In Celebration (1975)

Director:

Lindsay Anderson

Writers:

David Storey (play)
David Storey (screenplay)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

In a Yorkshire mining town, three educated brothers return to their blue-collar home to celebrate the 40th wedding anniversary of their parents, but dark secrets come to the fore. |

Plot Keywords:

Return | Wedding Anniversary | Parent | Mother | Father Son Relationship

Cast

Alan Bates	...	Andrew Shaw
Brian Cox	...	Steven Shaw
Gabrielle Daye	...	Mrs. Burnett
Bill Owen	...	Mr. Shaw
James Bolam	...	Colin Shaw
Constance Chapman	...	Mrs. Shaw

Directed by
Lindsay Anderson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
David Storey		play
David Storey		screenplay

Produced by
Ely A. Landau	....	producer
Les Landau	....	associate producer
Otto Plaschkes	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Christopher Gunning

Cinematography by
Dick Bush

Film Editing by
Russell Lloyd

Art Direction by
Alan Withy

Makeup Department
Mike Jones	....	hair stylist
George Partleton	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jim Di Gangi	....	production supervisor
Roy Stevens	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard Jenkins	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Harry Cordwell	....	set dresser
Brian Lofthouse	....	props
Cyril Sundborg	....	props

Sound Department
Stan Fiferman	....	dubbing editor (as Stanley Fiferman)
Dushko Indjic	....	sound
John Poyner	....	dubbing editor
Bruce White	....	sound mixer
Dennis Whitlock	....	dubbing mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Birtles	....	gaffer
Michael Garfath	....	focus puller (as Mike Garfath)
Stan Patton	....	grip
Barrie Payne	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Brenda Dabbs	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Peter Watson	....	assistant editor

Transportation Department
Christopher Storey	....	unit driver

Other crew
Valerie Booth	....	continuity
Tunde Ikoli	....	production assistant
Rosemary Pearson	....	producer secretary
James Payne	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Production Companies

• The American Film Theatre

Distributors

• Seven Keys (1975) (UK) (theatrical)
• Kino Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• 3DD Entertainment (2004) (worldwide) (DVD)
• Fremantle Media (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• inD DVD (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
• The American Film Theatre (1975) (USA) (theatrical)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

USA:131 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:PG | UK:PG (video rating) | UK:A (original rating) | Greece:K

Filming Locations:

EMI Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

The American Film Theatre

Trivia:

Lindsay Anderson also directed the 1969 original stage production.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004) (TV)

Family Affair

If you are looking for some of the wonderful off kilter charm of Lindsey Anderson's other films, you might be disappointed with this. If you are able to respond to great filmed theater along the lines of "Glengarry Glen Ross," "Long Day's Journey Into Night," Olivier's "Othello" and indeed the American Film Theater's great movie "The Homecoming", you may go all the way with this one, which I found a deeply moving experience.

Storey's play has some odd parallels to Pinter's "Homecoming" (a comic horror story of family that is perhaps the best of the brief life of the American Film Theater series) and perhaps primed by that film

I was sort of waiting for something bitter or freakish to occur for about the first half. But it is Storey's purpose to illustrate that even among families of great love and decency, dark secrets and bitter resentments can brew.

The film brings much humor and intensity to the subject. It's a thing of beauty. Critically

the affection Storey has for his characters never slips into sentimentality. This movie was a

big discovery for me. Give it a shot and see what you think.