loading...
A Kind Of Loving
1962
Drama based on the novel by Stan Barstow which tells of a young draughtsman who is forced into marriage after making his girlfriend pregnant. Living with her dragon-like mother soon makes him realise that his marriage is just a fragile relationship based purely on sex. Read more
| Starring | Alan Bates, June Ritchie, Thora Hird, James Bolam |
|---|---|
| Director | John Schlesinger |
| Genres | Drama |
loading...
A Kind Of Loving
Drama based on the novel by Stan Barstow which tells of a young draughtsman who is forced into marriage after making his girlfriend pregnant. Living with her dragon-like mother soon makes him realise that his marriage is just a fragile relationship based purely on sex.
| Starring | Alan Bates, June Ritchie, Thora Hird, James Bolam |
|---|---|
| Director | John Schlesinger |
| Studio | OPTIMUM HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 52 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Subtitles | DVD: None |
| Released | DVD: 25 Jun 2001 Production year: 1962 |
| Format | DVD |
-
Critics' reviews (3)
View all -
Unlike the majority of other “grim up North” dramas that found critical favour during the social realist or “kitchen sink” phase of British film-making, John Schlesinger's debut feature is about making the most of life rather than carping on about the colour of the grass on the other side of the fence. Crisply adapted by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall from Stan Barstow's novel, the film is like a scrapbook of typical human experience, with Schlesinger's eye for detail and his persuasive storytelling style creating characters who could have lived next door to you. Alan Bates and June Ritchie are excellent, but Thora Hird is exceptional.
-
Blunt melodrama with strong kinship to Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, strikingly directed and photographed amid urban grime and suburban conformity.
-
Most helpful member's review
View all -
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful
Some things don't change
This film should appeal to a wide age range of both sexes. The young will probably be amazed at how people lived only 40 years ago, while those who are older might look back with some longing at a much less congested and non-technological age. Given the differences and the changes that have occurred in sexual permissiveness, the issues that men and women face today in forming relationships are just as confusing and difficult as then. The filming is crisp and the acting superb. Look out for the scene where Alan Bates runs and skips down slippery cobbled roads and steps and ask yourself if a Director would take the same risks today with the main male lead in a film.
-
Most recent members' review
View all -
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Age old questions with a twist
1962: Britain on the cusp of changes — in, (among other things), morality... Perhaps, but for men, the question was/is never whether to say yes or no to sex, but what to say to love...
Schlesinger handles this timeless question with warmth and sensitivity in 'A Kind of Loving,' yet manages to keep both feet on the ground, despite the films' highly erotic, emotionally charged love scenes. As a result of his deft handling, it becomes a highly compelling watch to the last frame.
Seemingly cliché components of 'kitchen sink drama' evolve into something far more knowing and 'A Kind of Loving' has all the fondly ironic attention to detail one could expect from the caring, skilled team who later created 'Billy Liar.' As is usually the case with New Wave classics, the casting is also spot on, with handsome young Alan Bates in one of his most memorable roles opposite sturdily pretty June Ritchie. The chemistry between the actors generates an almost palpable attraction; as a couple they personify the tension created by the moral questions the film poses.
Vic is first attracted to his future wife Ingrid, in the crowd outside the church after his sister's wedding, yet vows he will not be the 'next one' to marry. But love is a growing thing and the maturing love between Vic and Ingrid grows on viewers with every watching of this masterful ‘class’ film.
A genuine marvel! -
More like this
View allShowing 1 to 4 of 20
Related user collection
Fortean Films (35)
83.4% from 6 members
Buy from the LOVEFiLM shop
-
-
-
A Kind Of Loving
Drama based on the novel by Stan Barstow which tells of a young draughtsman who is forced into marriage after making his girlfriend pregnant. Living with her dragon-like mother soon makes him realise that his marriage is just a fragile relationship based purely on sex....
-