Rent Life at the Top (1965)
3.4 of 5 from 57 ratings
1h 50min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
Laurence Harvey, Jean Simmons and Honor Blackman star in this powerful 1965 British drama of lust, betrayal and naked ambition. Working class Joe Lampton (Laurence Harvey) has schemed and slept his way to the top in his Yorkshire hometown, Hers married the mill owner's beautiful daughter (Jean Simmons) and aims to inherit the business - and is moving in all the right social circles. But now Joe's discovering that life at the top is not all it's cracked up to be. His children are spoiled, his wife has taken a casual lover and he himself is about to become the thing he most despises - a Tory councillor! An opportunity for escape turns up in the shapely form of Nora Hauxley (Honor Blackman) and the bright lights of London beckon. But is Joe really prepared to start from the bottom all over again? - Actors:
- Laurence Harvey, Jean Simmons, Honor Blackman, Michael Craig, Donald Wolfit, Robert Morley, Margaret Johnston, Ambrosine Phillpotts, Allan Cuthbertson, Paul A. Martin, Frances Cosslett, Ian Shand, George A. Cooper, Nigel Davenport, Andrew Laurence
- Directors:
- Ted Kotcheff
- Producers:
- James Woolf
- Writers:
- John Braine, Mordecai Richler
- Others:
- Edward Marshall
- Studio:
- Sony
- Genres:
- Classics, Drama
- Collections:
- Getting to Know..., Introducing a British Film Family
More like Life at the Top
Reviews (1) of Life at the Top
Make room at the top - Life at the Top review by RhysH
Laurence Harvey as Joe Lampton continues his morose journey through the miasma of mid twentieth century northern politics and commerce. Harvey's performance is as centred as it was in "Room At The Top" although the character shows no more understanding of the world around him as he did in the previous film ten years ago. His dissatisfaction with everything touches all around him.
Jean Simmons gives a nuanced performance as his wife Susan, although exploited by Joe she retains a love for him.
Again, as in the previous film, Joe is given the opportunity of love and understanding, this time by Norah Huxley played with genuine understated compassion by Honor Blackman. But Joe's only raison d'etre is wealth and power which he achieves but at what cost to himself?
Donald Wolfit plays the irascible Mr Brown with great aplomb.
A fine example of British 1960s cinematography.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.