Post by Midge on Oct 10, 2010 4:00:57 GMT -6
Last night TCM featured a delightful, rarely-seen and underrated comedy from 1966, The Family Way. The story takes place in a small town in Lancashire, England. It's the story of Arthur, a sensitive young man (Hywel Bennett) who is unable to consummate his marriage to his bride Jenny (Hayley Mills) because they are forced to live in his parents' cramped house with its paper-thin walls and ever-present relatives. Of course Arthur and Jenny try to keep their predicament a secret, but the news inadvertently slips out and soon the whole town is gossiping about them, which only increases the young couple's distress.
Before long Jenny notices to her mortification that strangers on the bus are whispering and giggling when they see her. Then poor Arthur gets teased by his roughneck friends (one volunteers to "get the job done for you"). It doesn't help that Arthur's coarse, loudmouth father (John Mills) is a British Archie Bunker who doesn't know when to shut up, the polar opposite of his sensitive son,
I remember seeing this movie with my parents in its original release. At the time the theme was considered somewhat risqué. The social climate has changed quite a bit in the last 44 years, so I expected not to like this movie as much. I thought for sure the script would seem corny and out-of-date. To my surprise, I discovered that 44 years have only improved my appreciation of this little film's gentle humor. The Family Way is a real treasure, and it's a pity that it hasn't been seen more often.
Hywel Bennett is touching as the insecure young husband and Hayley Mills simply glows in her first adult role. Her real-life father, John Mills, gives one of his best performances playing her ham-handed father-in-law. Marjorie Rhodes is memorable as Arthur's sensible, down-to-earth mother, who's been keeping a secret about her own marriage.
Subject matter that could be vulgar in lesser hands is treated with good taste, sensitivity and wit by director Roy Boulting, who fell in love with and later married his leading lady. This caused a scandal at the time as he was 52 while she was only 20. If you get a chance to see this, you're in for a treat.
Before long Jenny notices to her mortification that strangers on the bus are whispering and giggling when they see her. Then poor Arthur gets teased by his roughneck friends (one volunteers to "get the job done for you"). It doesn't help that Arthur's coarse, loudmouth father (John Mills) is a British Archie Bunker who doesn't know when to shut up, the polar opposite of his sensitive son,
I remember seeing this movie with my parents in its original release. At the time the theme was considered somewhat risqué. The social climate has changed quite a bit in the last 44 years, so I expected not to like this movie as much. I thought for sure the script would seem corny and out-of-date. To my surprise, I discovered that 44 years have only improved my appreciation of this little film's gentle humor. The Family Way is a real treasure, and it's a pity that it hasn't been seen more often.
Hywel Bennett is touching as the insecure young husband and Hayley Mills simply glows in her first adult role. Her real-life father, John Mills, gives one of his best performances playing her ham-handed father-in-law. Marjorie Rhodes is memorable as Arthur's sensible, down-to-earth mother, who's been keeping a secret about her own marriage.
Subject matter that could be vulgar in lesser hands is treated with good taste, sensitivity and wit by director Roy Boulting, who fell in love with and later married his leading lady. This caused a scandal at the time as he was 52 while she was only 20. If you get a chance to see this, you're in for a treat.
I was 17 when I saw the movie and even more innocent and naive than Jenny. I wasn't sophisticated enough then to appreciate the witty script, but I do remember that I thought the movie was very sweet and charming.
