BBCAmerica disappoints me. The channel is supposed to give us the best in British entertainment. But they go out of their way to avoid broadcasting movies that are truly English. They run the same James Bond titles found on five other channels. They attempt to pawn off 10 one evening since it stars two relocated English stars in Dudley Moore and Julie Andrews even though the action takes place in Los Angeles and Mexico. They’ve scheduled March of the Penguins which wasn’t made on the White Cliffs of Dover. It’s like they are ashamed of true British cinema and stars that haven’t come to America to play butlers on sitcoms. That’s why it’s a nice relief to finally get to see Four In the Morning as part of VCI’s Best of British Classics series. This is considered a gem of the Kitchen Sink Realism movement.
The police uncover a woman’s body on the shore of the Thames River. It’s a quiet investigation and processing of the unidentified corpse. The mystery of her identity connects her with two couples that are up at 4 a.m. Judi Dench (Die Another Day) is a mother at wits end with a teething baby. She gets no relief since her husband (Norman Rodway) has been out all night with his old pal (Joe Melia). They come home thinking the party can keep going, but the wife isn’t happy with the arrangement. She’s tired of being stuck at home with the baby while he gets to enjoy a carefree life. At the same time Brian Phelan takes Ann Lynn on a wee hour romp around the Thames. He steals a boat for a spin. She appreciates his impulsive nature. Everything appears to be going great for their romantic journey, but he freaks out when she says she loves him. What’s his real hang up with her? There’s little joy in their melodramatic lives. Are Ann or Judi really the one fished out of the Thames? They all wear the same trenchcoat.
Anthony Simmons had previously directed documentaries. This reflects in the texture of the film. There’s a grit to the background that’s found in so many Kitchen Sink dramas of this time. Director of photography Larry Pizer had worked with Lindsey Anderson (If… and This Sporting Life) on smaller projects. He does a lot of work with natural light to make it feel more real than a normal drama. The footage of the coroner’s office isn’t a Hollywood vision. What really sets the tone of the film is the score by John Barry. He was in the midst of his prime with all the James Bond
movies having just wrapped on Goldfinger. He builds up the tension between the two stories. There’s a lot of quiet that needs his strings and horns.
Four In the Morning is a pensive film. This is not completely over the top drama. When Dench has it out with her husband, it’s not filled with soap opera hysterics. There’s a brutal honesty in her attack on Rodway. The film is a landmark of the Kitchen Sink movement with its documentary feel that doesn’t allow itself to become escapist entertainment. This is the type of classy film that ought to be show late night on BBCAmerica instead of a Hollywood product with an ex-Brit in a supporting role.
The video is 1.78:1 anamorphic. The black and white transfer really brings out the details in the locations. The riverside views give a feel for the gravel. The gritty nature comes out instead of a glossy life. The audio is Dolby Digital Mono. The dynamic range allows for the quiet and Barry’s score to balance in your ears.
None.
Four In the Morning is required viewing for fans of the Kitchen Sink era of British cinema. Judi Dench delivers one of her finest performances as the frustrated mother. The date around the Thames is reminiscent of Before Sunrise with the would be lovers in constant motion. The film doesn’t overplay itself.
VCI Entertainment presents Four In the Morning. Directed by: Anthony Simmons. Starring: Judi Dench, Ann Lynn, Norman Rodway, Brian Phelan and Joe Melia. Running Time: 89 minutes. Released on DVD: August 31, 2010.
