Spring and Port Wine

Superb movie. Very good photography of 1969/70 Bolton, which seems now to be a different world. Thoughtful and an excellent dramatisation and production. James Mason a real first class star. It is and I would agree with the above comment that this movie is a national treasure.

I love Kitchen Sink Dramas...this one was good, but something was off about it. The story was good, a great cast, brilliant cinematography. It just felt like the whole thing was unrehearsed, poorly directed and badly edited. Did they spend so much of the budget on the cameras that they had none left for rehearsals? It also feels like the director couldn't decide on just how to portray the father...one min the family are terrified of him, the next they are picking on him and joking with him....I'd love to see some stage productions and see how other directors deal with this...here it even sometimes feels like the actors were not in the same room when their scenes were shot as the reactions are all over the place. Lots of great bits about this movie...and I enjoyed it...but it was let down by the direction and editing.

I wonder if Rafe would have mellowed? I share his aversion to debt and admit that he meant well. He woUld have stood by Hilda and the baby. But Arthur was right - worthy of respect as he was, he was a bully when it came to the crunch. This was due to his being too rigid- he should.have been more open about. his childhood. Ll

I love this film 'Spring and port wine'. I was born in Leigh, a town about 7 miles away from Bolton, I moved to Bolton in 1965 when I was 20. My place of work was daily via Little Lever through Farnworth, sometimes on a bike but then by car when I could afford it.The film brings back all the memories of the working class neighbors who were almost always broke but who would always help you if they could. Fred Dibnah was round the corner from Bromwich St. were my bedsit was. If you didn't see the film when first released then you may be forgiven for comparing it to a soap such as Coronation St, well I agree it is a soap, but then, it was called 'Kitchen Sink Drama!' Watch this film for the talented cast who shortly afterwards became household names from frequent roles on TV, I watch mainly for the shots of the locality and the feel good factor of people being poor but happy!

A true view of working class northern England of the past. Mason rules like a king over his family, as he does with his acting as he heads a super cast. This can't be faulted.

This is an excellent film about a traditional working class family in Northern England. Filmed on location in Bolton, it stars James Mason as the father who is the dominant force within his home. Or so it seems. Cleverly, the film, based on the play, portrays the complexities of family life. The supporting cast is terrific as well, with many familiar faces lending support.

I have watched this film many times, and it always seems to get better. With great acting performance by James Mason, and the cast of this classic English film. If you have not seen it before, then I highly recommend that you do.