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Product Description
Classic 1960s realist drama based on the play by Shelagh Delaney. Abandoned by her sailor boyfriend and her man-hungry mother (Dora Bryan), pregnant Manchester teenager Jo (Rita Tushingham) thinks she might have to face life's difficulties all alone. Help then comes in the form of a kind-hearted gay man named Geoffrey (Murray Melvin), who moves in and takes care of her; the two find happiness together, but soon life moves on....
Product Description
United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), WIDESCREEN (1.66:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Black & White, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: Director Tony Richardson adapted the screenplay of A Taste of Honey from the "kitchen sink" stage play by Shelagh Delaney. Rita Tushingham plays a working-class British teenager, living with her drink-sodden, libertine mother Dora Bryan. Denied affection by her selfish mother, Tushingham is pushed further in the background when Bryan impulsively marries her latest boyfriend Robert Stephens. The girl takes a job at a shoe store, then moves in with her kindly homosexual employer Murray Melvin. The two lost souls live in harmony until Tushingham becomes pregnant after a casual affair with black sailor Paul Danquah. Melvin comes to the rescue by offering to look after the baby. This relatively blissful state of affairs is short-lived; before long, Tushingham's hateful mother, having been kicked out by Stephens, descends upon her daughter and her "family," with all her debilitating emotional baggage intact. A poignant denouement caps this riveting slice-of-life drama. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: BAFTA Awards, Cannes Film Festival, ...A Taste of Honey (1961)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
54 of 56 people found the following review helpful
By Geoff Knight
Format:DVD
Shot mainly on location in the cities of Salford and Manchester, this gritty 1961 film by Tony Richardson, based on the play by Shelagh Delaney, deals with what were the sensitive subjects of the time namely, mixed race relationships, homosexuality and teenage pregnancy. Jo, who is first seen as an awkward schoolgirl,lives with her somewhat wayward and sluttish mother, Helen, who has an eye for the men and seems always to be one step ahead of the rent man. Jo meets and falls for a young black sailor, Jimmy, whilst mother Helen agrees to marry local business shark Peter, who has an eye for the ladies. Following an aborted trip to Blackpool from which Jo returns alone early, she meets up with her new boyfriend and spends the night with him.
Helen returning the following day packs her bag and leaves to get married and move to bungalow with her new found husband. Jo, on her own not for the first time, finds her own place to live and a job in a local shoeshop. She subsequently meets Geoff, a kind and gentle gay student who has been evicted from his lodgings because of his sexuality. Geoff is invited to move in with Jo and in essence becomes a substitute mother to her especially when she reveals she is pregnant to a "black prince". Although Geoff has feelings for Jo she rejects his advances and his offer of marriage "for the babys sake". Despite their apparant happiness together the peace is shattered by the return of Helen to look after her daughter in her hour of need, resulting in Geoffs timely and prudent departure.
Helen returning the following day packs her bag and leaves to get married and move to bungalow with her new found husband. Jo, on her own not for the first time, finds her own place to live and a job in a local shoeshop. She subsequently meets Geoff, a kind and gentle gay student who has been evicted from his lodgings because of his sexuality. Geoff is invited to move in with Jo and in essence becomes a substitute mother to her especially when she reveals she is pregnant to a "black prince". Although Geoff has feelings for Jo she rejects his advances and his offer of marriage "for the babys sake". Despite their apparant happiness together the peace is shattered by the return of Helen to look after her daughter in her hour of need, resulting in Geoffs timely and prudent departure.
This film portrays all the prejudices of the time but whilst pointed is also poignant.
... Read more ›14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By D. Quintas
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I was a girl in the 60s and this film reflects this era very well. Rita Tushingham is excellent as is Dora Bryan. In fact the portrayal of the style, time and expectations is as I remember it. And we think that dysfunctional families are a sign of these times, watch this film to be reminded that it was happening then.
41 of 43 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This film defines the beginning of the sixties, with Britain emerging out of the long years of postwar austerity, and as such, is useful for students of postwar history as well as cultural studies. More than anything, it depicts, without romanticism, the working class ! The pub scenes and a crowded Blackpool depict a bygone age when youth culture was becoming available to all, technology hadn't wiped out people's jobs and much of the Victorian housing hadn't been cleared in favour of housing blocks.
For people now in their 20s and 30s, this film marks the start of "our time" - which could mean single parenthood, awkward adolescence and materialism - amongst other things... and I'm sure our heroine Jo would make a good mother, in her own way. Does she remind anyone of their own mother? Time has aged this film like a classic wine.
Whilst the film doesn't romanticise the people involved, it is certainly a film with a sweeping romantic current. Expression of this is through the powerful and consuming but often clumsy, doomed relationships depicted in the film. Arguably this is the first and last social(ist) realist love films.
Salford does look pretty grim in this film, littered with smokestacks and factories, but there is so much depth in the performances of Murray Melvin, Rita Tushingham and especially Dora Bryan, that an eventual view of the city emerges as a human, even compassionate place.
Of course if the director and writer had set out to make such an epoch-defining film it wouldn't have happened. But it appears they stumbled into making what I would argue is one of the finest British films ever made.
