A Private Function (1984)

Director:

Malcolm Mowbray

Writers:

Alan Bennett (written by)
Alan Bennett (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

11 March 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Vicious, Delicious and Tasteless.

Plot:

1947 in a small town in England. The war has been won two years ago, but there's still rationing of meat...

Plot Keywords:

Pig | Husband Wife Relationship | 1940s | Breaking The Law | Movie Theater

Awards:

Won 3 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Michael Palin	...	Gilbert Chilvers
Maggie Smith	...	Joyce Chilvers
Denholm Elliott	...	Dr. Charles Swaby
Richard Griffiths	...	Henry Allardyce the Accountant
Tony Haygarth	...	Leonard Sutcliff the Farmer
John Normington	...	Frank Lockwood the Solicitor
Bill Paterson	...	Morris Wormold the Meat Inspector
Liz Smith	...	Joyce's Mother
Alison Steadman	...	Mrs. Allardyce
Jim Carter	...	Inspector Noble
Pete Postlethwaite	...	Douglas J. Nuttol the Butcher
Eileen O'Brien	...	Mrs. Sutcliff
Rachel Davies	...	Mrs. Forbes, Wormold's Landlady
Reece Dinsdale	...	P.C. Penny
Philip Whileman	...	Preston Sutcliff (as Philip Wileman)
Charles McKeown	...	Medcalf a Butcher
Susan Porrett	...	Mrs. Dorcus Medcalf
Donald Eccles	...	Dorcus' Father
Denys Hawthorne	...	Grand Hotel Manager
Don Estelle	...	Barraclough a Butcher
Eli Woods	...	Ernest
Amanda Gregan	...	Veronica Allardyce
Paula Tilbrook	...	Mrs. Turnbull, a Chilvers Neighbor
Bernard Wrigley	...	Painter
Lee Daley	...	Painter's Boy
Gilly Coman	...	Dorothy, Allardyce's Secretary
Maggie Ollerenshaw	...	Woman
Josie Lane	...	Mrs. Beavers
David Morgan	...	Marvin
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Prince Philip	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Queen Elizabeth II	...	Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
Malcolm Mowbray

Writing credits
Alan Bennett		(written by)
Alan Bennett		(story) &
Malcolm Mowbray		(story)

Produced by
George Harrison	....	executive producer
Denis O'Brien	....	executive producer
Mark Shivas	....	producer

Original Music by
John Du Prez

Cinematography by
Tony Pierce-Roberts		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Barrie Vince

Casting by
Michelle Guish
Debbie McWilliams

Production Design by
Stuart Walker

Art Direction by
Judith Lang
Michael Porter

Costume Design by
Phyllis Dalton

Makeup Department
Jan Archibald	....	hair stylist
Christine Beveridge	....	makeup supervisor
Joan Mills	....	makeup artist
Elizabeth Moss	....	hair stylist
Anita Pickles	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Ann Wingate	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nick Godden	....	third assistant director
Chris Thompson	....	second assistant director
Guy Travers	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Alan Bailey	....	property master
John Bailey	....	dressing props
Frank Berlin	....	painter
Jack Carter	....	construction manager
Trevor Dyer	....	stand-by carpenter
Tom Hughes	....	painter
Roger Hume	....	production buyer
Eddie McMahon	....	stand-by props
Malcolm Roberts	....	construction supervisor
Keith Smith	....	stagehand
Jeffrey Witts	....	dressing props

Sound Department
Clive Barrett	....	assistant sound editor
Nigel Galt	....	sound editor
Robert Gavin	....	sound editor
Tony Jackson	....	sound recordist
Stephen Janisz	....	sound editor (as Steve Janisz)
Richard King	....	dubbing mixer
Michael Redfern	....	sound editor (as Mike Redfern)
Rosie Straker	....	assistant sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Arnold	....	electrician
John Cantwell	....	electrician
David Farrell	....	still photographer
Joe Felix	....	grip
Peter James	....	clapper loader
Larry Knox	....	generator operator
Malcolm MacIntosh	....	camera operator
Derek Suter	....	clapper loader
Mark White	....	camera car grip
Micky Woolaard	....	gaffer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ken Crouch	....	wardrobe assistant (as Kenny Crouch)
Janet Tebrooke	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Scott Thomas	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Ray Cooper	....	music producer
John Du Prez	....	conductor
Dick Lewzey	....	music recordist

Other crew
Billy Bell	....	technical advisor
Jill Bennett	....	assistant production accountant
Brian Brockwell	....	production accountant
Gerry Cott	....	animal trainer
Liz Ferwell	....	financial controller
Joanna Gollins	....	location manager
Ralph Graham	....	chiropodist
Britt Harrison	....	unit runner
Tamara Ingram	....	assistant to producer
Richard Morrison	....	title designer
Ginny Roncoroni	....	production assistant
Wendy Tayler	....	publicist
Alison Thorne	....	continuity

Production Companies

• HandMade Films

Distributors

• Island Alive (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sunfilm Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2009) (Australia) (DVD)
• HBO Video (198?) (USA) (VHS) (For Thorn/EMI/ HBO Video)
• Image Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2009) (Australia) (video) (VOD)
• VTI Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Joe Dunton Cameras  camera equipment
• Mr. Lighting  lighting equipment
• Optical Film Effects  titles and opticals

Also Known As:

Runtime:

94 min | USA:93 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Australia:M | Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

Barnoldswick, Lancashire, England, UK

Company:

HandMade Films

Trivia:

Made and released around nine years before Babe (1995).

Quotes:

Morris Wormold the Meat Inspector:My experience has been, Mrs Forbes, that when people say they are only human, it's because they have been making beasts of themselves.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Comedy Connections: Ripping Yarns (#6.4)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Rose of England

delightful wit at British best

One of the funniest comedies to come across the Atlantic in a long, long time. Maggie is magnificent. This movie will go right over the heads of teenie booopers with less than a high school education, but for the enlightened world this is a gem.