Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971)

Director:

John Schlesinger

Writer:

Penelope Gilliatt (screenplay)

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:

Doctor | Jewish | Artist | Marijuana | Rain

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 12 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	...	Telephone Operator
Vivian Pickles	...	Alva Hodson
Frank Windsor	...	Bill Hodson
Thomas Baptiste	...	Prof. Johns
Richard Pearson	...	Middle-aged Patient
June Brown	...	Female Patient
Hannah Norbert	...	Daniel's Mother
Harold Goldblatt	...	Daniel's Father
Marie Burke	...	Aunt Astrid
Caroline Blakiston	...	Rowing Woman
Peter Halliday	...	Husband
Douglas Lambert	...	Man at Party
Jon Finch	...	Scotsman
Kimi Tallmadge	...	Lucy Hodson
Russell Lewis	...	Timothy Hodson
Emma Schlesinger	...	Tess Hodson
Carl Ferber		(as Karl Ferber)
Patrick Thornberry	...	Baby John Stuart Hodson
Robert Rietty	...	Daniel's Brother
Liane Aukin
Robin Presky
Edward Evans
Gabrielle Daye
George Belbin
Richard Loncraine	...	Tony (Bob's partner)
Royce Mills
Monica Vassiliou
John Rae
Ellis Dale
Joe Wadham
Henry Danziger
Ann Firbank	...	Party Guest
Derek Gilbert
William Job
Nike Arrighi	...	Party Guest (as Nikki Arrighi)
Francis Ghent
Donald Sumpter
Rohan McCullough
Barbara Markham
Robert Wilde
Esta Charkham
Hilary Hardiman
Simon Joseph
Gideon Kolb
Martin Lawrence
Mercia Mansfield
Reuben Elvy
Jovey Douben
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)

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

Original Music by
Ron Geesin

Cinematography by
Billy Williams

Film Editing by
Richard Marden

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

Other crew
Marilyn Clarke	....	production coordinator
Ann Skinner	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Vectia

Distributors

• United Artists Corporation (1971) (UK) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• United Artists (1973) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Cecchi Gori Home Video (2009) (Italy) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (USA) (laserdisc)
• Doriane Film (2009) (France) (DVD)
• Optimum Home Entertainment (2009) (UK) (DVD) (as Optimum Classics)
• Warner Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

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

Filming Locations:

Hampstead Heath, Hampstead, London, England, UK

Company:

Vectia

Trivia:

Several actresses (including Edith Evans and Thora Hird) politely refused the part of Glenda Jackson's mother, Mrs. Greville, because they thought the project was too risqué. Peggy Ashcroft accepted after the director explained to her the elements of the story and she gladly signed on.

Quotes:

Alex: I've had this business: "Anything is better than nothing." There are times when nothing *has* to be better than anything.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Profile of 'A Town Like Alice' (2001) (V)

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.