The Family Way

Last updated

The Family Way
1967 movie poster Warner Brothers.jpg
Directed by Roy Boulting
Written by
Based on "All in Good Time" by Bill Naughton
Produced by John Boulting
Starring
Cinematography Harry Waxman
Edited byErnest Hosler
Music by
Production
company
Boulting Brothers
Distributed by British Lion Films
Release dates
  • 18 December 1966 (1966-12-18)(UK)
  • June 1967 (1967-06)(US)
Running time
115 min.
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget£460,641 [1]
Box office$2,225,000 (U.S./Canada) [2]

The Family Way is a 1966 British comedy-drama film about the marital difficulties of a young newlywed couple living in a crowded house with the husband's family. Based on Bill Naughton's play All in Good Time (1963), [3] the film began life in 1961 as the television play Honeymoon Postponed. [4]

Contents

The film was produced and directed by John and Roy Boulting, respectively, and starred father and daughter John Mills and Hayley Mills. [5] Naughton wrote the screenplay. [3]

Plot

After Jenny Piper and Arthur Fitton's rowdy wedding reception at a local Lancashire pub, the newlyweds spend their wedding night at the Fittons' house. Arthur's father, Ezra Fitton, and some drunken guests loudly sing in the living room. Arthur clashes with Ezra, a lifelong gasworks employee who is unable to understand his son's love of literature and classical music. After a strained evening, the newlyweds retire, only for their marital bed to collapse, the result of a practical joke by Arthur's boorish boss, Joe Thompson. Jenny is amused, but Arthur, believing she is laughing at him, is unable to consummate their marriage. Arthur assures Jenny that everything will be fine once they are on their honeymoon in Majorca, but the next day they discover that the travel agent absconded with their money, cancelling the trip.

Unable to afford their own home, Jenny and Arthur live with Arthur's parents and adult brother Geoffrey. The thin walls and lack of privacy exacerbate Arthur's discomfort. As days pass into weeks, the marriage remains unconsummated, straining the couple's relationship. Making matters worse, Arthur works at night while Jenny has a day job. Jenny begins socializing with Geoffrey, who is attracted to her, but she rebuffs his advances. At Jenny's urging, Arthur sees a marriage counsellor, but a gossipy charwoman overhears their session and spreads what was discussed. After Jenny confides to her parents, Liz and Leslie Piper, that the marriage is still unconsummated, they tell Jenny's in-laws. Arthur's mother Lucy, reminisces to the Pipers about her own marriage having a slow start. Ezra tries defending himself when Lucy relates how he brought his friend Billy on their honeymoon and spent more time with him than with her. Lucy later tells Mrs Piper about spending an evening with Billy when Ezra worked late, after which Billy disappeared from their lives.

Joe Thompson, having heard the gossip, mocks Arthur and scornfully "volunteers" to satisfy Jenny. An enraged Arthur batters him, then quits his job. Returning home, he berates Jenny for disclosing their private matters. Their quarrel leads to them finally having sex. The gossipy neighbours overhear them and spread the news.

Meanwhile, the Association of British Travel Agents bond has covered the couple's stolen honeymoon money, and they prepare for a belated one in Blackpool. Jenny's Uncle Fred advises the couple to get their own home; Ezra agrees to help Jenny and Arthur with the down payment on their own cottage, wanting to build a better relationship with Arthur, whom he tearfully calls "son". After Arthur leaves, Ezra ingenuously remarks how much Arthur looks and acts like the long-gone Billy, causing Lucy to console him.

Cast

Background

Bill Naughton wrote a television play for ABC's Armchair Theatre series titled Honeymoon Postponed, which was transmitted in 1961. The Observer described it as "a lively - almost Restoration - Lancashire working class comedy." [6]

Naughton adapted it into a theatre play that premiered in 1963 with Bernard Miles playing the father. It played for six weeks at London's experimental Mermaid Theatre, then transferred to a commercial house, where it ran for three months. London's drama critics awarded it the Best New Play of 1962–1963. [7] Naughton sold the American film and theatre rights for $100,000, enabling him to become a full-time writer. [8]

David Susskind bought the rights to produce the play in America, and cast Eric Portman as the father. [9] However, Portman was unable to play the part.

