Up The Junction (1968) dir by Peter Collinson

[Lord Emsworth]

I recently watched Up the Junction which is, as you probably know, a 1968 British colour film, directed by Peter Collinson and starring Dennis Waterman, Suzy Kendall, Adrienne Posta, Maureen Lipman and Liz Fraser.

It is based on the 1963 book by Nell Dunn which I also recently read. It's more successful than the book

The film followed Ken Loach's BBC TV adaptation of 1965 and is a much more swinging sixties adapation, with its The Manfred Mann soundtrack. Loach's version which is on YouTube is quite an uncomfortable watch.

I really liked the look and feel of the film - but then I'm a sucker for pretty much anything Swinging London related

It's got a lot of brilliant period shots of Battersea and the cast are convincing, although the plot slightly less so.

Any fans in the house?

[Dirty Epic]

I enjoyed it when I saw it on TPTV recently a bit of a window of the future if how the middle class and other changes would move into Battersea/Clapham/Wandsworth say +20 years later - right or wrong.

Dennis and not being biased is very good in it and gives a few home truths/reality checks for Suzy Kendall's character too.

Like films like Poor Cow a good fly in the room snapshot of that period.

[Arthur Pringle]

I'm guessing this film was the inspiration for Pulp's 'Common People'. Considering he died aged 44 Peter Collinson made a number of memorable films- The Italian Job, The Penthouse, Fright, The Long Day's Dying, Straight On Till Morning, And Then There Were None. 

Coincidentally 'Fright', featuring Dennis Waterman & George Cole, came in the post today & I watched Suzy Kendall in 'The Bird With The Crystal Plumage' just a few days ago, her daughter Elodie Harper is a tv news presenter for Central. 

[Lord Emsworth]

May 11, 2022 19:29:37 GMT Dirty Epic said:

I enjoyed it when I saw it on TPTV recently a bit of a window of the future if how the middle class and other changes would move into Battersea/Clapham/Wandsworth say +20 years later - right or wrong.

Dennis and not being biased is very good in it and gives a few home truths/reality checks for Suzy Kendall's character too.

Like films like Poor Cow a good fly in the room snapshot of that period.

Yes indeed DE - Dennis give a great performance

Actually the whole cast are very good

I must rewatch Poor Cow. I only have hazy recollections

May 11, 2022 21:40:14 GMT Arthur Pringle said:

I'm guessing this film was the inspiration for Pulp's 'Common People'. Considering he died aged 44 Peter Collinson made a number of memorable films- The Italian Job, The Penthouse, Fright, The Long Day's Dying, Straight On Till Morning, And Then There Were None. 

Coincidentally 'Fright', featuring Dennis Waterman & George Cole, came in the post today & I watched Suzy Kendall in 'The Bird With The Crystal Plumage' just a few days ago, her daughter Elodie Harper is a tv news presenter for Central. 

Not heard of Fright. Off to check it out. Thanks Arthur

[Del Boy]

I've got this film somewhere. I've watched it once and its probably the right time for a revisit.

Up The Junction certainly is a window into 60s London, both the social aspects and London/ Battersea itself couldn't be more different today. This film was definitely an important marker in Dennis's career and well worth a look if you haven't seen it. 

[Villain]

It's definitely one of my favourite films and like others I'm a sucker for classic British 'swinging sixties' films, especially those shot in and around London. I watched it again fairly recently and it still stands up as a great period piece, the locations and Peter Collinson's shooting style are wonderful, as is the Manfred's  dreamy soundtrack - I bought the CD last year and listening to it in the car is most enjoyable. Unusually, the Manfred's wrote it without seeing the actual film first, but it manages to convey the wistful side of swinging London very well and fits the visuals perfectly. The panoramic opening shot is a classic and could just as easily have had The Kinks 'Waterloo Sunset' played over it.

Dennis's Dad was a porter at Clapham Junction station at the time the film was made, and there are some nice shots online of the two of them together on one of the platforms which were taken in late '67.

Arthur mentioned the Italian 'Giallo' film 'The Bird With The Crystal Plumage' earlier - this is another favourite of mine and one of the best of its genre. This and other Italian films like it are the definition of 'cult films', and although some of them are very cheesey, the majority of them are very well made, photographed and scored. Ennio Morricone scored a large number of them, outnumbering his more famous 'spaghetti western' soundtracks by about five to one. The Italian film industry had its own way of working in those days, nearly all of the films made in that country were shot without using live 'on camera' sound (particularly Carlo Ponti's company), meaning the actors had to dub their own voices over in post production, the results are sometimes slightly odd but it gives these films a charm all their own.


Villain 

[Deleted]

This is really a great film and only saw it for the first time earlier on this year!
would be a great film to do a retro forum meet!
GC

[D.C. Burtonshaw]

I saw it a year or so ago on TPTV I think, a very good film indeed - did enjoy it and as others have said. a great snapshot of London at the time.

[Lord Emsworth]

Has anyone else seen the Ken Loach film?

How do you think it compares?

Nell Dunn's novel was based on overheard conversations around Clapham Junction area and Ken Loach used this in the play and had a faux documentary feel including an interview with a doctor talking about the need to change the law to stop fatal back street abortions. This helped bring about the change in the law apparently

The fragmentary nature, and mix of fact and fiction, is a bit confusing but also makes it feel v authentic

[Cartman]

I haven't seen the Ken Loach one, no. I'm not keen on his stuff generally, I find it rather depressing.