This Sporting Life

It's about time you took that rock of weight off your shoulders.

This Sporting Life is directed by Lindsay Anderson and written by David Storey. It stars Richard Harris, Rachel Roberts, Alan Badel, William Hartnell, Colin Blakely, Vanda Godsell and Anne Cunningham. Music is by Roberto Gerhard and cinematography by Denys Coop.

Frank Machin (Harris) gets the opportunity to utilise his brute strength and angry nature out on the Rugby League field. It looks a match made in sporting heaven as Machin quickly establishes himself as a star in waiting, but off the field he is less successful at life's challenges...

You taking the jam out of someone's sandwich without asking for it?

Pigeon holed as Brit Kitchen Sink Drama or Brit New Wave...

Richard Harris is on great form here as the aspiring rugby league player "Frank" in a northern English town who is about to hit the big time. An enormous payment of £1,000 is offered and that's going to change not just his life, but possibly that of his landlady "Mrs. Hammond" (Rachel Roberts). She's quite a distant widow who keeps a low profile but he's interested in her, despite her dour exterior. Yes, in a physical way - but also because he desperately wants her to start to live again. With his new career comes cash, acclaim and success but there's also an emptiness as he seeks some greater sense of validation or purpose, and as that search proves elusive he descends into a drink fuelled abyss. His boss is the calculating and wealthy "We...