The Big Day

It is no exaggeration to say that if Shakespeare had been around in 1960 this is the type of thing he would have written. Not for him the then popular Angry Young Man - he'd already done that.

This terrific tragi-comedy follows the story of 3 very different men as they vie for a vacant managerial post on the board of the small factory in which they work.

The always wonderful Donald Pleasance gives probably his best ever performance ever as a flawed, timid accountant.

Harry H Corbett, as a ne'er-do-well who has managed to marry his boss's sister, has a chance to show what a great actor he was and how much he deserves to be remembered for far more than just Harold Steptoe.

While the always excellent William Franklin, as an ambitious salesman, is allowed to give his familiar suave persona much depth than normal.

Though made on a B movie budget its acting, script, witty dialogue and location filming are all spot on. When the film was first shown post war austerity was just coming to an end and the swinging 60's were yet to arrive. A previous reviewer has mentioned the frank treatment of sex for the time and I will add to that its giving substantial roles to women - which also made it a forerunner of things to come.

This greatly underrated film would have been misunderstood when it came out and sadly fell into oblivion. It now well deserves to be rediscovered and really is a must see. Oh, and do laugh at the funny bits, they are meant to be there!