Look Back in Anger (1959)

A disillusioned, angry university graduate comes to terms with his grudge against middle-class life and values.

Director:

Tony Richardson

Writers:

John Osborne (play), Nigel Kneale (screenplay)

Stars:

Richard Burton, Claire Bloom, Mary Ure

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Burton	...	Jimmy Porter
Claire Bloom	...	Helena Charles
Mary Ure	...	Alison Porter
Edith Evans	...	Mrs. Tanner
Gary Raymond	...	Cliff Lewis
Glen Byam Shaw	...	Colonel Redfern
Phyllis Neilson-Terry	...	Mrs. Redfern
Donald Pleasence	...	Hurst
Jane Eccles	...	Miss Drury
S.P. Kapoor	...	Kapoor
George Devine	...	Doctor
Walter Hudd	...	Actor
Anne Dickins	...	Girl A.S.M
John Dearth	...	Pet Stall Man
Nigel Davenport	...	1st. Commercial Traveller

Storyline

Jimmy Porter is a loud, obnoxious man, rude and verbally abusive to his wife, Alison. Alison comes from an upper class family that Jimmy abhors and he berates Alison for being too reserved and unfeeling. Jimmy is college educated but works with a partner, Cliff Lewis, as a street vendor operating a candy stall. Cliff lives with Jimmy and Alison and is close friends with both. When Jimmy pushes Alison while she is at the ironing board she is burned. Alison visits her doctor where it is revealed that she is pregnant. She asks him if it is too late to do something about it but the doctor immediately tells her never to mention such an idea. When Jimmy leaves for work, Alison confides to Cliff that she is pregnant. She is frightened of Jimmy's reaction to this news, and has not told him. Jimmy is visited by his childhood nanny, Mrs. Tanner, whom Jimmy loves and calls "Mom." Alison tries to tell Jimmy of the pregnancy but is frustrated when Jimmy insults her for being cool towards Mrs. ...

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Plot Keywords:

train station | urban setting | angry young man | love | upper class | 

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Taglines:

As sensational on the screen as the sensation-loaded stage smash!

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 October 1959 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Pasión prohibida

Filming Locations:

Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

£250,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Woodfall Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Steven Scott worked two days.

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Quotes

Alison Porter: You know what he said about mummy, he said she was an overfed, overprivileged old cow.
Colonel Redfern: I see, and what did he say about me?
Alison Porter: He doesn't seem to mind you, in fact I think he rather likes you. Poor old daddy, just one of those sturdy plants left over from the Edwardian era wondering why the sun doesn't shine any more.
Colonel Redfern: Why did you have to meet this young man?
Alison Porter: Oh daddy, please don't put me on trial now. I've been on trial every day and night for the past two years.
Colonel Redfern: But why you, my daughter?

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Connections

Referenced in Harry Saltzman: Showman (2000)

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Soundtracks

Music Hal Song
(uncredited)
Music by Tom Eastwood
Lyrics by John Osborne (uncredited)

User Reviews

…Oh, Do Shut Up!

To watch "Look Back In Anger" so many decades after its brief era of relevancy is to encounter a head-scratchingly pointless film and wonder what all of the yelling was about. This dank and claustrophobic look at one of Britain's army of post-war "Angry Young Men" might be a tad more bearable were Richard Burton asked to take it down a notch. Burton's endless bellowing (second only to Peter O'Toole's bray-as-acting style) is ill served by it never being made quite clear just what this guy is so miffed at all the time.

Surrounded by characters that either incomprehensibly find him a lovable lad (Gary Raymond, Edith Evans) or serve as doormats (Mary Ure, Claire Bloom), Burton's character is given free rein to act like a colicky brat for most of the film without ever giving us much of a clue as to the root of his dissatisfaction. Brief references to Britain's class system, racial injustice, loss of loved ones and any number of social ills feel insufficient as explanations to the source of Burton's unpleasant personality. After 40 minutes or so of being subjected to one narcissistically histrionic rage after another, one just wishes he'd shut up and realize that he isn't the only one suffering…he's just the only one who seems hell-bent on making sure others are as miserable as he is.

That being said,the entire film is not devoid of certain pleasures (the photography is appropriately dingy, Claire Bloom is always a delight and Gary Raymond, so good in "Suddenly Last Summer," was a real surprise here with a more sizable role) but it's near unbearable being subjected to a film about a man feeling sorry for himself non-stop. It struck me as being sophomoric in theory and tedious in execution.

If this film reminds me on anything, it's of an episode of "The Flintstones" where Fred is cast with wife Wilma in a kitchen-sink domestic drama about an abusive, lout of a husband and his meek wife. The show's title: "The Frogmouth," a perfect subtitle for this mess- Richard Burton in "Look Back in Anger aka The Frogmouth."