Look Back in Anger (1959)

Look Back in Anger
Directed by Tony Richardson
Written by Nigel Kneale and John Osborne from Osborne’s play
1959/UK
Orion/Woodfall Film Productions
Repeat viewing/FilmStruck

[box] Alison Porter: [on bears and squirrels] Its sort of a silly symphony for people who can’t bear the pain of being human any longer.[/box]

Jimmy Porter was the first of Britain’s Angry Young Men.  In Richard Burton’s hands, he comes off less as a rebel and more as an abusive jerk.

Jimmy Porter is a university graduate but runs a sweets stall in the local open market.  The only person in the world he does not look down upon is ‘Ma’ Tanner (Edith Evans), the caring elderly Cockney who set him up in business.  He has nothing but contempt for authority, the upper middle classes, the middle classes, conventional morality, and most especially for his upper-crust wife Alison (Mary Ure) and her friends and family.  He lives in squalor with Alison and his buddy Cliff.  He spends most of his time there raging at Alison for her origins, though sometimes his abuse grows more physical.  In rare moments, we can see how sexually passionate the couple is.  Jimmy plays the trumpet, loudly, anytime he feels particularly angry or sexy.

The gentle Alison is at the end of her rope and then discovers she is pregnant.  She invites Helena (Claire Bloom), a stage actress and old friend to stay so she will have someone to talk to.  Jimmy and Helena hate each other.  Helena convinces Alison to go home to her parents to await the baby.  On the other hand, Helena has no intention of leaving the flat.  With Donald Pleasence as a really unpleasant market inspector.

This story only really works if the viewer can find some kind of sympathy for Jimmy as a kind of confused lost youth trying to make his way through a messed-up world.  Unfortunately, the 35-year-old Burton seems to be so inflexible that you can’t even believe you could play the jazz trumpet.  He is so much in command he comes off as just a bully and the many fights are painful to watch.

The film does have some high spots.  One of them is the touching, pitch-perfect performance of Edith Evans.  Another is Tony Richardson’s use of the camera.  The scenes in the market in particular reveal a New-Wave style freedom that is pretty great.

American Trailer