In 1956, John Osborne wrote his play "Look Back in Anger," which was a turning point in British drama in examining class revolt and changing social conditions in England in the post war years. But while Osborne's play is now virtually forgotten as a "kitchen sink" period piece, "Room at the Top," which examines similar issues in the film medium, has stood the test of time.
Laurence Harvey stars as the social climber from humble origins, a role that is the reincarnation of Osborne's "angry young man" Jimmy Porter in "Look Back in Anger." Porter succeeds in marrying a woman above his social rank, then abuses her. But as portrayed by Harvey, the character of Joe Lampton is much more complex, as his driving ambition to win the hand of the daughter of an influential industrialist is balanced by his soulful connection to an older married woman.
The self-loathing of Lampton is apparent throughout, as he constantly humiliated by his social superiors. Possibly the worst abuse comes from his future mother-in-law, who is dripping in contempt for what she perceives as a commoner. In the process, Joe becomes nearly as tortured as Raymond Shaw, the protagonist of "The Manchurian Candidate," for which Laurence Harvey will always be remembered.
In the portrayal of the younger woman named Susan, Heather Sears is outstanding for her naivety and cheerful optimism in the attraction she feels for Joe Lampton. But it is in the interpretation of the older woman, Alice Aisgill, that the film will always be remembered for the transcendent performance of Simone Signoret.
Signoret's portrayal of Alice as the vulnerable French expatriate in a loveless marriage to a British highbrow is almost a mirror image of the social misfit Lampton. The characters bond in their common ground as outsiders in the claustrophobic British class system in the fictional town of Warnley. In virtually all of her scenes, Signoret is magnetic in her sensitivity, as especially apparent in her eyes.
Every viewer will have his or her favorite scene in this film. For me, it is moment in the cottage where Joe and Alice have escaped to an idyllic seaside retreat where they rush into the house out of the rain. Joe offers Alice a cigarette, but she refuses. She tells him that she wishes to abstain for smoking and drinking during their holiday for she wants each of their moments together to remain "clear and sharp" in her memory. This unforgettable moment could only be realized by a performer of Signoret's abilities.
Led by Signoret, Harvey, and a stellar cast of British actors, this old-style black-and-white film with the rapid-fire pacing and wrenching emotional ending rises to the top as one of the great cinematic experiences of the second half of the twentieth century.
Laurence Harvey stars as the social climber from humble origins, a role that is the reincarnation of Osborne's "angry young man" Jimmy Porter in "Look Back in Anger." Porter succeeds in marrying a woman above his social rank, then abuses her. But as portrayed by Harvey, the character of Joe Lampton is much more complex, as his driving ambition to win the hand of the daughter of an influential industrialist is balanced by his soulful connection to an older married woman.
The self-loathing of Lampton is apparent throughout, as he constantly humiliated by his social superiors. Possibly the worst abuse comes from his future mother-in-law, who is dripping in contempt for what she perceives as a commoner. In the process, Joe becomes nearly as tortured as Raymond Shaw, the protagonist of "The Manchurian Candidate," for which Laurence Harvey will always be remembered.
In the portrayal of the younger woman named Susan, Heather Sears is outstanding for her naivety and cheerful optimism in the attraction she feels for Joe Lampton. But it is in the interpretation of the older woman, Alice Aisgill, that the film will always be remembered for the transcendent performance of Simone Signoret.
Signoret's portrayal of Alice as the vulnerable French expatriate in a loveless marriage to a British highbrow is almost a mirror image of the social misfit Lampton. The characters bond in their common ground as outsiders in the claustrophobic British class system in the fictional town of Warnley. In virtually all of her scenes, Signoret is magnetic in her sensitivity, as especially apparent in her eyes.
Every viewer will have his or her favorite scene in this film. For me, it is moment in the cottage where Joe and Alice have escaped to an idyllic seaside retreat where they rush into the house out of the rain. Joe offers Alice a cigarette, but she refuses. She tells him that she wishes to abstain for smoking and drinking during their holiday for she wants each of their moments together to remain "clear and sharp" in her memory. This unforgettable moment could only be realized by a performer of Signoret's abilities.
Led by Signoret, Harvey, and a stellar cast of British actors, this old-style black-and-white film with the rapid-fire pacing and wrenching emotional ending rises to the top as one of the great cinematic experiences of the second half of the twentieth century.