This Sporting Life

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This Sporting Life

Directed by	Lindsay Anderson
Produced by	Karel Reisz
Written by	David Storey
Starring	Richard Harris Rachel Roberts Alan Badel William Hartnell
Music by	Roberto Gerhard
Cinematography	Denys Coop
Distributed by	Rank
Release date(s)	January, 1963
Running time	134 min
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
IMDb profile

This Sporting Life is also a radio program in Australia. See This Sporting Life (radio program)

This Sporting Life is a 1963 British film which tells the story of a rugby league player, Frank Machin, in northern England whose romantic life is not as successful as his sporting life. The film stars Richard Harris, Rachel Roberts and Alan Badel. It was adapted by David Storey from his novel and directed by Lindsay Anderson, and is considered to be one of the last major films of the British New Wave or "Free Cinema" movement.

The film was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Richard Harris) and Best Actress in a Leading Role (Rachel Roberts).

Notable among the supporting cast is William Hartnell, who would go on to international fame as the original Doctor Who. It was his role in This Sporting Life which brought him to the attention of the first Doctor Who producer Verity Lambert. It also featured the future Dad's Army star, Arthur Lowe.

Many of the scenes in This Sporting Life were filmed at Wakefield Trinity's stadium in Belle Vue, Wakefield, England.

[edit] Plot

The movie is about the story of a bitter young coal miner (Harris) in northern England. There is no explanation of his background. He sees the local professional rugby team dancing with all the women at the local nightclub and becomes jealous. He attempts to butt in on the captain of the rugby team who is dancing with a very pretty woman. The captain becomes angry and immediately challenges him to "take it outside". The young coal miner is promptly beaten up by the entire team but puts a few decent shots in and impresses an onlooker with his spirit. The onlooker is actually a manager involved in the rugby team and promises to give him a trial.

Although somewhat initially uncoordinated at rugby, he impresses the team's owner, Gerald Weaver, with his spirit and brutality of his playing style during the trial. He is signed up to the top team as a second row/lock and impresses all with his aggressive forward play. He often punches or elbows the opposition players throughout the game. The rugby scenes are considered some of the best sporting images ever used.

On the otherhand is his relationship with his landlady, Mrs Margaret Hammond. The landlady's husband was recently killed working in the team owner's mine. He seems completely incapable of establishing a relationship with her despite sleeping with her. During a friend's wedding, the two fall out with the landlady being slapped by him. She dies later from hemorrhaging with it left unexplained whether the blow contributed. The team owner's wife, Mrs Weaver, also tries to seduce him but he rejects her.

The film ends with him approaching the end of his rugby career, being injured without any real moral or lesson.