In 1950s Derby, university graduate Jimmy Porter (Burton) and his young wife Alison (Ure) lead a meagre, dispiriting bedsit existence. When Alison invites her well-heeled best friend Helena (Bloom) to stay with them, it triggers the end of their marriage and sparks a fierce love-hate triangle.
Adapted by Kneale from John Osborne’s pioneering stage play, this marked the feature film debut of the play’s original director, Tony Richardson. A world away from Kneale’s celebrated genre work, it demonstrates his sheer screenwriting skill and succeeds in capturing a key moment in British cultural history.