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Room at the Top

Play trailer Poster for Room at the Top Released Mar 30, 1959 1h 58m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 24 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
An ambitious young man from a poor family, gets a job in a mill town in Northern England. He woos the daughter of the richest man in town, but he also falls in love with a married woman with whom he has an intense affair. The married woman commits suicide and he finds himself married to a woman who loves him but whom he does not love.

Critics Reviews

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Peter Bradshaw Guardian In truth, Signoret probably outclasses everyone in the movie with her charisma and address to the camera. But Harvey’s performance, though more effortful, still has vigour and style. Rated: 4/5 Mar 6, 2024 Full Review Chris Bennion Times (UK) Laurence Harvey is electric as the social climber Joe Lampton... Aug 23, 2023 Full Review Melissa Anderson 4Columns One of the bleakest movies I know, Room at the Top also ranks among the sultriest: a wildfire smoldering in a desolate landscape. Director Jack Clayton deftly showcases the lust-drunk faces and entangled bodies of protagonists Joe and Alice. Nov 13, 2020 Full Review Manny Farber The New Leader Room has a tricked-up impressiveness that holds the spectator's mind long after the movie's windup. Sep 14, 2021 Full Review Kat Halstead Common Sense Media Classic portrayal of ruthless ambition has sex and violence. Rated: 4/5 Mar 12, 2020 Full Review Alberto Abuín Espinof A masterful film in all aspects, full of strength. [Full Review in Spanish] Feb 14, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jim P The main actor (Joe) may be from Lithuania but he plays the working class northerner very well. His counterpart Alice is actually German! Having said that, this is a gritty Northern drama about post war UK. A great story and a well made movie. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/02/24 Full Review Edward C One of the very best films of all time Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/02/23 Full Review Leaburn O The acting is very stiff and the accents all over the place. It's probably a better film than the book was but the final scene was unnecessary. Pretty dour stuff. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 06/02/23 Full Review Audience Member Setting the template for the angry young man films of the late 50s early 60s, all black and white and brooding, it stands the test of time and maintains the power to shock. The script is sharp and bitter, very northern. Class, supposedly muted by war and Attlee's government, is writ large throughout with superciliousness, contempt, soft and hard power and deep green jealousy and ambition for its own sake. Women are caught in the crossfire of this male battle, from the posh naive but strong millionaire's daughter to the ultimate femme in Simone Signoret's Oscar winning turn as Alice. It's great, if anything dates it, it's a little too literal around class and Lawrence Harvey is easily parodyable as angry northern man. That said, essential. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/12/23 Full Review Audience Member I see why it's a classic! So many good performances within. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/10/23 Full Review william d There are some good performances here - Simone Signoret's especially - but all the moral outrage delivered on behalf of the class struggle seems dated and self-righteous. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Room at the Top

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Room at the Top

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Movie Info

Synopsis An ambitious young man from a poor family, gets a job in a mill town in Northern England. He woos the daughter of the richest man in town, but he also falls in love with a married woman with whom he has an intense affair. The married woman commits suicide and he finds himself married to a woman who loves him but whom he does not love.
Director
Jack Clayton
Producer
James Woolf, John Woolf
Screenwriter
John Braine, Neil Paterson
Distributor
Continental Distributing Inc.
Production Co
Remus
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 30, 1959, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 10, 2020
Runtime
1h 58m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.66:1)