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High Hopes (1988 film)

January 01, 1970

High Hopes is a 1988 British comedy drama film directed by Mike Leigh, focusing on an extended working-class family living in King's Cross, London, and elsewhere.

High Hopes
Directed byMike Leigh
Written byMike Leigh
Produced byVictor Glynn
Simon Channing-Williams
Starring
CinematographyRoger Pratt
Edited byJon Gregory
Music byAndrew Dickson
Distributed byPalace Pictures[1]
Release date
  • 24 September 1988 (1988-09-24)
Running time
112 min
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget£1.28 million[2]
Box office$1.1 million[3]

The film primarily examines Cyril (Philip Davis) and Shirley (Ruth Sheen), a motor-cycle courier and his girlfriend, along with their friends, neighbours, and Cyril's mother and sister.

Despite staying true to Leigh's down-at-the-heel, realist style, the film is ultimately a social comedy concerning culture clashes between different classes and belief systems. According to the critic Michael Coveney', "As in Meantime, High Hopes contrasts the economic and spiritual conditions of siblings. And in developing some of the themes in Babies Grow Old and Grown-Ups, it presents a brilliantly organised dramatic résumé of attitudes towards parturition and old age."[4]

Background edit

Previous work edit

Before High Hopes, director Mike Leigh had made Bleak Moments, released in 1971, and Meantime, released in 1983.[5] This gap in his filmography was attributable in part to his process for creating films: When he applied for financial backing, he did not yet have finished scripts, preferring to allow actors, once they were hired, to use improv sessions to create the dialogue.[5] As a result, given the absence of a concrete script, many potential financial backers were reluctant to support Leigh's work.[5]

Summary edit

Plot edit

The film centres on Cyril and Shirley, a loving London couple whose "badly-placed" optimism inspired the title of the film; they live in the King's Cross area of London.[6][7] The plot centres on the interaction of Cyril and his family with members of England's different social classes, including his elderly mother, who lives in a gentrifying neighbourhood; Valerie, his "nouveau riche" sister; Laetitia and Rupert, his mother's upper-middle class neighbours; and a country traveller who stays with Cyril and whom they nickname E.T. because he repeatedly fails to make his way home.[6] Both Cyril and Shirley are highly critical of then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and Shirley names one of her cacti after her.[6]

The film's second half has been described as more thematically serious compared to the first half.[6] One central event to the film is when Cyril's mother loses her keys, and she then is forced to rely on her wealthy neighbours and her children for assistance, displaying a stark contrast between the lifestyles of the different classes. At one point, Mrs. Bender's lexicon differs significantly from that of Laetitia, such as when the latter corrects her for using the term "toilet" as opposed to "lavatory" and when Laetitia tells Mrs. Bender "chop chop" when the latter is, in her view, taking too long to ascend the stairs to her house.[6][7] Later, Valerie throws their mother an "indescribably vulgar" party for her 70th birthday.[6]

Themes edit

One theme displayed throughout the film is that no two characters fully understand each other's perspectives or lives, with the sole exceptions of Cyril and Shirley.[6] In a review for Sight & Sound, critic Gilbert Adair posits that the film's themes are akin to those of the writings of Auberon Waugh, in that both sought to portray the lifestyles of the working classes. However, Adair continued, whereas Waugh's goal was to encourage self-described liberal audiences to trust their inner fears of the working classes, Leigh's objective is to encourage audiences to instead trust their liberal ideals, not their fears of the working classes.[7]

Cast edit

Reception edit

Critical edit

Upon its release, the film was well received. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 92% of 13 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.3/10.[8] Janet Maslin of The New York Times designated it as a "critic's pick" and commended it for being "enjoyably whimsical without ever losing its cutting edge".[6] Roger Ebert awarded the film four out of four stars and concluded that it was "an alive and challenging film, one that throws our own assumptions and evasions back at us".[5]

Box office edit

The film made £245,549 in the UK.[2]

Awards and nominations edit

References edit

  1. ^ "High Hopes (1988)". BBFC. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Back to the Future: The Fall and Rise of the British Film Industry in the 1980s - An Information Briefing" (PDF). British Film Institute. 2005. p. 24.
  3. ^ "High Hopes (1989) - Box Office Mojo". boxofficemojo.com.
  4. ^ Coveney 1996, p. 189.
  5. ^ a b c d Ebert, Roger (14 April 1989). "High Hopes". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Leigh, Mike (24 September 1988). "Film Festival: A Portrait of Thatcher's England". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  7. ^ a b c Adair, Gilbert (January 1989). "Classtrophobia: High Hopes". Sight and Sound: 64–65. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  8. ^ "High Hopes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  9. ^ "High Hopes". europeanfilmawards.eu. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  10. ^ "36 Years of Nominees and Winners" (PDF). Film Independent. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  11. ^ "45th Venice Film Festival". fipresci.org. Retrieved 11 January 2023.

