The Family Way (1966)

It's been forgotten that "The Family Way" caused a near-scandal when it was made in 1966, partly because of its unusually frank subject (impotence and possible homosexuality), but also because of the nude scene in which Hayley's behind is exposed. We think of the Sixties as being swinging, anything-goes, but 50-some years ago bottom nudity was rare outside of the Continent. Profanity such as "hell" and "damn" were forbidden on TV. This movie narrowly escaped receiving a "Condemned" rating from the Catholic Film Board, which sound humorous now but at the time was a serious matter, as it would make it a sin for a Catholic to see it and it would be one step away from being considered pornography. Many theatres would not have shown a "Condemned" film. The Boultings, who were noted for social commentary in their films, argued that the nudity was essential to the story (isn't it always) since it showed the cramped and substandard state of housing that was a reality for many British people: no proper bathroom, an outhouse in the back yard. The film board relented and gave it the next lowest rating: "Morally Objectionable in Part for All". Times change, and not only would the story be featured in any TV sitcom today, but TCM showed the movie in its entirety, unblurred naked behind and all, on morning television. And the year after the release of "The Family Way" the Catholic Film Board voted as its best film of the year "Bonnie and Clyde". Things do change!

This is a 'quiet' film that holds up well. Bill Naughton had two successful films close together, Alfie, with Michael Caine, and The Family Way with John Mills playing father-in-law to his real life daughter Hayley. Though not boasting quite the ensemble cast of Alfie it does well with Marjorie Rhodes, Avril angers, Liz Fraser, Barry Foster etc and offers an almost perfectly balanced mixture of laughter and tears among the working class of Bolton. Due to a combination of circumstances newly-wed Hywel Bennett is unable to consummate his marriage to Hayley Mills, a situation that persists for some ten weeks and finally comes to a head when virtually everyone and his Uncle Max is in on the quasi scandal. With scarcely a duff performance throughout this is a fine example of Northern grit.

1966 was a busy year for writer Bill Naughton. In addition to Lewis Gilbert's 'Alfie' ( starring Michael Caine ), he also penned this wonderful, warm Boulting Brothers' comedy - based on his play 'All In Good Time' - a late addition to the cycle of 'kitchen sink' movies that began with 'Saturday Night & Sunday Morning' ( 1960 ). It opens on the wedding day of Lancashire couple Jenny Piper ( Hayley Mills ) and Arthur Fitton ( Hywel Bennett ). Things do not go right for them from the word go: the local travel agent ( Colin Gordon ) goes bust, losing them their honeymoon money, Arthur is beaten in an arm wrestling contest by his tanked-up father Ezra ( John Mills ), loud mouthed Joe Thompson ( Barry Foster ) plays a crude practical joke which results in the couples' bed collapsing as soon as they get into it, and worse, Arthur is stricken with impotence. News of his condition gets out, and he becomes the laughing stock of the street...Hard to believe now, but this was considered controversial back in its day. The fuss stemmed from a short scene in which Mills is seen taking a bath in the Fittons' kitchen. American audiences were used to seeing the actress in wholesome Disney pictures such as 'Pollyanna' and 'The Parent Trap' so the sight of her naked derrière on the big screen must have come as a shock. The performances are uniformly excellent; as well as Hayley and Bennett, there's John Mills as 'Ezra'. He hates seeing his son trying to improve his mind through reading and listening to Beethoven, and openly says so. Ezra is obsessed by his childhood friend 'Billy Stringfellow' whom he even took along on his honeymoon ( it is inferred that Billy once had a fling with Ezra's wife Lucy, and may in fact be Arthur's true father ) and talks about him constantly. Wilfred Pickles, John Comer, Avril Angers, Murray Head, Liz Fraser, Diana Coupland, Fanny Carby and Kathy Staff provide strong support, but for me the stand out performance comes from Marjorie Rhodes as Arthur's mother. Her exchanges with Ezra are priceless. Worried that the increasing Chinese population might cause a global food shortage, he says: "Someone should tell them to stop it!" to which she replies: "Why don't you? They might take notice!".Though primarily a comedy it manages to be incredibly poignant at times. There is an excellent sequence in which the impotent Arthur goes for a walk only to be bombarded by images promoting sex. Needless to say, everything works out well at the end, and Ezra gets to deliver one of the best final lines of any movie ever.Paul McCartney wrote the score. Unsurprisingly, some of it has a Beatles feel. One track, in particular, evokes 'Eleanor Rigby'.Mills and Bennett were reunited two years later for another Boulting Brothers picture - the very different 'Twisted Nerve'.

Bittersweet comedy-romance starring Hywel Bennett as projectionist Arthur Fitton and his pretty wife Jenny Fitton (Hayley Mills) Unable to afford their own place, Arthur and Jenny are staying with Arthur's parents, Dad (John Mills) and Mum (Marjorie Rhodes) Arthur and Jenny are desperate to consummate their marriage, but the thin walls of the Fitton household make this impossible and Jenny is anything but in 'The Family Way.' Anxious to be 'of help' is Arthur's brother (Murray Head) and cinema boss(Barry Foster) Wilfred Pickles as Jenny's Uncle (an SRN) provides essential fatherly advice. Music 'Love In The Open Air' by Paul McCartney adds beautifully to the enjoyment of this film. British film-making at its best