Up until recently, the last time I watched this film was some considerable time ago. I think I may have been in my late teens or even early twenties that I last set eyes on it, so that makes it over 40 years ago. Unfortunately, I can’t remember exactly when it was, or even how I watched it. Guessing that I was around twenty years old at the time, that would date it to around 1982. I don’t think I had a VCR at that time, so I can only assume it was broadcast on television and that I had watched it live (I did have my own TV set in my bedroom by then, albeit a black & white rental).
I do remember the impact that it had on me, however. It was a pretty racy film in 1968 when it was released, but to see it actually on television in 1982… wow! I had seen nothing like it in my life up to then. Remember I was in my late teens (or early twenties) so there was no internet to provide education about such subjects as (whispers) sex and certainly not (whispers again) lesbianism. The only source of information we had was the library. And I wouldn’t ever have had the guts to go into a public place and start reading books about (whispers) sex and certainly not about (whispers again) matters of a lesbian nature. Good heavens no!!
So what’s all the fuss about?
OK, so here’s a brief rundown of the storyline:
It (the 1968 film, that is) is a British psychological drama directed by Robert Aldrich. The film follows the story of June Buckridge, an ageing actress who plays the role of “Sister George” on a popular BBC television soap opera (called “Applehurst”). In “real life”, June is a gin-guzzling, cigar-chomping, slightly sadistic masculine woman, the antithesis of the sweet character she plays in “Applehurst”. She is often called George in “real life”, and lives with her lover; Alice “Childie” McNaught, a younger dim-witted woman she often verbally and sometimes physically abuses. As her character is written out of the show, June’s personal and professional life begins to unravel. She struggles with her romantic relationship with Alice, as jealousies and insecurities grow.
The film explores themes of power dynamics, sexuality, and the complexity of relationships, while presenting a critique of societal expectations for women, particularly in the entertainment industry. The narrative delves into the emotional breakdown of June as she faces the loss of her identity and her control over her life.
The play
The film is a version of a stage play, written by Frank Marcus in 1964. There are subtle differences between the play and the film: for example “Applehurst” is a radio play instead of a BBC soap opera and the lesbian aspects – strongly implied in the play – are more explicit in the film. The film is much darker, the verbal and physical abuse that the character of June bestows on Alice is more than the play depicted and there are extra sex scenes not present in the play.
Beryl Reid played June in both the play and the film, a role in which she and the other members of the cast, shocked the British play-viewing public. So much so that people in shops refused to serve her and other performers, due to the characters they portrayed in the play. A reflection of the attitudes towards lesbians and sexuality in general at that time in Britain.
It was gob-smacking stuff!
For me in 1982, this was a powerful film. It wasn’t so much the lesbianism in the film (although I’d never really encountered any in real life, or on any media at the time), it was the character of June Buckridge. Buckridge is cruel, manipulative and extremely jealous; to the point at which she approaches Alice’s boss at her place of work. Buckridge is an alcoholic – and a nasty drunk at that. Several times throughout the film, someone other than Alice receives the sharp end of Buckridge’s tongue. Witnessing Buckridge fall apart slowly through the film, insulting all and sundry around her, culminating in Alice parting ways with her in favour of Mercy Croft is both fascinating and offensive. It was definitely a harrowing experience at the time.
I’d think of this film many times on and off in the 40-odd year period between viewings. It certainly elevated Beryl Reid and Susannah York in my eyes as actors and I’ve tried to watch anything else they were in. Incidentally, this would include “Get Up and Go”; a children’s TV programme hosted by Beryl Reid and a puppet called Mooncat (inadvertently echoing the very last scenes of The Killing of Sister George, perhaps?), and of course, Beryl played Captain Briggs in the 1982 Doctor Who serial “Earthshock”.
The rewatch
I rewatched the film a couple of weeks ago, it’s 2 hours and 16 minutes long, start to finish. I haven’t watched an “old” film like that for quite a while (and when I say “old”, I mean from the 1960’s or 1970’s).
I must admit, I found it to be quite slow in places. I imagine the pacing of films has become a bit faster over the years (probably as people’s attention spans get shorter and shorter), so this was quite a shock to return back to the more “leisurely” story telling pace. Rewatching it in 2024 removes some of the original shock factor from the film (at least the lesbian part of it), however Buckridge’s cruelty and – what would now be termed gaslighting – still carries just as much impact now, as it did for me in 1982.
There are some good cameo performances in it too, unnoticed originally. The third main character (Mercy Croft) is played by Coral Browne, who went on to publish her autobiography (That Effing Woman) and become Mrs Vincent Price. Ronald Fraser (another Doctor Who alumni) turns in a good performance as the narcissistic Leo Lockhart, the misogynistic Ginger in the film’s soap opera. Hugh Paddick also turns in a good performance as the rather camp director of “Applehurst” encouraging Buckridge’s bad on-set behaviour whenever possible.
Some scenes in the film were actually shot in the real Gateways Club in London. “The Gates” was one of the few places in the UK where lesbians could meet openly during the 40s, 50s and 60s. Lesbians and bisexuals flocked to the Gateways (as did curious heterosexuals), and by 1967 (when the film would have been made) the club was women-only. The film (where Buckridge, Alice and Croft meet) featured the then legendary bar person: “Smithy”.
Was it a good experience?
When I was twenty years old, I knew nothing much about any of these performers and was oblivious to anything to do with the Gateways Club in London. Now, I’ve sailed through 40 something years of life and I can say with all confidence that I’ve picked up more than a few bits of knowledge along the way. Additionally, I now have access to knowledge that I haven’t got, so I can quickly and easily look something up if I don’t know it.
An example of that is the Gateways Club. I’d have had to look it up, if Sandi Toksvig hadn’t made a whole documentary about it (Gateways Grind in 2022). And because she made that documentary, I recognised it straight away in the film.
Did I enjoy it second time around in 2024? Yes I did. Despite finding it quite slow in places (and a couple of weird jump cuts too!) I found it a much more fulfilling experience with the aid of a few years life experience.
That said, I don’t regret watching it in the 1980’s. It was a thought provoking film at the time and it is still provokes a few thoughts today.
Final thought:
Would I watch it again? Certainly. Although I may not wait another 40 years before doing so (I’ll be just over 100 years old)!