''Up the Junction'' is a 1968 British "kitchen sink"

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

film, directed by Peter Collinson and starring

Dennis Waterman Dennis Waterman (24 February 1948 – 8 May 2022) was an English actor and singer. He was best known for his tough-guy leading roles in television series including ''The Sweeney'', ''Minder'' and ''New Tricks'', singing the theme tunes of the ...

Suzy Kendall Suzy Kendall (born Freda Harriet Harrison; 1 January 1937 ) is a British retired actress best known for her film roles in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Personal life Born in Belper, Derbyshire, Kendall attended Derby & District College of A ...

Adrienne Posta Adrienne Posta (born Adrienne Luanne Poster, 24 March 1949) is an English actress and singer, prominent during the 1960s and 1970s. She adopted the surname 'Posta' in 1966.Adrienne Poster, page on "Ready Steady Girls" (readysteadygirls.eu). Retr ...

Maureen Lipman Dame Maureen Diane Lipman (born 10 May 1946) is an English actress, writer and comedian. She trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and her stage work has included appearances with the National Theatre and the Royal Shakesp ...

and

Liz Fraser Elizabeth Joan Winch (14 August 1930 – 6 September 2018), known professionally as Liz Fraser, was a British film actress, best known for being cast in provocative comedy roles. Early life Fraser was born in Southwark, London. Her year of bi ...

. It is based on the 1963 book of the same name by

Nell Dunn Nell Mary Dunn (born 9 June 1936) is an English playwright, screenwriter and author. She is known especially for a volume of short stories, ''Up the Junction'', and a novel, ''Poor Cow''. Early years The second daughter of Sir Philip Dunn and ...

and was adapted by Roger Smith. The film's soundtrack was by

Manfred Mann Manfred Mann were an English rock band, formed in London and active between 1962 and 1969. The group were named after their keyboardist Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band. The band had two differen ...

. The film followed

Ken Loach Kenneth Charles Loach (born 17 June 1936) is a British film director and screenwriter. His socially critical directing style and socialist ideals are evident in his film treatment of social issues such as poverty (''Poor Cow'', 1967), homelessne ...

's BBC TV adaptation of 1965, but returned to the original book. It generated less controversy and impact than the Loach version.

Plot

The film is set in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

in the 1960s and it begins with wealthy young heiress Polly Dean (

) leaving a large house in privileged

Chelsea Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to: Places Australia * Chelsea, Victoria Canada * Chelsea, Nova Scotia * Chelsea, Quebec United Kingdom * Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames ** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...

in a chauffeur-driven

Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce (always hyphenated) may refer to: * Rolls-Royce Limited, a British manufacturer of cars and later aero engines, founded in 1906, now defunct Automobiles * Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, the current car manufacturing company incorporated in ...

. The Rolls-Royce then moves across the Thames near

Battersea Power Station Battersea Power Station is a decommissioned Grade II* listed coal-fired power station, located on the south bank of the River Thames, in Nine Elms, Battersea, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It was built by the London Power Company (LPC) ...

, where Polly gets out of the car and walks away alone with the opening credits following. She moves to a working-class community in

Battersea Battersea is a large district in south London, part of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is centred southwest of Charing Cross and extends along the south bank of the River Thames. It includes the Battersea Park. History Batter ...

, where she takes a job in Macrindles confectionery factory in an attempt to distance herself from her moneyed upbringing and make her own living. On the factory floor everyone is singing and all are friendly, but perhaps somewhat unhygienic - smoking as they work on the sweets. The other girls mainly discuss men and sex. She meets two working-class sisters, Sylvie (

) and Rube (

). She is asked to join the two sisters and a few other girls in the factory in the pub, The Pavilion. They get the local boys to buy them drinks. She declines a lift home on a motorbike. Some are heading "up the junction". But Polly walks home. The next day Polly arrives at

Clapham Junction railway station Clapham Junction railway station () is a major railway station and transport hub near St John's Hill in south-west Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is from and from ; it is on both the South West Main Line and Brighton Main L ...

with a suitcase. She is finding a flat of her own. The agent thinks the flat is not good enough for her. She takes it anyway. She goes to the local market and buys a single banana, and eats it on a chair outside a junk shop. The assistant Pete (

) tells her it is not a cafe but when the owner (

Alfie Bass Alfie Bass (born Abraham Basalinsky, 10 April 1916 – 16 July 1987) was an English actor. He was born in Bethnal Green, London, the youngest in a Jewish family with ten children; his parents had left Russia many years before he was born. He a ...

) comes out she says she needs furniture so he becomes more friendly. She buys an armchair and a sofa... and also finds a kitten. Pete gives her a lift back to her flat and unloads the furniture. He asks her on a date. He presumes she wants to go to the West End but she says she wants to walk around the streets of

. Polly and Pete then kiss and begin their relationship. Rube becomes pregnant from her boyfriend Terry (

Michael Gothard Michael Alan Gothard (24 June 19392 December 1992) was an English actor, who portrayed Kai in the television series '' Arthur of the Britons'' and the mysterious villain Emile Leopold Locque in the 1981 James Bond film '' For Your Eyes Only''. ...

) and has a traumatic

illegal abortion Abortion laws vary widely among countries and territories, and have changed over time. Such laws range from abortion being freely available on request, to regulation or restrictions of various kinds, to outright prohibition in all circumstances ...

from a slightly senile old woman called Winnie (

Hylda Baker Hylda Baker (4 February 1905 – 1 May 1986) was an English comedian, actress and music hall performer. Born and brought up in Farnworth, Lancashire, she is perhaps best remembered for her role as Nellie Pledge in the Granada ITV sitcom ''N ...

