The L-Shaped Room (1962)

A single, pregnant woman moves into a London boarding house where she meets a group of fellow misfits.

Director:

Bryan Forbes

Writers:

Lynne Reid Banks (based on an original novel by), Bryan Forbes (written for the screen by)

Stars:

Leslie Caron, Anthony Booth, Avis Bunnage

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Leslie Caron	...	Jane
Anthony Booth	...	Youth in Street
Avis Bunnage	...	Doris
Patricia Phoenix	...	Sonia
Verity Edmett	...	Jane II
Tom Bell	...	Toby
Cicely Courtneidge	...	Mavis
Harry Locke	...	Newsagent
Ellen Dryden	...	Girl in Newsagent's
Emlyn Williams	...	Dr. Weaver
Jennifer White	...	Monica
Brock Peters	...	Johnny
Gerry Duggan	...	Bert
Joan Ingram	...	Woman in Park
Mark Eden	...	Terry

Storyline

Jane, a young French woman, pregnant and unmarried, takes a room in a seedy London boarding house, which is inhabited by an assortment of misfits. She considers getting an abortion, but is unhappy with this solution. She falls into a relationship with Toby, a struggling young writer who lives on the first floor. Eventually she comes to like her odd room, and makes friends with all the strange people in the house. But she still faces two problems: what to do with her baby, and what to do with Toby.

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Plot Keywords:

unplanned pregnancy | gay black man | homosexual subtext | west indian | trumpet | 

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Taglines:

"Sex is not a forbidden word!"

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Did You Know?

Trivia

The rent of forty-two shillings per week is the equivalent of forty pounds sterling (fifty-two dollars and fifty cents) in 2016.

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Goofs

The first floor light goes out by itself (as it does often due to the faulty switch) twice as Jane goes from Toby's room up to hers, looking for him.

In 60's bedsit land many houses had push-button light switches in the corridors that turned themselves off after a very short time to preserve electricity costs (and also as a fail-safe for people forgetting to turn them off). So the light switch was not necessarily faulty.

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Quotes

Jane Fosset: You can't afford it.
Toby: I *know* I can't afford it. I can't afford *any* of the bloody decencies of life. I can't afford to take you out, I can't afford to buy you a proper Christmas present, I can't afford even to be able to tell you not to worry.
Toby: Look, I'm 28 years old, and I'm still living hand to mouth like a bloody tramp. I've been writing for ten years, I've written five stinking novels that nobody wants to wipe their behinds upon, and now you tell me I can't even afford a bottle of ...

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Connections

Referenced in The Mary Tyler Moore Show: The Square-Shaped Room (1971)

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Soundtracks

Take Me Back To Dear Old Blighty
(uncredited)
Written by A.J. Mills, Fred Godfrey and Bennett Scott
Sung by Cicely Courtneidge

User Reviews

Top Drawer British Realism

One of the best of the so-called "kitchen-sink" films, THE L-SHAPED ROOM is nearly perfect. The set decoration probably deserved an award for the way it evokes, with poetry, the incredibly realistic environment of a down-and-out London rooming house. As many commentators have noted, this film avoids clichés and gives us real-seeming characters played by gifted actors. There is not a single weak link in the cast, with Tom Bell, Avis Bunnage, Brock Peters, Cicely Courtneige among others providing so many memorable moments. At the heart of the film is Leslie Caron in an award-nominated performance that is not likely to be forgotten by anyone who sees it. This is a performance that elicits true feeling, done with a kind of invisible artistry, so it seems completely real. Bryan Forbes, one of Britain's finest directors of the period, paces the film well, relying on Caron and others to fill what may have been longueurs with true meaning. The only criticism is the use of the Brahms First Piano Concerto in the soundtrack. The surging romanticism, while appealing in itself, doesn't fit very well with the mood of the film, apart from a couple of quiet scenes. It's certainly not a big problem, only it seems an odd musical choice. A deeply affecting, unforgettable film.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 November 1962 (UK)

Also Known As:

The L-Shaped Room

Filming Locations:

4 St Luke's Road, Notting Hill, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Davis-Royal, Romulus Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1