The Anniversary

[markrgv]

Just wondered what people think of this little seen black comedy from Hammer Films.

I first saw this film last year - having never seen a tv showing of it (don't know if there has been?) I thought it was a great black comedy with a very good cast. Bette Davis is very good as the domineering mother; playing her as the bitch from hell of course wasn't probably too hard to do, as she was often described as being exactly this in real life!

Seeing it again recently, it struck me that as good as it is, maybe if you don't like Bette Davis, the film won't appeal.

[Mr Sloane]

I love the film, great interplay between the characters and Sheila Hancock steals the film from Bette.

[smudge]

I seem to recall a TV screening in the 80s, then nothing for many, many years - thereafter I think it popped up on SKY. Bette is wonderfully perverse as the scheming mother, but I seem to recall that the film was a bit 'stagey' with the principal action being confined to the family home. Have to admit that I haven't watched it in a fair old while.

Davis and James Cossins give by far the standout performances and the film is a reasonable addition to the Hammer canon. I also like the behind the scenes story of this film - poor Jimmy Sangster! LOL

Smudge

[DB7]

It's really a Bette Davis tour-de-force and the family are just pawns for her entertainment. IIRC Roy Ward-Baker provides commentary on the dvd and it wasn't the easiest of productions.

[markrgv]

No it wasn't. The original director got torn out by Bette and sacked. Then following her approval, Roy Ward Baker took over - but insisted on filming from the beginning, so the set was changed so that no previous footage could be used.

Davis was also very bitchy towards Sheila Hancock as she had wanted the part to be given to Jill Bennett, who she had liked from The Nanny. So she held resentment towards Hancock during the shoot.

Happy Days

[GRAEME]

Great film! Peculiar one for Hammer to produce as it isn't a horror or an outright comedy.

[Mr Sloane]

No it wasn't. The original director got torn out by Bette and sacked. Then following her approval, Roy Ward Baker took over - but insisted on filming from the beginning, so the set was changed so that no previous footage could be used.

Davis was also very bitchy towards Sheila Hancock as she had wanted the part to be given to Jill Bennett, who she had liked from The Nanny. So she held resentment towards Hancock during the shoot.




Happy Days

John Fraser is less than complimentary about both Jill Bennett and Bette in his biography Close Up( I can't think of Jill Bennett without thinking of Coral Browne's comment about her " I never knew what James Robertson Justice saw in her until I saw her eat corn on the cob").

[Grant]

The first time I watched this was as a teenager into Hammer horrors. I really didn't know what to make of it at the time.

I caught up with it via the DVD last year and must say I really enjoyed it. Great fun!

[Gerald Lovell]

This was definitely on terrestial television in the 70s, which was when I first saw it, although I can't lay my hands on my Radio Times cutting for it at the moment. The behind-the-scenes story is probably more interesting than the film itself.

[Elaine]

Bette Davis was such a bitch in Anniversary, but then wasn't that her film personna. From the previous comments, seems she was that way in life too. Of course I love the movie. Jack Hedley played the son who always wanted his mothers approval, and never got it. And Sheila Hancock[ who WAS perfect for the role ] his wife, who wasn't having anyone tread on her husbands toes. I try to imagine them sailing off to Australia with smug smiles on their faces, because in the end they got one over on the nasty old cow!!!

[flynn]

ive not seen the film in a long time.but great cast and film.
here are a couple of shots of Jack. Elaine

[Dandy Forsdyke]

I don't remember this bit of the film!

[markrgv]

I try to imagine them sailing off to Australia with smug smiles on their faces, because in the end they got one over on the nasty old cow!!!

They thought they got one over on her and that they were going to be leaving for Canada - but she had one final gambit left at films end - unseen by them - that will stop them being able to leave!

[Elaine]

Yes I know, but they didn't know she had. Surprise really, that they didn't realise[ considering her spite with dealing with her BOYS] she had a sting in her tail. If only Terry and wife had antisipated her next move.

[Elaine]

I don't remember this bit of the film!

I wonder if Patrick and Diana were visting the set while it was filming?

[Elaine]

ive not seen the film in a long time.but great cast and film.
here are a couple of shots of Jack. Elaine

Thanks flynn. Much appreciated.

[markrgv]

Elaine - yes as you say, she had a final sting in the tail; thus proving that she was top bitch and could never be beaten.

Flynn - nice screen shot of photos.

Dandy - A good photo. I take it The Avengers was filming next door, as both were made at Elstree Studios.

[flynn]

Your welcome Elaine and mark.

[Ray]

The film is OK, unless like me you were lucky enough to see the original stage play, a wonderful black comedy which was a big hit, with Mona Washbourne getting raves as the one eyed monster of a mother, plus Sheila Hancock, Jack Hedley, and Michael Crawford.

The problem was that by that time Bette would never listen to advice from anybody, as far as she was concerned she knew better than anyone how to play a role, and by the late 60's that usually meant over acting, and chewing the scenery like mad. There was none of the subtlety in her performance as demonstrated by Miss Washbourne in the stage production.
She also had the original director Alvin Rakoff replaced by Roy Ward Baker, Rakoff later said that "she was demanding and impossible".

Sheila Hancock and the others from the original stage production also found her impossible to work with. Sheila recalled that Davis expected to be treated deferentially, as a sort of Queen. When she made her first entrance, coming down the stairs, she received loud applause and was so gratified by this that she went back up and did the whole thing over again.

A few years ago Sheila played the mother on stage,I should imagine that her performance was closer to the original, after all she had already seen how it shouldn't be played.

[seanflynn76]

An interesting and enjoyable film. The last time I saw this was around 1996, it shown late on channel 4. Great screen caps Flynn!!! Although Bette is superb as the ghastly mother, Shelia Hancock deserves the plaudit of being excellant!!!