). Rube's mother doesn't know about her pregnancy or her abortion but when she and Polly get home, Polly tells Rube's mother. Furious with Terry, she pushes him down the stairs when he comes over while Rube is screaming upstairs from her miscarriage. Meanwhile, Pete is annoyed with Rube and Sylvie and doesn't help Sylvie when she is attacked by her husband from whom she is separated. Tragedy then strikes when Terry is killed in a motorcycle accident. Polly and Pete go on a trip to the seaside, travelling by an E-type Jaguar that Pete tells Polly he has hired for the weekend. They argue in their hotel, it becoming clear that Pete envies Polly's access to an easy life, and is frustrated by her rejection of a wealthy lifestyle. His argument with her points out her ability to choose, whereas most people do not have this choice. The argument ends the relationship. He storms off and is caught speeding in the Jaguar which, it transpires, was stolen. In court Polly and her friends see Pete sentenced to six months' imprisonment. Polly pulls strings to see him in the lock-up for a final word before he is driven away to jail. The film ends with Polly crying while she watches Pete being driven away.

Cast

as Polly *

as Pete *

as Sylvie *

as Rube *

as Mrs. McCarthy * Linda Cole as Pauline * Doreen Herrington as Rita *

Jessie Robins Jessie Robins (5 June 1905 – 10 August 1991) was an United States, English actress whose career lasted from 1958 to 1974. She was best recognised as Ringo Starr's "Auntie Jessie" in The Beatles' made-for-television movie ''Magical Mystery Tour ...

as Lil *

Barbara Archer Barbara Janet Archer (born in London in 1933) is a British actress. She is perhaps best known for her appearance in the 1958 film ''Dracula'', starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. Selected filmography * '' A Kid for Two Farthings'' (1955 ...

as May * Ruby Head as Edith * Susan George as Joyce * Sandra Williams as Sheilah *

Michael Robbins Michael Anthony Robbins (14 November 1930 – 11 December 1992) was an English actor and comedian best known for his role as Arthur Rudge in the TV sitcom and film versions of '' On the Buses'' (1969–73). Career Michael Robbins was born in ...

as Figgins *

as Terry * Billy Murray as Ray * Michael Standing as John *

as Charlie *

Aubrey Morris Aubrey Morris (born Aubrey Steinberg; 1 June 1926 – 15 July 2015) was a British actor known for his appearances in the films '' A Clockwork Orange'' and ''The Wicker Man''. Early life and career Morris was one of nine children born to Becky ...

as Creely *

as Winnie *

Shaun Curry Shaun Curry (5 June 1937 - 7 July 2009) was a British actor, best known for his appearances on television. His credits include: ''Z-Cars'', '' The Saint'', ''Warship'', '' The Sweeney'', '' The New Avengers'', '' Secret Army'', ''Poldark'', '' ...

as Ted * Olwen Griffiths as Fat Lil *

Queenie Watts Queenie Watts (born Mary Spenton; 21 July 1923 – 25 January 1980) was an English actress of film and television, as well as an occasional singer.

as Mrs. Hardy *

Lockwood West Harry Lockwood West (28 July 1905 – 28 March 1989) was a British actor. He was the father of actor Timothy West and the grandfather of actor Samuel West. Life and career West was born in Birkenhead, Cheshire, England in 1905, the son of Mildr ...

as Magistrate *

Michael Barrington Michael Barrington (3 July 1924 – 5 June 1988) was a British actor best known for his television work. His best remembered role is as the ineffectual Governor Venables in the BBC sitcom ''Porridge'' which featured Ronnie Barker in the lead ...

as Barrister * Yvonne Manners as Hotel Receptionist * Harry Hutchinson as Hotel Porter *

Larry Martyn Lawrence Martyn (22 March 1934 – 7 August 1994) was a British film and television actor known for his comedy performances. Martyn was born in London and was a member of the Parachute Regiment. He was famous as store maintenance man "Mr ...

as Barrow Boy * Derek Ware as Ted's Friend * Mike Reid as Policeman outside courtroom (uncredited)

Production

Filming locations

The film was shot in the Battersea area of London. Polly's flat is 86 Ingrave Street and the seaside scenes are filmed in

Worthing Worthing () is a seaside town in West Sussex, England, at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of Chichester. With a population of 111,400 and an area of , the borough is the second largest component of the Brighton and Hov ...

Sussex Sussex (), from the Old English (), is a historic county in South East England that was formerly an independent medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom. It is bounded to the west by Hampshire, north by Surrey, northeast by Kent, south by the English ...

Critical reception

In ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'',

Renata Adler Renata Adler (born October 19, 1938) is an American author, journalist, and film critic. Adler was a staff writer-reporter for ''The New Yorker'', and in 1968–69, she served as chief film critic for ''The New York Times''. She is also a write ...

wrote of "the latest in the series of British working-class color films that seem to come from British directors with the regularity of episodes from "

Our Gal Sunday ''Our Gal Sunday'' is an American soap opera produced by Frank and Anne Hummert, network broadcast via CBS from March 29, 1937, to January 2, 1959, starring Dorothy Lowell and, after Lowell's 1944 death, Vivian Smolen in the title role. The orig ...

," and it is by far the best of them. A lot of things are wrong with it, but a lot is going for it, too." Of the performances, she singled out the "very talented" Suzy Kendall in a challenging role, "a really beautiful piece of characterization by Dennis Waterman," and "strong" support from Adrienne Posta, Maureen Lipman and Michael Gothard. Peter Collinson's direction was also noted for his "well-shot scenes of Battersea and of the candy factory."

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Up The Junction (Film) 1968 films 1968 drama films British drama films Films directed by Peter Collinson Social realism in film Films set in London Films produced by Anthony Havelock-Allan Films about abortion 1960s English-language films 1960s British films