Bibliography edit

External links edit

January 01, 1970
high, hopes, 1988, film, high, hopes, 1988, british, comedy, drama, film, directed, mike, leigh, focusing, extended, working, class, family, living, king, cross, london, elsewhere, high, hopesdirected, bymike, leighwritten, bymike, leighproduced, byvictor, gly. High Hopes is a 1988 British comedy drama film directed by Mike Leigh focusing on an extended working class family living in King s Cross London and elsewhere High HopesDirected byMike LeighWritten byMike LeighProduced byVictor GlynnSimon Channing WilliamsStarringPhilip Davis Ruth Sheen Edna Dore Philip Jackson Heather Tobias Lesley Manville David BamberCinematographyRoger PrattEdited byJon GregoryMusic byAndrew DicksonDistributed byPalace Pictures 1 Release date24 September 1988 1988 09 24 Running time112 minCountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglishBudget 1 28 million 2 Box office 1 1 million 3 The film primarily examines Cyril Philip Davis and Shirley Ruth Sheen a motor cycle courier and his girlfriend along with their friends neighbours and Cyril s mother and sister Despite staying true to Leigh s down at the heel realist style the film is ultimately a social comedy concerning culture clashes between different classes and belief systems According to the critic Michael Coveney As in Meantime High Hopes contrasts the economic and spiritual conditions of siblings And in developing some of the themes in Babies Grow Old and Grown Ups it presents a brilliantly organised dramatic resume of attitudes towards parturition and old age 4 Contents 1 Background 1 1 Previous work 2 Summary 2 1 Plot 2 2 Themes 3 Cast 4 Reception 4 1 Critical 4 2 Box office 4 3 Awards and nominations 5 References 6 Bibliography 7 External linksBackground editPrevious work edit Before High Hopes director Mike Leigh had made Bleak Moments released in 1971 and Meantime released in 1983 5 This gap in his filmography was attributable in part to his process for creating films When he applied for financial backing he did not yet have finished scripts preferring to allow actors once they were hired to use improv sessions to create the dialogue 5 As a result given the absence of a concrete script many potential financial backers were reluctant to support Leigh s work 5 Summary editPlot edit The film centres on Cyril and Shirley a loving London couple whose badly placed optimism inspired the title of the film they live in the King s Cross area of London 6 7 The plot centres on the interaction of Cyril and his family with members of England s different social classes including his elderly mother who lives in a gentrifying neighbourhood Valerie his nouveau riche sister Laetitia and Rupert his mother s upper middle class neighbours and a country traveller who stays with Cyril and whom they nickname E T because he repeatedly fails to make his way home 6 Both Cyril and Shirley are highly critical of then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Shirley names one of her cacti after her 6 The film s second half has been described as more thematically serious compared to the first half 6 One central event to the film is when Cyril s mother loses her keys and she then is forced to rely on her wealthy neighbours and her children for assistance displaying a stark contrast between the lifestyles of the different classes At one point Mrs Bender s lexicon differs significantly from that of Laetitia such as when the latter corrects her for using the term toilet as opposed to lavatory and when Laetitia tells Mrs Bender chop chop when the latter is in her view taking too long to ascend the stairs to her house 6 7 Later Valerie throws their mother an indescribably vulgar party for her 70th birthday 6 Themes edit One theme displayed throughout the film is that no two characters fully understand each other s perspectives or lives with the sole exceptions of Cyril and Shirley 6 In a review for Sight amp Sound critic Gilbert Adair posits that the film s themes are akin to those of the writings of Auberon Waugh in that both sought to portray the lifestyles of the working classes However Adair continued whereas Waugh s goal was to encourage self described liberal audiences to trust their inner fears of the working classes Leigh s objective is to encourage audiences to instead trust their liberal ideals not their fears of the working classes 7 Cast editPhil Davis as Cyril Ruth Sheen as Shirley Edna Dore as Mrs Bender Philip Jackson as Martin Heather Tobias as Valerie Lesley Manville as Laetitia David Bamber as Rupert Jason Watkins as Wayne Judith Scott as SuziReception editCritical edit Upon its release the film was well received On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes 92 of 13 critics reviews are positive with an average rating of 8 3 10 8 Janet Maslin of The New York Times designated it as a critic s pick and commended it for being enjoyably whimsical without ever losing its cutting edge 6 Roger Ebert awarded the film four out of four stars and concluded that it was an alive and challenging film one that throws our own assumptions and evasions back at us 5 Box office edit The film made 245 549 in the UK 2 Awards and nominations edit European Film Awards 9 Won Best Actress Leading Role Ruth Sheen Won Best Composer Andrew Dickson Won Best Supporting Performance Edna Dore Nominated Best Film Independent Spirit Awards USA 10 Nominated Best Foreign Film Venice Film Festival Italy 11 Won FIPRESCI Prize Mike Leigh References edit High Hopes 1988 BBFC Retrieved 1 February 2024 a b Back to the Future The Fall and Rise of the British Film Industry in the 1980s An Information Briefing PDF British Film Institute 2005 p 24 High Hopes 1989 Box Office Mojo boxofficemojo com Coveney 1996 p 189 a b c d Ebert Roger 14 April 1989 High Hopes RogerEbert com Retrieved 17 December 2023 a b c d e f g h Leigh Mike 24 September 1988 Film Festival A Portrait of Thatcher s England The New York Times Retrieved 6 March 2021 a b c Adair Gilbert January 1989 Classtrophobia High Hopes Sight and Sound 64 65 Retrieved 6 March 2021 High Hopes Rotten Tomatoes Retrieved 17 December 2023 High Hopes europeanfilmawards eu Retrieved 11 January 2023 36 Years of Nominees and Winners PDF Film Independent Retrieved 11 January 2023 45th Venice Film Festival fipresci org Retrieved 11 January 2023 Bibliography editCoveney Michael 1996 The World According to Mike Leigh London HarperCollins ISBN 978 0 00 255518 0 External links editHigh Hopes at IMDb nbsp High Hopes at AllMovie High Hopes at the TCM Movie Database High Hopes at BFI Screenonline High Hopes at Rotten Tomatoes Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title High Hopes 1988 film amp oldid 1222753623, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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