All the Way Up (film)
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film production |
| Founder | Philip Mackie |
| Fate | Only one film produced |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
Key people | Philip Mackie (managing director) |
| Products | Films |
| Parent | Granada Television |
All The Way Up is a 1970 British comedy film directed by James MacTaggart, featuring performances by Warren Mitchell, Pat Heywood, Kenneth Cranham, and Richard Briers. The movie is based on the 1962 stage play Semi-Detached written by David Turner.
This project stands as the sole feature film directed by James MacTaggart, who was primarily renowned for his work in British television drama. The film’s title track was recorded by the Liverpool ensemble The Scaffold.
Plot
The story follows a father eager to climb the social ladder, who resorts to schemes like anonymous letters and blackmail to help his children secure promotions and beneficial marriages.
Cast
- Warren Mitchell portraying Fred Midway
- Pat Heywood as Hilda Midway
- Elaine Taylor playing Eileen Midway
- Kenneth Cranham in the role of Tom Midway
- Vanessa Howard as Avril Hadfield
- Richard Briers taking on Nigel Hadfield
- Adrienne Posta as Daphne Dunmore
- Bill Fraser in the role of Arnold Makepiece
- Terence Alexander as Bob Chickman
- Maggie Rennie portraying Mrs. Chickman
- Frank Thornton as Mr. Driver
Production
The film was developed under Granada Films, a brief subsidiary of Granada Television, through the collaboration of writer-producer Philip Mackie and director James MacTaggart, both primarily experienced in television. Mackie served as managing director of Granada Films, which intended to produce six feature films; however, All the Way Up remained its only completed work.
In November 1969, Nat Cohen announced this film as part of a group of 13 productions planned over an 18-month period for Anglo Amalgamated, then owned by EMI. This project was a co-production between Anglo Amalgamated and Granada Films.
Critical reception
According to The Monthly Film Bulletin, the film serves as a distinctly British family comedy that explores widespread corruption through themes of selfishness and deceit. Fred Midway emerges as a cynical working-class anti-hero whose ascent highlights moral ambiguity rather than any form of social revolution. Warren Mitchell’s portrayal was regarded as more polished compared to his previous character Alf Garnett. The screenplay contained moments of sharp humor, with credible performances from Adrienne Posta and Kenneth Cranham as the only couple motivated by genuine love instead of financial advantage. Nevertheless, the review criticized the film’s ethical perspective.
The Observer described it as "very funny, uncomfortable, knowing cinema," while the Evening Standard lauded it as "an extremely funny and savage attack on middle class pretensions." Variety found the pacing lively and occasionally humorous but sometimes overly busy and forceful. Film historian Leslie Halliwell characterized it as a "crudely farcical adaptation" that weakens toward its conclusion.
Filmink suggested it might be "another Cohen film from this era that arrived too late to make a significant impact."
Box office
Paul Moody, a historian, points out that the movie had limited commercial success, especially when compared with the later popular On the Buses series. This experience provided Cohen with insights into British viewers’ tastes and marked EMI’s last venture into producing a ‘middle-class’ comedy.
Certification
In New Zealand, the film carries an M rating due to its depiction of sexual content and related themes.
External links
- All the Way Up on Letterboxd
- All the Way Up at the BFI website
- All the Way Up featured on Reel Streets