A Taste of Honey

Released Apr 30, 1962

1h 40m

Comedy

Drama

LGBTQ+

List

86%

21 Reviews

Tomatometer

86%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In this domestic drama, British teen Jo (Rita Tushingham) struggles to find love in her bleak day-to-day life, which is dominated by her alcoholic mother, Helen (Dora Bryan). When Jo has a brief fling with a black sailor and Helen takes up with a new lover, their already tense relationship is further strained. Jo faces more complications as she discovers she is pregnant, but finds support when she moves in with an odd but thoughtful gay student named Geoffrey (Murray Melvin).

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Leaburn O

Another of the BFI Top 100. This one has been referenced in a couple of other places recently so I thought it must have some significance. Indeed it would have been a significant film back in 1961 when made as it portrays societal outcasts in a sympathetic way. The British new wave cinema doesn't really work for me as entertainment but enlightens you of prevailing attitudes and working class society back in the day. Some good shots of the kids playing in the streets but beyond that I can't say it was too interesting. Fairly well made and acted. Of its time. I had to buy this one in DVD as never shown on the box or in streaming services these days.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/31/23

Full Review

isla s

This is a good piece of social commentary of the time. In it the mother is depicted as the bad person, for the way she behaves and talks to her daughter - her old fashioned attitudes and judgements. She is quite a hypocritical person really and I can imagine such a storyline may have caused a fair stir in the time this film was released. I liked that the main character, Jo, is quite independent and tried her best to do things her way. I liked that her friend, Geoff, is such a thoughtful and seemingly caring person. Its a nice watch. Its a bit outdated these days I suppose, of course being a black and white film but what would you expect of a film of this age? its certainly worth a watch, yes.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

samuel l

Deserves praise for touching on topics studio films didn't and for artistic style, but the narrative was practically non-existent, the dialogue and events were ridiculously fake for a film trying to be 'realistic', the pacing was mixed, and the ending was awfully abrupt. On the other hand, the characters were an interesting mix and had some complexity, the acting was well done, the on location shooting was pretty impressive, the editing was effective, and the soundtrack was playfully unique. It's not, however, a comedy, so I have no idea why Rotten Tomatoes has it listed as that genre.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A poignant choice perhaps, in the wake of the Eliza Hittman's recent release Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020) which was hit by the closure of cinemas. Both share the similarity of tackling the issue of a pregnant young girl, and the influence of this gritty sixties British New Wave classic cannot be ignored. Shelagh Delaney's adaptation of her own stage play in which young Rita finds solace in a sailor and a friend, both social exiles in the early sixties setting of Blackpool. A romantic comedy of sorts, A Taste of Honey is a bleak, but topical, inside view into England and English attitudes in 1961.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/29/23

Full Review

Audience Member

It just has the right mood, it's my kind of movie: good dialog, some sad scenes but with a good intention; it felt real!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

Full Review

William L

While it was certainly more radical when it was first released, the narrative feels tame by modern standards. Most of what makes this film distinctive comes from its atmosphere, creating a setting that conveys much of the bleakness of post-war Britain before it found its footing once again economically and culturally. However, it does deserve credit for taking a relatively unromanticized look at the English working class outside of traditional settings, which are often predisposed to interpretations of Dickensian environments. (3/5)

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

08/12/20

Full Review

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Tony Richardson

Director

Dora Bryan

Helen

Rita Tushingham

Jo

Robert Stephens

Peter

Murray Melvin

Geoffrey Ingham

Shelagh Delaney

Writer

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Michael Sragow

New Yorker

A near-classic of postadolescent confusion and longing.

Mar 20, 2017

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

[A Taste of Honey] has an earthy gusto and sincerity that lift its somewhat downbeat theme and drab surroundings.

Mar 26, 2009

Full Review

Geoff Andrew

Time Out

A perfect example of how the 'New British Cinema' of the late '50s and early '60s has dated and become almost unwatchable.

Jun 24, 2006

Full Review

Allan Morrison

Jet Magazine

A truly distinguished, brilliantly-written, splendidly acted adaptation of Shelagh Delaney's play... The film is a striking example of the power of the screen to enhance and enrich a good play.

Jan 17, 2024

Full Review

Pauline Kael

Partisan Review

[Director Tony Richardson] doesn’t take a chance on our reaching out to the characters or feelings; everything is pushed at us. What should be a lyric sketch is all filled in and spelled out until it becomes almost a comic melodrama.

Sep 11, 2023

Full Review

Clyde Gilmour

Maclean's Magazine

Squalor, anger, pity, poetry and humor are marvelously compounded in this British screen edition of young Shelagh Delany's international stage hit.

Oct 11, 2019

Full Review

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Synopsis

In this domestic drama, British teen Jo (Rita Tushingham) struggles to find love in her bleak day-to-day life, which is dominated by her alcoholic mother, Helen (Dora Bryan). When Jo has a brief fling with a black sailor and Helen takes up with a new lover, their already tense relationship is further strained. Jo faces more complications as she discovers she is pregnant, but finds support when she moves in with an odd but thoughtful gay student named Geoffrey (Murray Melvin).

Director: Tony Richardson
Screenwriter: Shelagh Delaney, Shelagh Delaney, Tony Richardson
Distributor: Bryanston Films Ltd., Continental Distributing Inc.
Production Co: Woodfall Film Productions
Genre: Comedy, Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 30, 1962, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 23, 2016
Runtime: 1h 40m

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