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This Sporting Life (1963)
Rate:
9
Viewed:
5/19, 11/19
5/19:
People forget that Richard Harris was among the best actors to hail from the UK, and his finest hour
was captured in This Sporting Life, a rough, abusive British kitchen sink drama.
There's no doubt Harris' Frank Machin was the death of his woman. Ironically, he called her crazy, but
he was even crazier and, worst of all, pussy-whipped. To be fair, Margaret deserves some of the blame for taking
too much while giving little back. All Machin knows is violence; it's the only way he can express his feelings.
Regardless, the excellent performances got Richard Harris, who's a cross between Marlon Brando and Richard Burton,
and Rachel Roberts Academy Award nominations for Best Actor and Best Actress, respectively. They
deserved them. I'm impressed with these two for never allowing the film to be stagy.
I saw Look Back in Anger with Richard Burton and Claire Bloom some while ago and
wasn't impressed with it although it's the original of the British kitchen sink drama genre. I have to say This Sporting Life is the
quintessential that's more caustic and edgier in terms of human drama.
If there's a negative, some of the momentum is lost during the second half which is thankfully picked up with ten to fifteen minutes
left. It may have run too long as well. These are minor issues while everything else has been undoubtedly terrific.
All in all, This Sporting Life is a complex film about anger and violence.
11/19:
Powerful and violent, This Sporting Life is the definition of British kitchen sink realism.
Richard Harris' performance is a testament of what an enormous talent he was back then. It's hard not to be bowled over by
his tough, uncompromising acting. Rachel Roberts is special, too. The depressing violence shown by their characters is both
sad and pointless.
All in all, This Sporting Life is a dark film of complicated themes that are mired in violence and harsh living.