The play debuted on Broadway in 1965 with Donald Wolfit playing the father. Susskind produced it with Daniel Melnick and Joseph E. Levine in association with the Boulting brothers, who were to make the film version. [10] It closed after only 21 performances. [11]

Production

Development

John Mills attended the opening night of the play at the Mermaid Theatre. After the performance, he went backstage to seek film rights as a vehicle for himself and his daughter Hayley, but discovered that they had been promised to the Boultings. [12]

In July 1963, it was announced that David Susskind would make a film of the play as a co-production with the Boulting brothers, with John producing and Roy directing. Roy Boulting was writing a script with Naughton and Susskind and was hopeful that Peter Sellers, who had made several films with the Boultings, would play the father. [13] The Boultings then focused on making Rotten to the Core . [14]

The film was financed by British Lion Films and the Boultings. It was the only film made in Britain within a 12-month period financed completely with British capital. [15]

Casting

The Boultings contacted John Mills while the latter was making King Rat in Hollywood and offered him the role of the father. "I'd call it a comedy with serious intent," said Mills, who called his role "the best part I've had since Hobson's Choice ." [12]

Hayley Mills was cast as the bride. She called her role "a most marvellous departure... no more school girl parts for me unless the character happens to be absolutely fascinating." [16] Mills called the film "an answer to Britain's kook generation." [17]

Hywel Bennett was cast after John Boulting saw him in the play A Smashing Time. "We weren't purposely looking for an unknown," said Roy Boulting, "but mostly for someone who had the appearance of both sensitivity and masculinity." [16]

Filming

The film was shot in Naughton's hometown of Bolton, as well as in Rochdale and Slough. [18] [19] [20] Some interior scenes were filmed at Shepperton Studios. [21] It was known during filming as All in Good Time. [22]

John Mills later wrote in his memoirs that "during the first half hour on the set on the first morning's shooting I knew that I was going to enjoy myself. Roy was not only a superb technician but because he was pro- and not anti-actor, his direction was helpful and sensitive. We all felt perfectly safe in his hands and I personally owe a great deal to him for the final success of Ezra and indeed the whole film." [23]

Hayley Mills did a nude scene in the film, which received much publicity. She called it "a very integral part of the film... the whole thing was handled with great taste." [24] Mills also fell in love with Roy Boulting, but he was married. [25] The two later became a couple and married. [26]

Music

The soundtrack was scored by Paul McCartney, who was still a Beatle at the time, and producer George Martin. [5]

Release

The film premiered in London on 18 December 1966. The film was released on video on 24 February 1989.

The movie became a notable critical and financial success in the UK. [26] [15] It was one of the twelve most popular films at the British box office in 1967. [27] In October 1967, John Boulting claimed it was the most successful British film made over the past year. [28] It was argued "the nude scene certainly didn’t hurt at the box-office, nor did the fact that Paul McCartney wrote the soundtrack." [29]

The nude scene led to the film receiving a "condemned" rating by the Catholic Film Office. [30]

The producer's receipts were over £500,000 meaning the film made a profit. [1] The film is rated M in Australia and New Zealand for nudity and sexual references.

