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Family Life

  • 1971
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 48m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
2.3K
YOUR RATING
Sandy Ratcliff in Family Life (1971)
Drama

A family is shattered over the daughter's forced abortion. As she rebels against her family and their traditional, authoritarian, typical-of-the-time norms, she is hospitalized and otherwise... Read allA family is shattered over the daughter's forced abortion. As she rebels against her family and their traditional, authoritarian, typical-of-the-time norms, she is hospitalized and otherwise mistreated.A family is shattered over the daughter's forced abortion. As she rebels against her family and their traditional, authoritarian, typical-of-the-time norms, she is hospitalized and otherwise mistreated.

  • Director
    • Ken Loach
  • Writer
    • David Mercer
  • Stars
    • Sandy Ratcliff
    • Bill Dean
    • Grace Cave
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.5/10
    2.3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Ken Loach
    • Writer
      • David Mercer
    • Stars
      • Sandy Ratcliff
      • Bill Dean
      • Grace Cave
    • 20User reviews
    • 11Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
      • 6 wins & 1 nomination total

    Photos45

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    Top cast35

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    Sandy Ratcliff
    Sandy Ratcliff
    • Janice Baildon
    Bill Dean
    Bill Dean
    • Mr. Baildon
    Grace Cave
    • Mrs. Baildon
    Malcolm Tierney
    Malcolm Tierney
    • Tim
    Hilary Martyn
    • Barbara Baildon
    • (as Hilary Martin)
    Michael Riddall
    • Dr. Donaldson
    Alan MacNaughtan
    Alan MacNaughtan
    • Mr. Caswell
    Johnny Gee
    • Man in the Garden
    Bernard Atha
    Edwin Brown
    Edwin Brown
    Freddie Clemson
      Alec Coleman
      Jack Connell
      Ellis Dale
      Terry Duggan
      Rossana Garofala
        Muriel Hunte
        Jason James
        Jason James
        • Director
          • Ken Loach
        • Writer
          • David Mercer
        • All cast & crew
        • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

        User reviews20

        7.52.2K
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        Featured reviews

        chris.murray3

        Such is Life

        Ironically this film comes across as being considerably more true to life than the numerous "docusoaps" that currently clog up the schedules on British television. Watching Family Life is as close as one can get to feeling like an actual fly on the wall. Sandy Ratcliffe is heartbreaking as the young dazed and confused schizophrenic girl, whose condition deteriorates thanks to her domineering parents. Bill Dean and Grace Cave are all too believable as the aforementioned mother and father, and are true screen monsters. Despite never believing that they are in the wrong, neither of the "oh so reasonable" parents are able to see beyond the end of their noses.

        This film does have some touching moments but, alas, the ending is not a happy one. Which is especially a shame as the film does occasionally allow a faint glimmer of hope shine through.
        frrahier

        Family Life and the Antipsychiatric Theory of Ronald Laing

        Family Life I've seen this movie at the end of the seventies, in France, on TV. I registered it, but I lost the tape. Since, I remember a great film, the first of Ken Loach I think. Always in my memory is the last scene, Janice alone behind the students in the amphitheater's and doctor saying that the problem is in his mind and no in the relationship with her parents. I read in some reviews of this time that Ken Loach based his story on the "antipsychiatrics theories" of Dr. Ronald Laing and Cooper, that I studied in France when I was scholar, theories developed in the neighborhood of Jean Paul Sartre's existential psychoanalysis. Recently, a friend of mine, teacher of English literature in my college, initiate a curse on these problems with her students. She needs the original script of this film, but we don't know other that the French translation issued in the L'Avant-Scène french review.. Who could send me part of the script of this film (in English)? Thanks.
        10Red-125

        A powerful, but discouraging, movie about mental health.

        Family Life (1971) was directed by Ken Loach.

        The film stars Sandy Ratcliff as Janice Baildon. Janice is a young woman who has some emotional problems. She's standing at the brink of a long slide downwards. Briefly, a caring physician intervenes, but after that she's on her own.

