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Poor Cow

  • 19671967
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 41m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
1.8K
YOUR RATING
Poor Cow (1967)
  • Drama
A young woman lives a life full of bad choices. At a young age she has a baby by an abusive thief who quickly lands in prison. When her son goes missing, she gets to grips with what is most ... Read allA young woman lives a life full of bad choices. At a young age she has a baby by an abusive thief who quickly lands in prison. When her son goes missing, she gets to grips with what is most important to her.A young woman lives a life full of bad choices. At a young age she has a baby by an abusive thief who quickly lands in prison. When her son goes missing, she gets to grips with what is most important to her.
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
1.8K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Ken Loach
  • Writers
    • Nell Dunn(screenplay)
    • Ken Loach(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Terence Stamp
    • Carol White
    • John Bindon
Top credits
  • Director
    • Ken Loach
  • Writers
    • Nell Dunn(screenplay)
    • Ken Loach(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Terence Stamp
    • Carol White
    • John Bindon
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 31User reviews
    • 17Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 2 nominations

    Photos56

    A1 movie poster -  59 x 84 cm or 23 x 33 inches
    Poor Cow (1967)
    Poor Cow (1967)
    Poor Cow (1967)
    Carol White in Poor Cow (1967)
    Terence Stamp and Carol White in Poor Cow (1967)
    Terence Stamp and Carol White in Poor Cow (1967)
    Terence Stamp and Carol White in Poor Cow (1967)
    Carol White in Poor Cow (1967)
    Terence Stamp and Carol White in Poor Cow (1967)
    Terence Stamp and Carol White in Poor Cow (1967)
    Poor Cow (1967)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Terence Stamp
    Terence Stamp
    • David 'Dave' Fulleras David 'Dave' Fuller
    Carol White
    Carol White
    • Joyas Joy
    John Bindon
    John Bindon
    • Tomas Tom
    Queenie Watts
    • Aunt Emmas Aunt Emm
    Kate Williams
    • Berylas Beryl
    Laurie Asprey
    James Beckett
    • Tom's Mateas Tom's Mate
    Ray Barron
    • Customer in Pubas Customer in Pub
    Hilda Barry
    • Customer in Pubas Customer in Pub
    Ken Campbell
    • Mr. Jacksas Mr. Jacks
    • (as Kenneth Campbell)
    Ronald Clarke
      Ellis Dale
      • Solicitoras Solicitor
      Gladys Dawson
      • Betas Bet
      Terry Duggan
      • 2nd Prisoneras 2nd Prisoner
      Winnie Holman
      • Woman in Parkas Woman in Park
      Rose Hiller
      • Customer in Hairdresser'sas Customer in Hairdresser's
      John Halstead
      • Photographeras Photographer
      Doreen Herrington
      • Director
        • Ken Loach
      • Writers
        • Nell Dunn(screenplay) (novel: "Poor Cow")
        • Ken Loach(screenplay)
      • All cast & crew
      • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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      Storyline

      Edit

      Did you know

      Edit
      • Trivia
        According to Terence Stamp, the film was mostly improvised and first takes were always used. Two cameras filmed simultaneously to capture the spontaneity of the performances.
      • Goofs
        The apostrophe is missing from the caption "At Aunt Emms.".
      • Quotes

        Joy: Yeah, don't forget to get me some nice sovereigns, gold ones.

        Dave: Oh, I'll try love. You know, not always made to order.

      • Alternate versions
        The BBFC website states that the original version had some sex references that were cut before its release in the 1960s. http://www.bbfc.co.uk/education-resources/student-guide/bbfc-history/1960s
      • Connections
        Edited into The Limey (1999)
      • Soundtracks
        Be Not Too Hard
        Music by Donovan and Lyrics by Christopher Logue

      User reviews31

      Review
      Top review
      6/10
      The other side of the swinging 60's
      You know what to expect when the first scene in Ken Loach's "Poor Cow" is a graphic image of Carol White's character giving birth to her son, although for my taste this was taking documentary realism to extremes. For the remainder of the film we follow White's progress, if that's the right word, for the next few years as she lives a mostly tawdry life on the edge of both poverty and legality, interacting with a mostly dubious set of individuals in not-so-swinging London in the mid-60's.

      The narrative is somewhat awkwardly interspersed with chapter plates, presumably written by White, although these don't actually aid the structure of the piece as the film progresses pretty much on a tangential basis although as an insight into her character's naive optimism and childlike simplicity, they may serve some purpose.

      Loach's soon to be trademark fly-on-the-wall camera-work is never still, long-shots, extreme close-ups, walking shots, tracking shots all to convince us like his acclaimed TV documentary "Cathy Come Home", of the previous year (with the same actress in the lead) of the veracity of his subject, stripping away all cinematic artifice. In this he succeeds, inviting no pity for her, only portraying her making do and working with what she has, with little prospect of escape.

      Of course this unremittingly bleak outlook can be overbearing and cold and there are many scenes where he could and should have called "Cut!" earlier, but as an insight into the working class of supposedly affluent Britain, it's important to hold up a mirror to society as he does here.

      In the final scenes, when White is reunited with her temporarily lost child, we are brought full-circle to that shocking opening scene as he reminds us that family love is perhaps the only true love. Whether it will be enough of a basis for White to break out and make a life for herself and her son is debatable so that some sort of a sequel might have been interesting to consider.

      The cast is an interesting one with Terence Stamp demonstrating his range as the crook who White falls for and who shows her a kind of loving, even as the film makes clear in the only stagy scene in the film, his courtroom trial, that there are no victimless crimes. As in "Cathy Come Home", White holds the viewer's attention with her disarming honesty, vulnerability and spirit. Interesting to see the notorious John Pindin in a prominent role too.

      You don't watch a Loach film for comfortable viewing but as an agent-provocateur, turning over stones most would step over, he's an important director in British cinema.
      helpful•16
      1
      • Lejink
      • Jan 22, 2012

      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • January 31, 1968 (United States)
      • Country of origin
        • United Kingdom
      • Language
        • English
      • Also known as
        • Joy, jadna devojka
      • Filming locations
        • Fulham Broadway Underground Railway Station, Fulham Broadway, London, Greater London, England, UK
      • Production companies
        • Vic Films Productions
        • Fenchurch
        • The National Film Finance Corp.
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Box office

      Edit
      • Gross worldwide
        • $15,709
      See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

      Technical specs

      Edit
      • Runtime
        1 hour 41 minutes
      • Sound mix
        • Mono
      • Aspect ratio
        • 1.66 : 1

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