I hope that during time that this film is not doctored for political correctness and doesn't fall victim to culture correction.
This was an X rated film back in 1968, but that only applied to those under 16.
The film deals with many social issues of the day and could very well have been used an educationally focusing on some of the things life had to offer to young people leaving school at 15/16.
I was 17 and totally oblivious to much that was portrayed in the film, in fact films like this were regard as "mucky or "dirty". Most of these kitchen sink films suffered in the same way (Taste of Honey, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, A Kind of Loving, et al).
The film is very strong and of good quality considering it is well over 50 years old (it was downloaded from Talking Pictures).
Unlike many dramas of today, there is nothing gratuitous. The viewer is left to work things out for themselves. Good script and direction hammers home a lot of what is unseen.
There is an interesting technique used occasionally which I can only describe as grotesque; loud and bawdy close ups of people having drunken "fun" and focusing particularly on women with bright red lipstick. It really gets the point over that all this revelry is a smokescreen to compensate for their miserable lives.
The one thing that I think could have been included is a more specific explanation as to why Polly turned her back on a privileged life in favour of one south of the river.
How did she end up? I wonder. Did she stay in Battersea or return to her sheltered and safe existence back in Chelsea.
This was an X rated film back in 1968, but that only applied to those under 16.
The film deals with many social issues of the day and could very well have been used an educationally focusing on some of the things life had to offer to young people leaving school at 15/16.
I was 17 and totally oblivious to much that was portrayed in the film, in fact films like this were regard as "mucky or "dirty". Most of these kitchen sink films suffered in the same way (Taste of Honey, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, A Kind of Loving, et al).
The film is very strong and of good quality considering it is well over 50 years old (it was downloaded from Talking Pictures).
Unlike many dramas of today, there is nothing gratuitous. The viewer is left to work things out for themselves. Good script and direction hammers home a lot of what is unseen.
There is an interesting technique used occasionally which I can only describe as grotesque; loud and bawdy close ups of people having drunken "fun" and focusing particularly on women with bright red lipstick. It really gets the point over that all this revelry is a smokescreen to compensate for their miserable lives.
The one thing that I think could have been included is a more specific explanation as to why Polly turned her back on a privileged life in favour of one south of the river.
How did she end up? I wonder. Did she stay in Battersea or return to her sheltered and safe existence back in Chelsea.