FILM REVIEWS
Pumpkin Eater, The (1964) B+
In Jack Clayton’s “The Pumpkin Eater,” adapted to the screen by playwright Harold Pinter from Penelope Mortimer’s novel, the great Anne Bancroft plays a mother of 8 children, who leaves her second husband (played by Richard Johnson) for a successful screenwriter (Peter Finch), only to realize that he’s incredibly and incurably unfaithful to her.
Shot in black-and-white, the British-made film is grim and downbeat, which may explain its commercial failure, but it is extremely well-acted by all around, including the always reliable James Mason, Cedric Hardwicke, Maggie Smith, and Eric Porter.
British critics marveled at the time at Bancroft’s skill at etching a memorable portrait of a British housewife, with a flawless British accent.
Bancroft was rewarded with a Best Actress Oscar nomination, and shared the Best Actress prize at the Cannes Film Festival
Oscar Nominations: 1
Best Actress: Anne Bancroft
Oscar awards: None
Oscar Context:
The winner of the 1964 Best Actress Oscar was Julie Andrews for “Mary Poppins,” in a race that also included Sophia Loren in the Italian comedy, “Marriage Italian Style,” Debbie Reynolds in “The Unsinkable Molly Brown,” and Kim Stanley in “Séance on a west afternoon.”
About Anne Bancroft
Bancroft began her professional career on TV in 1950, using the name Anne Marno and made her motion picture debut in “Don’t Bother to Knock” (1952).
Hollywood did not know what to do with her and kept casting her in “B” films until she returned to New York and appeared in “Two for the Seesaw” (1958) opposite Henry Fonda, for which she received a Tony Award.
The following year, she won the New York Drama Critics Award as well as another Tony for her performance in “The Miracle Worker.” She repeated her performance with resounding success in the film version, winning the 1962 Best Actress Academy Award.
She played memorable roles in the British film The Pumpkin Eater,
She gave an astounding performance in The Graduate (1967) and The Turning Point (1977). She was Oscar-nominated for the latter, as well as for Agnes of God (1985).
She was named best actress by the British Film Academy for her performance in 84 Charing Cross Road (1987).
Bancroft also tried her hand at directing. After attending the American Film Institute’s Directing Workshop for Women, she first tried her hand at directing in 1976 with a film titled “The August August,” but it was never released.
The product of her next directorial effort, “Fatso,” was released in 1980 but met with only modest success. In the same year, she appeared as an actress in David Lynch’s Oscar-nominated British-made film, “The Elephant Man.”
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