Critical reception

Variety wrote: "Hayley Mills gets away from her Disney image as the young bride, even essaying an undressed scene. Bennett is excellent as the sensitive young bridegroom. But it is the older hands who keep the film floating on a wave of fun, sentiment and sympathy. John Mills is firstclass in a character role as the bluff father who cannot understand his son and produces the lower working-class man’s vulgarity without overdoing it. Avril Angers as the girl’s acid mother and John Comer as her husband are equally effective, but the best performance comes from Marjorie Rhodes as John Mills’ astute but understanding wife." [31]

The cover sleeve of "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before", a single by English rock band The Smiths, features Murray Head (as Arthur's brother Geoffrey) in a still photo from the film. [32] The Smiths single "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish" features by a still of Avril Angers from the same film. [33] Both songs were released from the Smiths' final album, Strangeways, Here We Come . [34]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boulting brothers</span> Twin brothers and filmmakers

John Edward Boulting and Roy Alfred Clarence Boulting, known collectively as the Boulting brothers, were English filmmakers and identical twins who became known for their series of satirical comedies in the 1950s and 1960s. They produced many of their films through their own production company, Charter Film Productions, which they founded in 1937.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murray Head</span> British actor and singer

Murray Seafield St George Head is an English actor and singer. Head has appeared in a number of films, including a starring role as the character Bob Elkin in the BAFTA award winning and Oscar-nominated 1971 film Sunday Bloody Sunday. As a musician, he is most recognised for his international hit songs "Superstar" and "One Night in Bangkok". He has been involved in several projects since the 1960s and continues to record music, perform concerts, and make appearances on television either as himself or as a character actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hayley Mills</span> English actress (born 1946)

Hayley Catherine Rose Vivien Mills is an English actress. The daughter of Sir John Mills and Mary Hayley Bell and younger sister of actress Juliet Mills, she began her acting career as a child and was hailed as a promising newcomer, winning the BAFTA Award for Most Promising Newcomer for her performance in the British crime drama film Tiger Bay (1959), the Academy Juvenile Award for Disney's Pollyanna (1960) and Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress in 1961.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hywel Bennett</span> Welsh actor

Hywel Thomas Bennett was a Welsh film and television actor. He had a lead role in The Family Way (1966) and played the titular "thinking man's layabout" James Shelley in the television sitcom Shelley (1979–1992).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crispian Mills</span> English rock musician and film director

Crispian Mills is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and film director. Active since 1988, Mills is best known as the frontman of the psychedelic indie rock band Kula Shaker. Following the band's break-up in 1999, he remained with Columbia Records, and toured with a set of session musicians under the name Pi, although no official studio recordings were released in full. After the label rejected the Pi album, Mills disappeared for a short time, returning in 2002 as frontman and lead guitarist for back-to-basics rock outfit The Jeevas, who disbanded in 2005 to make way for a reformed Kula Shaker, who released their third album Strangefolk in 2007. 2010 he released the album Pilgrims Progress with Kula Shaker. In 2017 the band celebrated the 20th anniversary of their album K with the release of the new record K 2.0. Mills joined the band for a sold-out UK tour to celebrate the anniversary.

<i>Heavens Above!</i> 1963 film

Heavens Above! is a 1963 British satirical comedy film starring Peter Sellers, directed by John and Roy Boulting, who also co-wrote along with Frank Harvey, from an idea by Malcolm Muggeridge. It is in a similar vein to the earlier collaboration between Sellers, Harvey and the Boultings, I'm All Right Jack.

<i>Twisted Nerve</i> 1968 film

Twisted Nerve is a 1968 British psychological thriller film directed by Roy Boulting and starring Hywel Bennett, Hayley Mills, Billie Whitelaw and Frank Finlay. The film follows a disturbed young man, Martin, who pretends, under the name of Georgie, to be intellectually impaired in order to be near Susan—a girl with whom he has become infatuated. Martin kills those who get in his way.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Naughton</span>

William John Francis Naughton was an Irish-born British playwright and author, best known for his play Alfie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avril Angers</span>

Florence Avril Angers was an English stand-up comedian and actress. The Daily Telegraph described her as "one of the most zestful, charming and reliable character comediennes in the postwar London theatre".

