A Kind of Loving (film)

A Kind of Loving is a 1962 British drama film directed by John Schlesinger, based on the 1960 novel of the same name by Stan Barstow. It stars Alan Bates and June Ritchie as two lovers in early 1960s Lancashire. The photography was by Denys Coop, and the music by Ron Grainer. Filming locations included the towns of Preston, Blackburn, Bolton, Salford, Manchester, Radcliffe and St Anne's-on-sea in the northwest of England.

The film belongs to the British New Wave movement in film, and the related genre commonly known as "kitchen sink drama". The novel was later adapted into the 1982 television series A Kind of Loving.

Plot summary
Victor 'Vic' Brown (Alan Bates) is a draughtsman in a Manchester factory who sleeps with a typist called Ingrid Rothwell (June Ritchie) who also works there. She falls for him but he is less enamoured of her. When he learns he has made her pregnant Vic proposes marriage and the couple move in with Ingrid's protective, domineering mother, Mrs Rothwell (Thora Hird), who disapproves of the match. Ingrid has a miscarriage, Vic has regrets and comes home drunk. The couple then consider the possibility of making do with 'a kind of loving'.

Cast

 * Alan Bates as Victor Arthur 'Vic' Brown
 * Thora Hird as Mrs. Rothwell
 * June Ritchie as Ingrid Rothwell
 * Bert Palmer as Mr. Geoffrey Brown
 * Pat Keen as Christine Harris
 * James Bolam as Jeff
 * Jack Smethurst as Conroy
 * Gwen Nelson as Mrs. Brown
 * John Ronane as Draughtsman
 * David Mahlowe as David Harris
 * Patsy Rowlands as Dorothy
 * Michael Deacon as Les
 * Annette Robertson as Phoebe
 * Fred Ferris as Althorpe
 * Leonard Rossiter as Whymper
 * Malcolm Patton as Jim Brown
 * Harry Markham as Railwayman
 * Peter Madden as Registrar
 * David Cook as Draughtsman (uncredited)
 * Joe Gladwin as Bus Conductor (uncredited)
 * Norman Heyes as Laisterdyke (uncredited)
 * Bryan Mosley as Bus Conductor (uncredited)
 * Kathy Staff as Mrs Oliphant (uncredited)

Reception
It was the sixth most popular film at the British box office in 1962.

Awards
The film won the Golden Bear award at the 12th Berlin International Film Festival in 1962.