Sons and Lovers (1960)

Director:

Jack Cardiff

Writers:

T.E.B. Clarke (writer)
Gavin Lambert (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

29 August 1960 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

You'll never forget the young lovers in...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 6 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Trevor Howard	...	Walter Morel
Dean Stockwell	...	Paul Morel
Wendy Hiller	...	Gertrude Morel
Mary Ure	...	Clara Dawes
Heather Sears	...	Miriam Leivers
William Lucas	...	William Morel
Conrad Phillips	...	Baxter Dawes
Ernest Thesiger	...	Henry Hadlock
Donald Pleasence	...	Mr. Puppleworth
Rosalie Crutchley	...	Mrs. Leivers
Sean Barrett	...	Arthur Morel
Elizabeth Begley	...	Mrs. Radford
Edna Morris	...	Mrs. Anthony
Ruth Kettlewell	...	Mrs. Bonner
Anne Sheppard	...	Rose
Susan Travers	...	Betty
Rosalie Ashley	...	Louisa
Dorothy Gordon	...	Fanny
Vilma Ann Leslie	...	Connie
Anne Scott	...	Beatrice
Patsy Smart	...	Emma
Gwendolyn Watts	...	May
Philip Ray	...	Dr. Ansell
Trevor Little	...	Comedian
Sheila Bernette	...	Polly

Directed by
Jack Cardiff

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
T.E.B. Clarke		writer
Gavin Lambert		writer
D.H. Lawrence		novel

Produced by
Thomas N. Morahan	....	associate producer (as Tom Morahan)
Jerry Wald	....	producer

Original Music by
Mario Nascimbene

Cinematography by
Freddie Francis

Film Editing by
Gordon Pilkington

Casting by
Nora Roberts

Production Design by
Thomas N. Morahan		(as Tom Morahan)

Costume Design by
Margaret Furse

Makeup Department
Harold Fletcher	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Geoffrey Haine	....	production manager
Edward Joseph	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Yates	....	assistant director

Art Department
Lionel Couch	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Don Challis	....	sound editor
Peter Handford	....	sound mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Denys N. Coop	....	camera operator (as Denys Coop)
Ronnie Maasz	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Music Department
Lambert Williamson	....	conductor
Lambert Williamson	....	music arranger: Offenbach (uncredited)

Other crew
Angela Martelli	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Productions
• Company of Artists, The

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Company (1960) (UK) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1960) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1971) (USA) (TV) (original airing) (pan/scan)
• inD DVD (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)

Also Known As:

D.H. Lawrence's Sons and Lovers (Australia)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (DVD rating) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Productions

Trivia:

Jack Cardiff chose to film in black and white as he felt that Technicolor was too pretty for such a gritty subject.

Movie Connections:

Version of Sons & Lovers (2003) (TV)

Ravishing Visually And Often Intense and poignant

Freddie Francis's cinematography is in some ways the star. It is not showy or intrusive. It's totally organic to the unfolding of the plot. Yet it is exquisite -- both with landscapes and with actors. This is especially true with Trevor Howard, very powerful as a boozy miner.

The other star is that great actress Wendy Hiller. Her role is far from entirely sympathetic. She suffocates her favorite son, well played by Dean Stockwell. She is demanding in a quiet way and selfish in a manner passing itself off as martyrdom. But what a gorgeous performance! Mary Ure was a fine actress. Somehow, though, the character she plays doesn't entirely work in my view. It seems more from kitchen-sink realism, like the Shelagh Delaney plays that were filmed around this time. (And where have they gone? Why don't we ever see "A Taste of Honey" or "The Leather Boys" anymore?) Heather Sears is good but I have to admit, to my embarrassment, I found it hard to shake her excellent performance in the tile role of "The Story of Esther Costello" from my mind. Her being a bright young woman taken with Stockwell, therefore, startled me throughout. That is my own failing and surely not hers.

This is a superb movie. All of it is good. But for me, the scenes involving Hiller are the most compelling. Howard, too, is superb. And Stockwell as Paul. The family story is heart-wrenching.