<i>Appointment with Death</i> (film) 1988 Poirot mystery film directed by Michael Winner

Appointment with Death is a 1988 American mystery film and sequel produced and directed by Michael Winner. Made by Golan-Globus Productions, the film is an adaptation of the 1938 Agatha Christie novel Appointment with Death featuring the detective Hercule Poirot. The screenplay was written by Winner as well as Peter Buckman and Anthony Shaffer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marjorie Rhodes</span>

Marjorie Rhodes was a British actress. She was born Millicent Wise in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Lion Films</span> Film production and distribution company

British Lion Films is a film production and distribution company active under several forms since 1919. Originally known as British Lion Film Corporation Ltd, it entered receivership on 1 June 1954. From 29 January 1955 to 1976, the company was known as British Lion Films Ltd, and was a pure distribution company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Comer</span> British actor

John Comer was a British comic actor. He was best known for his roles in Coronation Street as Mr Birtles, then as a taxi driver, and later as Wilf Jones, in Emmerdale Farm as Ernie Shuttleworth, Les Brandon in I Didn't Know You Cared, and cafe owner Sid in Last of the Summer Wine.

<i>The Truth About Spring</i> 1965 film by Richard Thorpe

The Truth about Spring is a 1965 American-British Technicolor adventure film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Hayley Mills, John Mills and James MacArthur. It is a romantic comedy adventure. It was released by Universal. According to Filmink "it tried to be a Disney-style adventure-romance, complete with another Disney alumni as lead and location filming (Spain), but did not work."

<i>Pretty Polly</i> (film) 1967 British film

Pretty Polly is a 1967 British comedy film directed by Guy Green and based on the short story Pretty Polly Barlow by Noël Coward. It stars Hayley Mills, Shashi Kapoor, Trevor Howard and Brenda De Banzie. The film is largely set in Singapore.

<i>Happy Is the Bride</i> 1958 British film

Happy Is the Bride is a 1958 black and white British comedy film written and directed by Roy Boulting and starring Ian Carmichael, Janette Scott, Cecil Parker, Terry-Thomas and Joyce Grenfell. It is based on the play Quiet Wedding by Esther McCracken, previously filmed in 1941.

<i>Mr. Forbush and the Penguins</i> 1971 British film

Mr. Forbush and the Penguins is a 1971 British comedy drama film, directed by Arne Sucksdorff, Alfred Viola and Roy Boulting. It stars John Hurt, Hayley Mills, Dudley Sutton and Tony Britton.

Take a Girl Like You is a 1970 British romantic comedy drama film directed by Jonathan Miller and starring Hayley Mills, Oliver Reed and Noel Harrison. Based on the 1960 novel Take a Girl Like You by Kingsley Amis, it was adapted by George Melly.

<i>Soft Beds, Hard Battles</i> 1974 film by John Boulting, Roy Boulting

Soft Beds, Hard Battles is a 1974 British comedy film directed by Roy Boulting, starring Peter Sellers, Curt Jurgens, Lila Kedrova and Jenny Hanley. Sellers reunited with the Boulting brothers for this farce, in which the women of a brothel help the war effort to rid the world of the Nazi peril - in the bedroom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All in Good Time (play)</span>

All in Good Time is a comic play by Bill Naughton based on his 1961 Armchair Theatre television play "Honeymoon Postponed". Originally produced at the Mermaid Theatre in 1963 in London, it subsequently transferred to the Phoenix Theatre, and then to Broadway, where it ran for 44 performances in February and March 1965. The Broadway cast included Donald Wolfit, Marjorie Rhodes and Richard Dysart. It received Tony Award Best Actress and Best Featured Actress nominations for Marjorie Rhodes and Alexandra Berlin.

