Life at the Top (film)

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Life at the Top
Original film poster
Directed by	Ted Kotcheff
Written by	Mordecai Richler John Braine (novel)
Produced by	James Woolf
Starring	Laurence Harvey Jean Simmons Honor Blackman Michael Craig Donald Wolfit
Cinematography	Oswald Morris
Edited by	Derek York
Music by	Richard Addinsell
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	14 December 1965 (1965-12-14) (U.S.)
Running time	117 min
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Life at the Top is a 1965 drama film, a production of Romulus Films released by Columbia Pictures. The screenplay was by Mordecai Richler, based on the 1962 novel Life at the Top by John Braine, and is a sequel to the film Room at the Top (1959). It was directed by Ted Kotcheff and produced by James Woolf, with William Kirby as associate producer. The music score was by Richard Addinsell and the cinematography by Oswald Morris. The film's art director, Edward Marshall, received a 1966 BAFTA Award nomination.^[1]

The film stars Laurence Harvey, once again playing Joe Lampton, with Jean Simmons, Honor Blackman and Michael Craig. Four actors reprised their roles from Room at the Top: Harvey, Donald Wolfit, Ambrosine Phillpotts and Allan Cuthbertson.

Background[]

In Room at the Top, Joe Lampton's escape from his working-class background through his seduction of, and marriage to, the daughter of a wealthy mill owner had been portrayed.

Ten years on, Joe is living the dream of the successful young executive, complete with luxurious suburban house, white Jaguar, and two young children. However, Joe's life is not the dream it appears to be.

Plot[]

Joe's father-in-law, Abe Brown, is the mayor of the town, and, to Joe's disapproval, Abe insists on sending Joe's children to a private boarding school. Joe's son is also unhappy about this and when Joe invites in the paper-boy in for a cup of tea, his son looks jealously on.

Joe goes to a sherry party with his wife, but would rather be in the pub. The party is in the huge house of his father-in-law. There he meets Norah.

Joe says goodbye to his son at the railway station. Later that night at his in-laws, rather than himself, choose which carpet will be in Joe's house.

Joe no longer makes love to his wife and she is having an affair with Joe's married friend.

Joe goes to the Savoy Hotel in London with his friend for lunch with Titfield. After Titfield leaves they go to a strip show and the friend discusses dodgy business deals.

Joe meets Ainsgill and they discuss how Joe caused the death of his wife: but he has a new love - Norah.

Joe goes home wearing a Huckleberry Hound mask and finds signs of another man in the house. He hears them in the bedroom but does not enter. He is sitting downstairs when they come down for a drink.

Cast[]

• Laurence Harvey as Joe Lampton
• Jean Simmons as Susan Lampton
• Honor Blackman as Norah Hauxley
• Michael Craig as Mark
• Donald Wolfit as Abe Brown
• Robert Morley as Tiffield
• Margaret Johnston as Sybil
• Ambrosine Phillpotts as Mrs. Brown
• Allan Cuthbertson as George Aisgill
• Paul A. Martin as Harry
• as Barbara
• as Hethersett
• George A. Cooper as Graffham
• Nigel Davenport as Mottram
• as McLelland
• Geoffrey Bayldon as Industrial Psychologist
• Denis Quilley as Ben
• David Oxley as Tim
• as Oscar
• Paul Whitsun-Jones as Keatley
• Charles Lamb as Wincastle
• Richard Leech as Doctor
• as Lord Mayor
• Harry Fowler as Magic Beans Man
• as Mrs. Keatley

See also[]

• Man at the Top, a 1970 TV series featuring Joe Lampton in later life.

References[]

External links[]

• Life at the Top at IMDb

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