Customer Reviews

The Chain [1985] [DVD]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The story of a gang of moving men in London. Warren Mitchell is on great form as the mover who reads and quotes Plato, Aristotle and the Greek philosophers to his long suffering workmates.

Really a series of comic stories. At each house they go to they encounter one of the seven deadly sins, Lust, envy, greed, anger etc.. As they encounter them the moving men led by Warren Mitchell smooth out the problems and keep the chain moving.....

I will say no more I don't want to spoil the film by giving away too much.

Well worth buying. Warren Mitchell plays the part as only he can. I consider this to be one of my all time great comedies. I cant wait for it to be released in the USA .

I loved this little British comedy when I hired it 25 years ago. I decided to buy it recently and found it just as amusing. A well thought out story which includes everything that could possibly go wrong on house moving day. It is also a wonderful insight into the human psyche.

An old favourite of mine. If the only time you ever laugh at moving house, this is it. A fantastic cast playing typically real characters; I have experienced such a mix in my personal life! This has to be one of the great gems of all time and should have a place in everyone's collection. I would give it more than five stars if I could.

A friend and I both remembered this film when we were discussing a third friend's impending house move. I checked and it was made in 1985. Another check of Amazon found the DVD which was delivered within a few days in the run up to Christmas. The film did not disappoint and was every bit as good as we had remembered for 26 years.

It is astonishing that this film has had so little coverage over the years. It is a genius, gentle comedy, beautifully observed and played; Jack Rosenthal at his best.

I knew this film of old, my sister in law is the tramp who links all the various scenario. The subject matter doesn't date and the characterisations are superb. Look out for other well known faces in unfamiliar guises. Well worth watching.

Yes,OK, it's a knockabout British comedy about moving house. But it's also, for those with eyes and an affinity for metaphor, a profound meditation on the chain of being, the arc (and circle!) of life from youth to old age, the seven deadly sins and the law of consequence (or karma as they call it some places). Without spoiling it for newcomers, I'll point to at least a few of the master strokes of form and construction that are testimony to the film's genius: the bag lady (with *nowhere* to live) whose appearance frames the action; the fact that the action takes place in a single day (mirroring life progressing from dawn to sunset); the self constructed fantasies that surround the characters and between them persuade us to accept that "all human life is here", and at the same time "all is vanity".

So much wisdom, so much compassion. Obeisance to Mr Rosenthal. A masterpiece that only deepens with repeated viewing and reflection. And Warren Mitchell's great line:" I remember openin' me marf, but I don' remember nuffin' comin' aht". "The Chain" - after all the words I just expended - leaves me, when I really let it, similarly speechless.

Searched for this for so many years, so was delighted to find it at last. A simple story of every day people moving house in London, the characters have travelled through time, as real today as they were when it was made. This film was a joy to watch and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves people and people watching.

Thoroughly entertaining film and I absolutely love the pilot of Moving Story that is included here. Had watched Moving Story when it was orginally on. Wish they would release the rest as we have now had a taster on this dics. The Chain is full of interesting characters and good insight into all the stress moving house can bring. I'm not a great film watcher as I get bored with long drawn out films...but this is not one of them. This kept my interest all the way along! I would recommend this to anyone. You will have a smile on your face all the way through!

The movie is excellent saw it on TV when in the UK many years ago.Bought the VHS(which was really PAL) format there but it won't play on US players.,Had it transferred to US VHS,which was fine, but no longer have a VHS player, tried to have my VHS transferred to a CD but can't get anyone to do it because it is a copy written work. So when I saw the CD on Amazon, I assumed it would play in my US Cd players, BUT It won't. I can watch it on the computer, but that isn't what I had in mind. So far this movie has cost me well over a $100 USD. not happy about that
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