Originally posted on 5/23/21
Currently watching: THE FAMILY WAY (1966) with Hayley Mills and Hywel Bennett. This is my third movie headlined by that particular couple, the others being the suspense thrillers TWISTED NERVE (1968) and ENDLESS NIGHT (1972).
Here, thank goodness, Hywel's "Arthur" isn't a psychotic killer or even an overly disturbed individual. But he does have a problem: his marriage to Jenny (Hayley Mills), a pretty young virgin he's been dating for two years, has a rocky start when their honeymoon vacation package turns out to be a scam and they end up spending the wedding night in Arthur's bedroom in his parents' house, with scarcely any privacy at all.
To make things worse, the reception (also in Mum and Dad's house) is full of tension between Arthur and his father, Ezra Fitton (Hayley's real-life dad, John Mills). This and other factors add up to make Arthur unable to "perform" with Jenny that night.
What seems like a temporary problem at first evolves into a major, ongoing one as their cramped, tightly-knit little village gets wind of the matter and it quickly becomes the hottest gossip item around.
Arthur is hounded by well-meaning busybodies and humiliated by louts such as his boss (Barry Foster, TWISTED NERVE, FRENZY), while Jenny is unfairly blamed for letting the secret slip out and wonders if Arthur's inability to consummate their marriage is her fault.
With the couple under the intense scrutiny of everyone in town and the situation being hashed out by their clumsily concerned parents, the film's cringe factor quickly goes up to eleven and it's anyone's guess where the plot will take us from here.
But just then, all of the film's various elements--surprisingly tense drama, deliciously dry humor, rich irony, fascinating characters, and a startling revelation or two--suddenly begin to come together in a way that draws us in and makes us eager to see what happens next.
While Hayley and Hywel turn in just the sort of appealing performances one might expect, it's actually Hayley's dad John Mills and co-star Marjorie Rhodes as Arthur's parents, slow-witted Ezra and long-suffering Lucy, who have the most compelling characters and dialogue.
During one scene in particular, so much is revealed about them and so many past secrets dredged up that for several minutes they become the main focus of the film and we are transfixed by their story.
The supporting cast includes the delightful Liz Fraser (who'd appear that same year on TV's "The Avengers" in the episode "The Girl From AUNTIE") as Barry Foster's wife and actor-singer Murray Head, best known for the hit "One Night In Bangkok", as Arthur's brother, who displays an unhealthy interest in Jenny. Thorley Walters (TWISTED NERVE, FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN) also turns up briefly.
Of added interest is the fact that the musical score is written by Beatle Paul McCartney and arranged by George Martin. It's pleasant enough but not as noteworthy as one might expect. Paul would later describe it as his first "job of work."
Technically, the film is a modest, competently-done effort with adequate production values, resembling any number of English smalltown comedies/dramas. Longtime fans of Hayley Mills may be startled by her brief display of rear nudity during an uncomfortable scene with Arthur's brother.
I was unsure what to expect during the first part of THE FAMILY WAY, but soon found myself settling comfortably into this absorbing little film whose simple yet compelling narrative leads to a glowing finale.
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