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Title:Room At The Top


Date: 1959
Type: Drama / Romance
Rating: 4 Stars 4/5
Colour: Black and White
Director: Jack Clayton
Producer:

Comment
In post was Britain, a man (Laurence Harvey) gets a job in a northern town. He is desperate to rise up the social standings and romances the daughter (Heather Sears) of the local mill owner as a way of getting money and prestige, but also falls in love with an unhappily married older French woman (Simone Signoret). This is an examination of the social, sexual and class standards in 1950's Britain. Laurence Harvey plays the man who is only interested in getting wealth and status. Simone Signoret manages to mix sexuality, strength, vulnerability and being worldly wise, in a performance that rightly won her an Oscar. Heather Sears gives a good supporting performance as the innocent rich girl caught between Harvey's social ambitions and the class and social standards of her parents. Hermione Baddeley only has a comparatively small role, but was the one that got her the only Oscar nomination of her career.

Actors

Simone SignoretSimone Signoret
Laurence Harvey
Heather SearsHeather Sears
Donald Wolfit
Donald HoustonDonald Houston
hermione BaddeleyHermione Baddeley
Allan CuthbertsonAllan Cuthbertson
Raymond HuntleyRaymond Huntley
John Westbrook
Ambrosine Phillpotts
Ian Hendry

Oscars

Won - Best Actress - Simone Signoret
Nomination - Best Picture
Nomination - Best Actor - Laurence Harvey
Nomination - Best Supporting Actress - Hermione Baddeley

Novel

John Braine
Room At The Top