39 of 41 people found the following review helpful
By Robert Dahl
Format:DVD
A TASTE OF HONEY is one of the defining films of the early 60s British New Wave. Rita Tushingham and Dora Bryan are absolutely marvelous in this film.
I treasure my DVD from the British Film Institute -- not only does it provide subtitles to the film, but there is also a hilarious commentary track by none other than Rita and Dora (with some additional comments by Murray Melvin, recorded separately).
I have nothing against this new DVD, released by Optimum Home Entertainment, but if you can find a copy of BFI's release, you'll be glad you did.
I treasure my DVD from the British Film Institute -- not only does it provide subtitles to the film, but there is also a hilarious commentary track by none other than Rita and Dora (with some additional comments by Murray Melvin, recorded separately).
I have nothing against this new DVD, released by Optimum Home Entertainment, but if you can find a copy of BFI's release, you'll be glad you did.
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By FAMOUS NAME
VINE™ VOICE
Format:DVD
Certainly one of the greatest, well-acclaimed and most significant pictures to come out of the early 1960s.
'A Taste Of Honey' is about a young teenage girl (Rita Tushingham) who's just left school and looking to 'escape' the unhappy and unfulfilled life she's had with her neglecting and man-loving mother. (Dora Bryan)
This film made Rita Tushingham a star, who then went on to make several more well-acclaimed movies during the 60s which saw the peak of her career. This also stars Murray Melvin, who plays the 'gay friend' of Tushingham's character, and at a time when such a role was something new, and pretty daring! When I was to ask Murray to talk about his making of the film and his role some thirty years later, (he was still being asked about it) he replied by saying that if he was to respond to all those who still wished to know more of how he felt about the role, he would have little time for anything else - and one can see why!
Every star in this surpasses themselves and with a great script this just had to be one of Britains biggest successes winning at the Cannes Film Festival.
Great stuff!
TRIVIA: Supposedly features Hazel Blears the MP as an extra at aged just five - but I don't spot her...
'A Taste Of Honey' is about a young teenage girl (Rita Tushingham) who's just left school and looking to 'escape' the unhappy and unfulfilled life she's had with her neglecting and man-loving mother. (Dora Bryan)
This film made Rita Tushingham a star, who then went on to make several more well-acclaimed movies during the 60s which saw the peak of her career. This also stars Murray Melvin, who plays the 'gay friend' of Tushingham's character, and at a time when such a role was something new, and pretty daring! When I was to ask Murray to talk about his making of the film and his role some thirty years later, (he was still being asked about it) he replied by saying that if he was to respond to all those who still wished to know more of how he felt about the role, he would have little time for anything else - and one can see why!
Every star in this surpasses themselves and with a great script this just had to be one of Britains biggest successes winning at the Cannes Film Festival.
Great stuff!
TRIVIA: Supposedly features Hazel Blears the MP as an extra at aged just five - but I don't spot her...
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simple, subtle, poetic
A Taste of Honey (Tony Richardson, 1961, 100')
An exemplar of a gritty genre of British film that has come to be called kitchen sink realism. Read more
An exemplar of a gritty genre of British film that has come to be called kitchen sink realism. Read more
Published 25 days ago by Dr René Codoni
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Movie Great Kitchen Sink Drama
Just so very much of its time. Acting is great and the atmosphere grey and gritty. If you are in the mood for happiness and froth, this is not for you. Read more
Published 1 month ago by ameroscot
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Flashback in time
I loved the way that this film takes you back to what life was like in the early 60's it gives a good insight as to what peoples attitudes were to a pregnant schoolgirl and her gay... Read more
Published 1 month ago by mrs josephine vickers
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Taste of Honey
DVD arrived before date stated - excellent! Packaging was good, easy to open and to get at goods within. I Loved the film, good picture quality and everything was excellent. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Helen Thompson
4.0 out of 5 stars
A classic play.
Delaney's play is depicted brilliantly in this film, with Bryan, Stephens, Melvin and especially Tushingham producing superb performances in the context of the depressing... Read more
Published 3 months ago by John A. Roberts
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great film to go with script
Students have really enjoyed this DVD and the support it has offered them in understanding the play. They were surprised that they could 'enjoy' a black and white film
Published 5 months ago by Mrs. Eloise Howarth
5.0 out of 5 stars
a taste of honey dvd
a very good film had it on video but got broke then i saw it on dvd watched it bout a dozen times already it was a real good bargain and had no trouble off the seller would... Read more
Published 12 months ago by kaz
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great taste of honey
Saw this film many moons ago. Still as great as I remember with a great cast. The delivery of the package was fast and efficient too. Well done and Thanks
Published 16 months ago by Mrs. C. Lea
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good
This play/ screenplay is definitely dated. I failed to find very much to laugh about. No doubt groundbreaking in its time, given the number of awards it won. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Jules
5.0 out of 5 stars
PURE NECTAR
I love this 1961 film Its superbly written,casted and directed.Its grim urban scenes and characters etched backgrounds make this film both fascinating and memorable. Read more
Published 19 months ago by alana
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