nunkaboy

can anyone help i,m looking 4 a film which was set in the north small family think it was katherine cookson but not sure. The line i remember is about a kipper 4 breakfast . Girl had refused it and father said " Mother keep that kipper and yiu will bring it out 4 each mealtime " Doing my head in think jack warner was father but again not sure new

Zetty

It sounds like Spring and Port Wine. The dad was James Mason, the daughter who wouldn't eat the herring was Susan George. It was in colour though.

anthony chubb

well done zetty thats great a new bright member puts a lot of the older codgers to shame

anton

tara

Sorry, sounds more like the huggetts.
starring jack warner and kathleen harrison.
The child was petula clark.
There was quite a few huggett films made i myself have managed to aquire one- the huggetts abroad.
I am now trying to obtain holiday camp-the huggetts.

Tara

Darling

Ah, I remember that scene very well (dinner, not breakfast, though). I really should visit this forum every day.

Spring and Port Wine is one of my favourite films. I love the theme music and the time warp (made in 1970 but with a distinctly Sixties feel) northern town (Bolton, Lancashire) Englishness of it stirs the nostalgia pot.

Not Catherine Cookson, but a play written by Bill Naughton.

I recorded it from the TV years ago and the quality of the video isn't too good now but I still watch it regularly. I could kick myself for not buying the proper video when I saw it several years ago. Come on, DVD Gods, we're waiting!

Drew James

I know this is an old thread but just for clarification, yes the film was "Spring and Port Wine", starring James Mason as 'Father', Diana Coupland as 'Mother' and Susan George and Rodney Bewes as two of the children. Bewes playing the elder son.

I do have a sort of personal connection to this fantastic film, as I was living in Bolton (as a 10 year-old boy) at the time the film was being made, and remember all the excitement of having a 'film crew' with 'real film stars' working two streets from where we lived. In fact I actually got James Mason's autograph, as he sat in a chair by the side of the road while they were waiting for a shot to be set up. I'm not sure what he must have thought, but the only thing I had to hand for him to sign, was that week's copy of 'The Beano' (a kids comic of the time). But I still have it to this day. Wonderful memories.

In addition, and purely by coincidences of life, Bill Naughton who wrote 'Spring and Port Wine' (plus 'Alfie' and 'The Family Way' which were also made into great British films) had lived in Bolton up until 1953 when he moved to the Isle of Man. I moved from Bolton to the Isle of Man in the late 1980's.

Much like Norman Wisdom, Bill was one of life's 'true gentlemen', and I got to know both him and his wife Erna quite well. Bill has since sadly passed away, but Erna is still around thankfully.

Incidentally, the only reason why 'Spring and Port Wine' is taking so long to make an appearance in 'official' DVD format, is as a result of the legal wranglings between the film studios, which of course are now all owned by different people than when the film was made in 1970. As a result, and because some 'studios' were bought and re-sold several times, then divided up and sold again, it has become a mine field in deciding who or which companies actually own the rights to which films.

All things being equal, I understand that the legal bods regarding the rights of this and many other British films from the 60's and 70's, hope to reach some form of agreement in either late 2007 or early 2008. At which point, there would appear to be no reason whatsoever why this and many other 'British Classics' can't (finally) be made available on DVD. Initially in the UK and USA markets, and later, worldwide.

In the meantime of course, and with the advent of home DVD recorders becoming far more accessible price-wise, it may just be a case of keeping your eye on the TV listings for when it's next due to be shown. Copyright law does not prevent you (or I) recording films from any TV channel, as long as they are being recorded for our own viewing pleasure. BBC2, ITV2, ITV3 and TCM in the UK are the most likely channels it will appear on.

tellingbone

It's turned up at least 3 times on Channel 4 in the past 5 or so years.

rskershaw

Spring and Port Wine

And what's all this about me having me leg off?