The Family Way

This is not so much a movie as a filmed play. The acting is paramount in The Family Way, and I personally have never seen a more moving performance than the one John Mills gives here as Ezra Fitton, father of Arthur Fitton, Hywel Bennett's character who is newly wed to Jenny Piper, played by Hayley Mills. Marjorie Rhodes gives a superb performance as Arthur's mother. The emotion comes from the interplay of the characters, particularly the relationship between the two parents and between the father and his son.

The plot involves the travails of the young couple trying to get to know each other while still being forced, through economic necessity, to live with the parents. Arthur is a hyper-sensitive lad, out of place in the solidly working-class Fitton household. The father plainly doesn't know what to make of him and the two of them are verbally sparring throughout much of the picture.

Against this backdrop, the main storyline concerns the failure of the new marriage to "gel" in the words of Jenny's father as he tries unsuccessfully to explain the problem to Ezra. There is much social comedy along the way, but finally, the underlying story that explains the whole situation comes into focus, and the relationship between the father and son is suddenly illuminated.

The moment is incredibly moving and unforgettable and captures the essence of the father/son relationship in a way that I have never seen more eloquently expressed.

The big day has arrived and you're to wed, a union with young Jenny, conjugal bed, a honeymoon in Majorca (cancelled at the last minute), she really is a corker, but there's things spinning around inside your head. You're father doesn't help as he's a boor, while living in his house is such a chore, no escape on the horizon, and you're struggling to enliven, perform the ritual of love, ardour, l'amour. And now the world has been informed of your shortcoming, about the problem you've been having with your plumbing, you feel belittled and enraged, life was much easier when engaged, it's so unsavoury, unpleasant and unbecoming.

The trials and tribulations of a newly married couple and their irritating and interfering parents.

Young British working-class newlyweds are having trouble consummating their marriage whilst living with the in-laws, and it gets even worse when neighbors start speculating about the groom's "performance". A realistic play on a modern-day situation that is still timeless. The elders in this film are especially amazing, their roles full of dimension, though everyone here excels with the solid, no-frills screenplay. This is one of Hayley Mills' best movies, as she exhibits a strong, self-assured presence and lends nuances to every scene (she's captivating). Paul McCartney contributed the background score, and his main theme is lovely. A fine film. *** from ****

I saw this film last Friday night at an American Cinematheque screening in Los Angeles. It was my first time to see it, although I'd long been curious about it since McCartney provided the musical score.

The film was the second half of a double feature, paired with How I Won the War, and it was worth staying to see. McCartney's score is top notch, and it's a shame it's not available on CD. The film is based on a play, and it has the feel of watching a filmed stage production. There aren't a lot of different locations used for filming, and most of the action takes place in a house. This may not sound so interesting but the story and characters are worth following. Hayley Mills is wonderful and her father, John Mills, turns in a stellar performance as her husband's overbearing father. They don't make films like this anymore, which is too bad.

Note: The film has garnered a slight notoriety for a "nude" scene involving Hayley Mills. What this amounts to is a very brief shot of her holding a towel around herself and baring part of her backside. The shot is so brief that you will scratch your head wondering how this ever became even worthy of comment. I'd guess that this film would be rated "G" or at worst "PG" by American standards today, as it has no foul language, very little violence, and no on screen sex or nudity.

This film, although made before i was born is still one of my favorite films, Sir John Mills shows his best ever performance, i don't need to tell you the story as you've read the reviews above but the ending is still one of the most powerful i have ever seen, and humbles me to know its only words, fantastic.