Mrs. Ratcliffe's Revolution cover art

Mrs. Ratcliffe's Revolution Details

2007 Certificate 12
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 1490 members

1960s Yorkshire. Socialist Frank Ratcliffe (Glen) takes a job in East Germany, bringing his family along for the ride. But once there, they find that all is not as rosy as they believed, and meek wife Dorothy (Tate) begins to question her husband’s leadership. Read more

Starring Catherine Tate, Iain Glen, Brittany Ashworth, Heike Makatsch
Director Billie Eltringham
Genres Comedy

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Mrs. Ratcliffe's Revolution

1960s Yorkshire. Socialist Frank Ratcliffe (Glen) takes a job in East Germany, bringing his family along for the ride. But once there, they find that all is not as rosy as they believed, and meek wife Dorothy (Tate) begins to question her husband’s leadership.

Starring Catherine Tate, Iain Glen, Brittany Ashworth, Heike Makatsch, Jessica Barden, Christian Brassington
Director Billie Eltringham
Studio WARNER HOME VIDEO
Run time DVD: 1 hr 42 mins
Certificate Certificate 12
Genres Comedy
Language DVD: English
Hearing-impaired English
Released DVD: 25 Feb 2008
Production year: 2007
Format DVD
  • Critics' reviews of Mrs. Ratcliffe's Revolution

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  • 2 stars out of

    Another high-concept British comedy from the what the hell were they thinking? files, Mrs Ratcliffes... read more on Time Out

    • David Jenkins, 
    • Time Out
  • Most helpful member's review of Mrs. Ratcliffe's Revolution

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  • 20 out of 25 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    From Bingley to Berlin and back...

    Based on real events this quietly comedic film intruduces us to a Yorkshire family, the 'Ratcliffes' in the latter part of the 1960s. Mr Ratcliffe is a devout socialist who decides to take his family of two daughters (one supportively socialist, one a free spirited rebellious 60 love child), his brother in law (shy retiring and suffering from bad nerves), and wife (lovingly plain and homely). Over to the Eastern Block to persue a career in teaching in what he hopes and expects to be a communist idyll, where everything is based on sharing and looking after your fellow comerades. Having arrived in East Germany, the reality of the dour living and working conditions, and the opressive regime, soon take the gloss off the families aspirations. Having however burned their UK passports in a public display of eschewing Western values, how will they ever be able to return across the iron curtain and to some sort of normality. Enter the resourceful Mrs Ratcliffe (very well played by Catherine Tate) to try and save the day. At that I will leave it for fear of ruining what is a quietly excellent and interesting film, well worth a watch.

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  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Okay, but could have been better

    I was intrigued by the premise of this film, particularly as it was a fresh idea. However, the story lacks depth in several places, & by the end I began to question how much realism was left in the plot. The last scene is very far-fetched & contrived, & the portrayal of East Germany descends into caricature. Catherine Tate does a very good job of her role & there are some other good performances, but the film as a vehicle lets the cast down.

    It's worth a look, so long as you don't expect too much from it.If you have a hankering for a good 'Ostalgie' movie then watch the near-perfect 'Goodbye, Lenin!', which gets the balance right on every level.

      • A customer from Bury St. Edmunds
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Rating breakdown

1,490 Member ratings
  • 100
75
  • 90
33
  • 80
221
  • 70
227
  • 60
404
  • 50
158
  • 40
188
  • 30
54
  • 20
97
  • 10
33

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    • 1960s Yorkshire. Socialist Frank Ratcliffe (Glen) takes a job in East Germany, bringing his family along for the ride. But once there, they find that all is not as rosy as they believed, and meek ...