This film version of John Osborne’s landmark play stars Richard Burton as ‘angry young man’ Jimmy Porter, the brooding misogynist trapped in a dreary Midlands town and raging against the fossilised state of British society.
Jimmy is an intelligent, though emotionally unstable, young man who owns a Midlands sweet stall with his husky, uninhibited pal, Cliff (Gary Raymond).
Jimmy, who spends some of his time playing the trumpet at local “hops,” is married to Alison (Mary Ure), the sensitive and beautiful daughter of Colonel Redfern, a former Indian Army man. But his anger at class prejudice causes him to forget the sacrifice Alison had made by becoming his wife.
Cliff shares the Porters’ drab abode and quietly resents Jimmy’s ill-treatment of Alison.
Ma Tanner (Edith Evans), an old Cockney who had given Jimmy his start, visits them, and Jimmy, unaware that Alison is pregnant, thinks Alison is inconsiderate towards Ma. Jimmy’s fury intensifies upon learning that Alison has invited her actress friend, Helena (Claire Bloom), to stay with them.
Helena, caustic and superior, rounds on Jimmy, and Alison, completely browned off, returns to her parents when Jimmy attends the funeral of Ma Tanner, who dies suddenly.
Temperamentally opposite, but physically attracted, Jimmy and Helena have an affair – with the “unmarried Mother Superior” temporarily taking over from Allison at the ironing board and in Jimmy’s bed – and Cliff leaves.
Jimmy and Helena accompany him to the station and meet Alison, who, meanwhile, has lost her child. Her pitiful condition moves Jimmy and Helena, and Helena walks out.
Jimmy is chastened, and he and Alison decide to start afresh.
Director Tony Richardson opened up the play for the screen and softened some of Jimmy’s impotent rage, but the picture still packs a punch.
Jimmy Porter Richard Burton Allison Porter
Mary Ure Helena Charles
Claire Bloom Ma Tanner
Edith Evans Cliff Lewis
Gary Raymond Colonel Redfern
Glen Byam Shaw Mrs Redfern
Phyllis Neilson-Terry Hurst
Donald Pleasence Miss Drury
Jane Eccles Kapoor
S.P. Kapoor Doctor
George Devine Sally
Bernice Swanson
Director Tony Richardson
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Jimmy is an intelligent, though emotionally unstable, young man who owns a Midlands sweet stall with his husky, uninhibited pal, Cliff (Gary Raymond).
Temperamentally opposite, but physically attracted, Jimmy and Helena have an affair – with the “unmarried Mother Superior” temporarily taking over from Allison at the ironing board and in Jimmy’s bed – and Cliff leaves.
