
Norman Dorme

Costume Design by
Jocelyn Rickards

Makeup Department
Betty Glasow	....	hairdresser
Freddie Williamson	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Hugh Harlow	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Green	....	third assistant director
Simon Relph	....	first assistant director
Nigel Wooll	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
David Campling	....	sound editor
Gerry Humphreys	....	sound re-recording mixer
Alan Jones	....	assistant sound editor
Eddy Joseph	....	assistant sound editor
Simon Kaye	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
David Harcourt	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Mary Kessel	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Douglas Gamley	....	musical director
Douglas Gamley	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Other crew
Marilyn Clarke	....	production coordinator
Ann Skinner	....	continuity
Lee Bolon	....	location manager (uncredited)
Edna Tromans	....	publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Vectia

Distributors

• United Artists Corporation (1971) (UK) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Nova Film (1971) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1972) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1973) (Japan) (theatrical)
• CMV Laservision (2010) (Germany) (DVD)
• Cecchi Gori Home Video (2009) (Italy) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (USA) (laserdisc)
• Doriane Film (2009) (France) (DVD)
• Optimum Home Entertainment (2009) (UK) (DVD) (as Optimum Classics)
• Versátil Home Vídeo (2010) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"Bloody Sunday" - Belgium (English title) (imdb display title)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Canada:R (Manitoba) | France:-16 | West Germany:18 | Australia:R | Peru:18 | Australia:M (TV rating) | Netherlands:18 (orginal rating)

Filming Locations:

Hampstead Heath, Hampstead, London, England, UK

Company:

Vectia

Trivia:

Alan Bates was the original choice made by John Schlesinger for the role of Daniel Hirsh, the homosexual doctor. However he was held up filming The Go-Between (1970) and was replaced first by Ian Bannen and later by Peter Finch. However, the role of Daniel is written as that of a much younger man.

Quotes:

Bob:We're free to do what we want.
Alex:Darling... other people often do what they don't want to do at all.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Vito (2011)

Soundtrack:

Auf Flügeln des Gesanges (On Wings of Song)

Made in 1971 and, as of this posting, still ahead of its time.

"Sunday Bloody Sunday", which tells the story of two older adults (Glenda Jackson and Peter Finch) who are discreetly in an parallel relationship with a young, irresponsible artist (Murray Head), has never appeared on free television (i.e.: U.S. network and syndicated television). Unlike John Schlesinger's previous movie of two years earlier, the Oscar-winning "Midnight Cowboy", I have never seen this movie in a sanitized, edited version and I'm very glad of that.

Former New Yorker movie critic Penelope Gilliatt wrote a brilliant character study. In a very quiet, non-judgmental and unassuming way, I wonder if the story is a bit of an autobiography in the life of openly gay director John Schlesinger?

Very adult, thought-provoking and extremely well-acted, "Sunday Bloody Sunday" was made in 1971 and despite some dated 70s trappings, is still way ahead of most movies that deal with the subjects of sexuality and adult relationships.