Though it is not difficult to guess that none of the three protagonists will come to a good end, the graphic nature of the story's climax is jarring and out of place in the otherwise low-key and rather dry comedy. Thus begins an inescapable downward spiral for the weak-willed Harold that culminates in a desperate and horrific act of violence. Joyce is very much awake and spends the night scheming to get Harold to come to her. Beasley and Harold quietly resume their cavorting. The row awakens Joyce who pops into Harold's room and refuses to leave until the would-be lovers allow her into the bed. That night she creeps to Harold's bedroom and pleads with him until he weakens and accepts her advances and they begin to make wild love. Things seem normal enough until a fateful game of spin-the-bottle during Joyce's 14th birthday party reveals an entirely different side to Mrs. hasn't had relations with him in years and forces him to sleep in his own room) WW I survivor who despite his missing leg, still supports his family. Harold soon meets the rest of the family, the fresh-faced, bright, but rather macabre Joyce (Laura Sadler in her feature-film debut), and Mr. Beasley seems the epitome of 1950s motherhood and good housekeeping. With her rhinestoned glasses, boxy dresses, short bouffant, and prim take-charge manner, Mrs. Unable to stay with his brother, Harold finds lodging in the home of friendly, late-middle-aged Mrs. It doesn't help that the callow Harold reveals a troubled, though somewhat cloaked past. The reunion is tepid, for Maurice's wife Iris (Elizabeth McKechnie ) is suspicious of Harold and unwilling to welcome him into her home. The tale begins as Harold Guppy (Rupert Graves ) leaves a ship and ambles toward the home of his long-lost brother Maurice Guppy (Les Dennis ). In retelling this true story, first-time filmmaker Philip Goodhew offers a blackly comic and ironic look behind the proper lace curtains of a seemingly normal British household and reveals a seething pit of repressed lust, jealousy and deadly obsession. Congrats to everyone who worked on this film, it's amazing.In 1954, all of England was rocked by a shocking crime that took place in a quiet coastal town and involved a socially upstanding landlady, her smart, newly blossomed teenage daughter, and a handsome but troubled Australian in search of family he had never known. Julie Walters and Rupert Graves deliver masterly performances, as well as the young girl who is Joyce. The film-maker films each shot so coldly, there never really is any sunshine, and everything seems so 's reminiscent of the relationship Harold and Mum have. I'd suggest this movie a million times over. This movie is sad in its simplicity and we do feel for many of the characters, Harold's brother and wife, Mum's children, Joyce, Mr. All the way to the end, we pity our Harold as everything falls apart. We have compassion for him, as he really needs Mum (it's not as if he ever had one growing up), and he can't escape. We are led to believe that Harold really is a good boy, just a weak one. So here he is again, back in Mum's control. Soon enough Mum has control of him again, saying she'll tell the police that Harold sexually abused Joyce. They are now regularly sleeping together (with Joyce still in the bed) and Harold needs to get out of the situation. Mum has this psychological control over him and it isn't healthy. Their relationship is smooth enough until Harold decides he wants to get out. Beasley's (or as he calls her, Mum's) daughter Joyce. Beasley's relationship soon turn sexual (though he's in his 30's and she her 50's), where they even result in having sex in bed with Mrs. Although it's a nice, friendly, relationship at first, Harold and Mrs. Harold is immediately welcomed into a family who are looking to rent a room. This won't be the only time he has such ambitions. He seems like he's had quite a bit of trouble in his life (he lets us know in a discussion with his brother) and he wants to start fresh. Basically, this movie is following Harold Guppy, a man who we want to like but does some pretty despicable things on our road to the ending. The fact that it is based on a true story only adds to it and makes it that much better.
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