The Raging Moon

Malcolm McDowell - Bruce Pitchard
Nanette Newman - Jill Matthews
Georgia Brown - Sarah Charles
Bernard Lee - Uncle Bob
Gerald Sim - Reverend Carbett
Michael Flanders - Clarence Marlow
Jack Woolgar - Mr. Pritchard
Margery Mason - Matron
Geoffrey Whitehead - Harold Pritchard
Norman Bird - Doctor Matthews

The Raging Moon represents one of Bryan Forbes finest and most moving achievements and is adapted from the novel by Peter Marshall. It manages the difficult task of treading the very narrow line between believable emotions and sentiment without ever tipping over into mawkishness, as could so easily have happened in the hands of a lesser filmmaker. Malcolm McDowell gives one of most convincing performances as the rebellious paraplegic and Nannette Newman (in real life Mrs. Bryan Forbes) matches McDowell's portrayal with her own deeply-felt and moving performance. And, if the ending is bittersweet, Forbes' film makes it both credible and emotionally satisfying.

Bruce Pritchard (Malcolm McDowell) is a young working-class man who suddenly finds himself struck down by an incurable degenerative disease and confined for the rest of his life to a wheelchair. He is taken to a church-run home for the disabled and his bitterness at his fate and his dislike of the rules and regulations of the place only serve to make him more withdrawn and angry at his enforced imprisonment. Then he gets to know a fellow patient, Jill Mathews (Nanette Newman), also confined to a wheelchair through polio. Bruce begins to harbour romantic affections for Jill but before he can make his feelings known in a letter, she leaves the institution to return home and marry long-time fiancé Geoffrey (Michael Lees). But Jill quickly realises the relationship is doomed, and after breaking off the engagement she returns to the institution. Gradually she is able to get through Bruce’s shell of cynicism and lack of respect for authority and, believably, the oddly assorted couple fall in love. But their shared hopes and dreams against all the odds are touched by more tragedy.