        There are no real villains in this movie, in the sense of people who know what they're doing is wrong, and do it anyway. Everyone--her parents, her psychiatrists--are convinced that what they are doing is right.

        That is the paradox of this film--well-meaning people are hurting Janice without recognizing what they are doing.

        Sadly, almost 50 years later, psychiatry hasn't made that much progress. True, there are many new medications, and there are many new non-medication approaches, but there hasn't been a real breakthrough. People like Janice might find themselves in the same situation, with the same bad consequences.

        We saw this film on the small screen, where it worked well. The movie has a very strong IMDb rating of7.7. I think it's even better than that.
        7sol-

        Who's making this code of living?

        Forced by her parents to abort her unborn child, a teenager suffers a nervous breakdown and is taken to a psychiatrist, but the effectiveness is limited as her parents refuse to accept blame in this unpleasant yet encapsulating human drama from Ken Loach. With a cast of non-professional and first time actors, Loach manages to elicit some very down-to-earth performances and there are several memorable moments throughout as the girl struggles to cop with her loss. At one point, she draws a replacement child on her stomach with tears coming out of its eyes; at another point, she takes to deliriously spray-painting plants and trees blue as a form of expression. The film loses focus at times though with side scenes in which the hospital staff debate whether her psychiatrist's unconventional approach to therapy is worthwhile. The dialogue is also a tad problematic as the psychiatrist tends to lecture the parents at length, however, the girl's mother and father are given several great lines, most notably a flippant "who's making this code of living?" in regards to 1970s permissiveness. Other memorable quotes include "everyone's a bit peculiar" and "control is the answer" as the girl tries to ascertain whether she knows best or her parents do. This in turn is where the key strength of the film lies: the struggle of a youth to become independent when all she has ever known is dependency on her parents.
        10justintlott

        Painfully accurate!

        I first saw this film a few years back in a graduate school film class and it continues to haunt me with its power. During the initial screening, I actually had to leave the class for some air and collect myself: it struck a nerve that I hadn't felt sense my teenage years: the frustration of being a troubled teenager who was sorely misunderstood. . Most parents like to think of themselves as good parents if they work and put food on the table (which is hard enough in itself.) But that is not enough! Nurturing comes to play as much as being a provider and this is something the parents just don't get. And what's sadder is that they are in a highly polarized environment (1971) between young and old, both sides too quick to assign blame.

        As a teenager growing up in the 90s, I experienced some of the same frustrations as the girl in this story and was all too often categorized as a "problem" simply because the adults in my life were "doing the best they could" and therefore there has to be something wrong with me. I was luckier than the girl of this story, who's best hope for salvation is vanquished by a psychiatric bureaucracy that is too concerned about appearances to have the patience to be progressive in their ways and their thinking.

        "Family Life" is a rarity. A film that does not get old but can serve as a lesson and a warning to future generations.

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        Related interests

        Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
        Drama

        Storyline

        Edit

        Did you know

        Edit
        • Trivia
          Director Bille August cites "Family Life" as one of his greatest influences.
        • Quotes

          Mrs. Baildon: Well, this is the thing that baffles me, Doctor, um, she really was quite a model child, she was tidy, in fact, I used to go into her bedroom some mornings and it-it was so tidy, it really didn't look as if anyone had been in there.

        • Connections
          Featured in Aquarius: Gnome Sweet Gnome/Family Life/The Great Waltz (1972)
        • Soundtracks
          Down by the River
          (uncredited)

          Written by Neil Young

          Sung in the therapy group

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        FAQ17

        • How long is Family Life?Powered by Alexa

        Details

        Edit
        • Release date
          • February 18, 1972 (Ireland)
        • Country of origin
          • United Kingdom
        • Language
          • English
        • Also known as
          • Porodični život
        • Filming locations
          • Shenley, Hertfordshire, England, UK(mental hospital)
        • Production companies
          • EMI Films
          • Kestrel Films
        • See more company credits at IMDbPro

        Tech specs

        Edit
        • Runtime
          • 1h 48m(108 min)
        • Color
          • Color
        • Sound mix
          • Mono
        • Aspect ratio
          • 1.85 : 1

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