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Amazon.co.uk Review
The Family Way is a curiosity, a film that straddles two eras. Set in a tight-knit, Northern, working-class community, it harks back to 1950s' British cinema. There are characters here--for instance, John Mill's beer-quaffing patriarch or Wilfred Pickles' Uncle Fred--who wouldn't look out of place in an Ealing comedy. The screenplay by Bill Naughton (who also wrote Alfie) mines the same vein of whimsical, but well-observed character-based humour that you find in films such as Passport to Pimlico and Whisky Galore. Yet it deals with certain subjects that Ealing would never go near--namely the sex lives of its protagonists. The benighted hero is Arthur Fitton (Hywel Bennett), a shaggy-haired young local lad who has just wed the beautiful Jenny (Hayley Mills), but is having difficulty consummating the relationship. He's living at home, and is at odds with his father (John Mills), with whom, in the film's most memorable set-piece, he has an epic arm wrestling bout.
Director/producer team Roy and John Boulting never quite fulfilled their potential. In the 40s, they made such ground-breaking films as Graham Greene's Brighton Rock and Fame is the Spur, a story of a young politician who loses his idealism and reforming zeal the closer he moves to the heart of the establishment. In the 50s, they too seemed to lose their ambition, turning to light comedy. The Family Way, which boasts music by Paul McCartney, makes some witty points about the clash between youngsters growing up in the not-so-permissive 60s and their parents (who think they're spoiled rotten) but hardly ranks with their best work. --Geoffrey Macnab
Product Description
United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Mono ), WIDESCREEN (1.66:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: This gently farcical British comedy stars Hayley Mills and Hywel Bennett as Jenny and Arthur, a young couple who have just gotten married. However, while both of them are filled with anticipation for their honeymoon, a practical joke played by their "friends" causes their bed to collapse just as they're about to consummate their relationship. Through a variety of misfortunes, they end up spending the night at the home of Arthur's parents, where nervousness and a certain lack of privacy make it difficult for them to enjoy their first night together as they'd wish. While a bit of frank language and some fleeting nudity by former child star Hayley Mills generated a certain amount of controversy upon first release, by today's standards The Family Way is more easily seen as the compassionate relationship comedy its creators intended. The Family Way is also of note to Beatles fans as the first film scored by Paul McCartney.; SCREENED/AWARDED AT: San Sebastian International Film Festival, ...The Family Way
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Humour with a heart,
By JIM DOYLE (PORTSMOUTH United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Family Way [VHS] (VHS Tape)
Like a good wine, THE FAMILY WAY actually improves with age and like the afforesaid wine, leaves you with a nice glow at the end in a way that films of today seldom do. Originally seen on British cinema screens early in 1967, this Bill (Alfie) Naughton scripted affair was one of the many excellent films produced by the Boulting Brothers and it was very much a film of the 60s breakthrough period with its frank, but sensitively handled, central theme of impotence. The story of a young couple's bid to get their marriage right after a disastrous wedding night is warm, touching and very funny in places with excellent performances from a stock British cast that includes Wilfrid Pickles, Barry Foster, Liz Fraser, Murray Head, John Comer and Hywel Bennett and a grown up Hayley Mills as the couple. The best lines however are from John Mills as the archetypal Northern male whose inability to grasp the problems going on around him make this his finest character acting hour. Thespian honours are stolen by Marjorie Rhodes as his long suffering wife who makes us laugh then makes us cry and makes us think. Beautifully shot in a way that captures the grit and charm of the North Country and with music by Paul McCartney - this is definitely one to spend an evening at home with. TRIVIA POINT - Look out for Windsor (It Ain't Half Hot) Davies getting one line in a crowd scene
41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I can't recommened it highly enough!,
By Pagan Mummy "Bamby" (Britain) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Family Way [DVD] (DVD)
I wasn't born when this film was made and was a teenager when I first saw it on tv in the 80's. I fell in love with it and for some reason the film stayed with me. Everytime it was shown on tv (albeit very rarely) I had to watch it!
As soon as I saw it was being released I pre-ordered it. My dvd finally arrived last weekend and it was watched almost immediately. My love for it hasn't changed - it's FABULOUS!! The writing is so brilliant, the acting is spot-on and the atmosphere of the 60's is caught superbly. If I never buy another dvd again, it doesn't matter, because I've finally got this one. Go on, buy it, you really won't regret it!
41 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"That's life; one day it'll make you cry.",
By
This review is from: The Family Way [DVD] (DVD)
Jenny and Arthur (Hayley Mills and Hywel Bennet) are newlyweds, spending their honeymoon in his parents' home. With a nosey family and paper-thin walls, the couple has no privacy and cannot consummate their marriage. As time goes by, they discover, to their horror, that the whole town is gossiping about their delicate problem.
This comedy/drama is gentle and sweet and has sympathetic performances by all. Mills leaves behind the perky child she played in her early films; here she's a sensible and mature bride and even shows off her bum. Bennet is memorable as the intense and miserable husband; but the real stars of the film are John Mills and Marjorie Rhodes who play Arthur's working-class parents. They give remarkably compelling performances and bring real depth to the story, adding a painful subplot from their own newlywed days. Their stoic characters aren't accustomed to talking about emotions, but their devotion to one another is never in doubt. The location filming in Bolton gives a gritty, honest feel to the film, and the busybody neighbors add good humor. I heartily recommend this touching story with first-rate acting and a soundtrack by Paul McCartney.
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