It Always Rains on Sunday

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Audience Member Ealing Studios were, of course, best known for comedies. '"It Always Rains on Sunday', however, is not a comedy but a crime drama, an example of the studio's more serious output. The action is set in Bethnal Green, a working class district of East London, in the years following the end of the Second World War... London Gothic-Among the living, in Old Bethnal Green--Film Noir defies definition, plenty disagree whether its a movement, genre, style. Perhaps its more usefully conceived as a sensibility, a world view, an attitude. In which case the words pessimism, determinism ie characters lacking choices in their lives are predetermined, doom, gloom, the past coming back to affect the present all spring to mind... Dynamic British romantic thriller with a cracking script and an outstanding final reel, crammed full of delectable performances from a fine group of character actors!! Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/22/23 Full Review Audience Member This British Film Noir starts off really well as it explores the various lives of the working class and criminals in Bethnal Green. Unfortunately as the various story arcs start to link together it begins to feel more and more contrived. Ultimately by the end as a viewer you're left pretty unsatisfied with the films conclusion as well. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member Very clever British noir. Googie Withers is wonderful as Rose, the bored housewife whose life suddenly becomes more thrilling when an old flame turns to her for help. Highly recommended! Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member The film is a remarkable combination of British social realism and film noir. It seems social realism is the winner for much of the film and all the myriad of characters are acutely observed and brilliantly acted. The cops and robbers string is sometimes fairly thin on the ground as the Rose Sandigate (Googie Withers) risks a prison sentence and her marriage to help a girl hood flame, small time crim Tommy Swan who is on the run pursued by the relentless Detective Sgt Fothergill who seems not only to know everyone but never be off duty. The Noir theme does however payoff in an remarkable and exciting chase sequence. There is added poignancy as it is revealed that the romance meant much more to Rose than it ever meant to Tommy. Like many films of this era and genre, post war rationing and hardship seems to be an enduring presence in the daily life of ordinary people, and incidentally, the black market which a lot of ordinary people tolerate is the major economic opportunity and driver of criminal activity. Ultimately the film is about the power of that first love (or moreover the overwhelming love of one's life at whatever age it occurs) and the way it blinds us to the risks and dangers of pursuing that dream Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Audience Member Above-average British melodrama with slight film noir-ish overtones. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member Though this may not have been the best film is produced nor the one that aged the best, it is a good example of how Ealing Studios brought realism and the working class to British cinema, in a way which helped shaped its landscape significantly. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Read all reviews

It Always Rains on Sunday

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