“Work .. is a four letter word” film

[Vivienne14]

Filming took place in St Martin’s Street and starred Cilla Black. Can’t say I remember this film.

Viv.

Source: British Newspaper Archive

 

[mw0njm.]

me neither till now ta Viv

Reelstreets | Work is a Four Letter Word

www.reelstreets.com

 

[pjmburns]

I remember the title but don't think I ever saw the film.

 

[carolina]

 

[Stokkie]

Cilla sang the song of this title and Morrisey insisted that The Smiths covered it for the B side of 'Girlfriend in a Coma' 1987 Johnney Marr left the band as a result.

Despite being directed by Peter Hall and with a couple of British stars like Alan Howard and David Warner, this film was panned by the critics. I've never seen it, but it looks like a dog! 'Heaven knows I'm miserable now' as The Smiths sang...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_Is_a_Four-Letter_Word

 

[Stokkie]

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062503/
More on the film.
Zia Mohyeddin is more well known now than he was then I think. The cast seem to have all worked with Peter Hall at Stratford.

 

[Stokkie]

Here's Cilla:

And here's The Smiths:

And here rather astonishingly is the film on You Tube

Rare films likes it better, you can watch or even download here.

 

[Stokkie]

I remember the title but don't think I ever saw the film.

Might you remember Cilla singing the title song, Janice?
Derek

 

[A Sparks]

I remember the title but don't think I ever saw the film.

Same for me, I guess it wasn't shown very widely.
Peter Hall was a very respected and successful director who also liked to do experimental work, he once took a group of actors, including a young Helen Mirren, out into Africa to tour around villages performing improvised plays!

The film was shown at the Electric Cinema a few years ago...soundtrack by Delia Derbyshire.....

If you wanted to distill the crazy patchwork of Birmingham 68, you could do a lot worse than Work Is a Four Letter Word.
Filmed in Ladywood while demolition was in full swing, it concerns an odd young man (David Warner) who gets a job at the local sinister corporation ("every conceivable human need catered for") in order to grow psychedelic mushrooms in their basement. Cilla Black looks on in understandable confusion as the love interest, while the groovy bleeps on the soundtrack are provided by Delia Derbyshire. Yes, this is a real film! Because we are screening from an archival 35mm print, this rare outing will include occasional pauses for reel changes.
Dir: Peter Hall
UK 1968, 93 mins

​

 

[Stokkie]

Same for me, I guess it wasn't shown very widely.
Peter Hall was a very respected and successful director who also liked to do experimental work, he once took a group of actors, including a young Helen Mirren, out into Africa to tour around villages performing improvised plays!

The film was shown at the Electric Cinema a few years ago...soundtrack by Delia Derbyshire.....

If you wanted to distill the crazy patchwork of Birmingham 68, you could do a lot worse than Work Is a Four Letter Word.
Filmed in Ladywood while demolition was in full swing, it concerns an odd young man (David Warner) who gets a job at the local sinister corporation ("every conceivable human need catered for") in order to grow psychedelic mushrooms in their basement. Cilla Black looks on in understandable confusion as the love interest, while the groovy bleeps on the soundtrack are provided by Delia Derbyshire. Yes, this is a real film! Because we are screening from an archival 35mm print, this rare outing will include occasional pauses for reel changes.
Dir: Peter Hall
UK 1968, 93 mins

​

I've just watched 15 mins or so. It was the first film Hall directed, it seems more watchable than the reviews suggest. I have a glass of wine, no shrooms here!

 

[A Sparks]

I'll have to have a look at it!

 

[wam]

At some point in the film there is a massive song and dance number. Some of the bit players in that scen include Birmingham City Council and the central office staff of the T&GWU. Apparently my dad was in there somewhere.