In Celebration

This film reminds me of the Monty Python sketch featuring old Yorkshireman trying to complete as to who had the worst childhood. This film consists of the brothers of the family bickering with each other and their parents. Yawn.

'In Celebration' is not my favourite of the plays adapted on film for the American Film Theatre series. Do prefer the ones with more complex characterisation and the ones with more of an emotional core, such as 'The Iceman Cometh' and 'Three Sisters'. As a play, 'In Celebration' is still very good and very interesting. It is hard to resist such great actors, such as Alan Bates, James Bolam and Brian Cox, and a fine director in Lindsay Anderson.

As far as the American Film Theatre films go, 'In Celebration' is not one of the best. It's not 'The Iceman Cometh', 'The Homecoming' and 'Butley'. It is still in the better half in a film series where most were in the middling category, and something of a relief after being very underwhelmed by 'Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris' shortly beforehand. It's not perfect, but it is still incredibly well acted (a common strength in the series) and intelligently staged.

Shall get the not so good things out of the way. Nothing is done terribly but some things work better than others. Like most other films in the American Film Theatre series, the stage origins are obvious and not a lot is done opening the action up in such an intimate setting and while much of the stage direction is very intelligent with the character dynamics it's a little on the safe side.

The ending, and this is true of the play itself actually, is abrupt and it also feels incomplete. It at times drags in the talkier sections and the suspense could have been more.

Like pretty much all the American Film Theatre films, the best component of 'In Celebration' is the acting. Bates' hard hitting performance is justifiably lauded, but Bolam and particularly Cox are also splendid and should not be overlooked. Anderson directs with a lot of intelligence and stays loyal to the spirit and details of the play beautifully on the whole. The film is nicely shot and the intimate setting doesn't always come over as over-confined.

Furthermore, the drama is more often than not very harrowing and moving, especially when the already richly drawn characters are more troubled. The script is wry and thoughtful and captures beautifully and the characters' complexities (namely the most troubled Steven). Christopher Gunning's score is unobtrusive and subtle enough, allowing the atmosphere created by the performances to speak.

Overall, not perfect but there is a lot to be impressed by and celebrate. 7/10.

A very slow and extremely tedious film about a Yorkshire family reuniting up north to celebrate their parents anniversary.

Unfortunately, it's not filmed in Yorkshire, and there's not a real Yorkshire accent to be heard anywhere! Even old 'Compo' couldn't convince anyone he was a Yorkshireman... maybe because he was actually a southerner!

Strangely the classic film "Brassed Off" is a better portrayal of Yorkshire folk in an old mining village, and one of the stars was Scottish!

There are brief moments of good acting from the all star cast, but they are few and far between in this bore of a movie.

If you are looking for some of the wonderful off kilter charm of Lindsey Anderson's other films, you might be disappointed with this. If you are able to respond to great filmed theater along the lines of "Glengarry Glen Ross," "Long Day's Journey Into Night," Olivier's "Othello" and indeed the American Film Theater's great movie "The Homecoming", you may go all the way with this one, which I found a deeply moving experience.

Storey's play has some odd parallels to Pinter's "Homecoming" (a comic horror story of family that is perhaps the best of the brief life of the American Film Theater series) and perhaps primed by that film

I was sort of waiting for something bitter or freakish to occur for about the first half. But it is Storey's purpose to illustrate that even among families of great love and decency, dark secrets and bitter resentments can brew.

The film brings much humor and intensity to the subject. It's a thing of beauty. Critically

the affection Storey has for his characters never slips into sentimentality. This movie was a

big discovery for me. Give it a shot and see what you think.

This is old school acting so redolent of the British stage during its 'angry young man' heyday. Bolam simmers throughout and does more with a body posture than other modern actors do with a facial expression; Cox ruminates throughout, a beautiful portrayal of a soul in torment; and Bates gesticulates, explodes and with sheer energy of purpose drives this drama. This is acting of the highest order. Yes it's stagey - it was written for the stage! But Anderson takes us up close and personal mirroring the claustrophobia of the subject matter - a family crippled by the past and barely able to cover the cracks. The director makes us feel like we are part of the room and it is uncomfortable but compulsive viewing.