References

  1. 1 2 Chapman, J. (2022). The Money Behind the Screen: A History of British Film Finance, 1945-1985. Edinburgh University Press p 219.
  2. ↑ "Big Rental Films of 1967", Variety, 3 January 1968 p 25. Please note these figures refer to rentals accruing to the distributors.
  3. 1 2 "The Family Way (1966)". BFI. Archived from the original on 14 July 2012.
  4. ↑ Honeymoon Postponed at IMDb
  5. 1 2 "The Family Way (1967) - Full Credits - TCM.com". Turner Classic Movies.
  6. ↑ America Scores Again RICHRDSON, MAURICE. The Observer 5 February 1961: 31.
  7. ↑ The pioneer, Crozier, Mary. The Guardian 7 March 1963: 7.
  8. ↑ Mermaid---Globe's Goodly Neighbor, Marks, Sally K. Los Angeles Times 25 June 1967: c25.
  9. ↑ ALL IN GOOD TIME' TO STAR PORTMAN: Comedy Hit in London Due at Lyceum on Nov. 23 Best New British Play Double Bill Closes Champion Signed By SAM ZOLOTOW. The New York Times 30 July 1963: 19
  10. ↑ The Theater: 'All in Good Time' Opens: Bill Naughton Comedy Is at the Royale By HOWARD TAUBMAN. The New York Times 19 February 1965: 25.
  11. ↑ ' All in Good Time' Joins List of Failing Imports, The New York Times 22 March 1965: 38.
  12. 1 2 Mills: Patriarch of Acting Family, Scheuer, Philip K. Los Angeles Times 6 December 1966: D22.
  13. ↑ Archer, Eugene (28 July 1963). "By Way of Report: Chaplin and Susskind and a 'President'". The New York Times. p. 75. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  14. ↑ Weiler, A.H. (28 February 1965). "Focus on 'Rotten' Crime in Britain". The New York Times. p. X9. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  15. 1 2 Bowling Over Mr. Boulting, Los Angeles Times 17 July 1967: c19.
  16. 1 2 Little Hayley Now Mature Miss Mills, Clifford, Terry. ;;Chicago Tribune;; 9 July 1967: f13.
  17. ↑ Hayley's Director Love of Her Life, Lesner, Sam. Los Angeles Times 6 July 1967: e13.
  18. ↑ men Administrator (19 April 2010). "Town is backdrop to so many films". men.
  19. ↑ Steve Howarth (8 September 2015). "Review: The Family Way @ Bolton Octagon". men.
  20. ↑ "Reel Streets". reelstreets.com.
  21. ↑ "The Family Way – Pinewood filming location". pinewoodgroup.com.
  22. ↑ A Major Blow to Hollywood, CROWTHER, BOSLEY. The New York Times 26 June 1966: D1.
  23. ↑ Mills, John (1981). Up in the clouds, gentlemen please . Penguin. p.  372. ISBN   9780140058277.
  24. ↑ Would Yor Believe a Hayley Mills 'For Aduls Only'? By REX REED. ;;New York Times;; 9 July 1967: 75.
  25. ↑ McLellan, Dennis (8 November 2001). "Roy Boulting, 87; British filmmaker also known for Hayley Mills romance". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  26. 1 2 Out of the family way, The Guardian 28 Jan 1972: 9.
  27. ↑ "Sean Connery tops the bill again". The Guardian Journal. 30 December 1967. p. 6.
  28. ↑ Where does British Lion go from here?, BOULTING, JOHN. The Guardian 4 Oct 1967: 14.
  29. ↑ Vagg, Stephen (19 March 2022). "Movie Star Cold Streaks: Hayley Mills". Filmink.
  30. ↑ Nudity in 'Family Way' Held Necessary to Plot, Dorothy Manners. The Washington Post and Times-Herald 31 July 1967: D10.
  31. ↑ Variety Staff (1 January 1967). "The Family Way".
  32. ↑ Bret, David (April 2007). Morrissey. ISBN   9781861059680.
  33. ↑ "I started something I couldn't finish – The Smiths". thesmiths.cat.
  34. ↑ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Strangeways, Here We Come". AllMusic.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.