The Anniversary *** (1968, Bette Davis, Jack Hedley, James Cossins, Sheila Hancock, Christian Roberts, Elaine Taylor) – Classic Movie Review 2755

Director Roy Ward Baker’s viciously funny 1968 British movie The Anniversary stars Bette Davis, who, as expected, pulls out all the stops in a total tour-de-force as Mrs Taggart, a one-eyed, merciless monster of a mommie dearest terrorising her family.

Hammer Films’ thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable black comedy is based on a stage play by Bill MacIlwraith, with a screenplay by the studio’s regular writer Jimmy Sangster.

It is weird to find esteemed British actors Jack Hedley, James Cossins and Sheila Hancock sharing the screen time and a film anniversary (her despised late husband’s) with Davis, but the contrasting acting styles come together effectively and appealingly.

It is an ideally cast Davis’s show, but Cossins steals all his scenes as the pathetic transvestite grown-up son, who steals underwear from washing lines. He’s the one Davis likes, not the weak, compliant married one (Hedley) nor the handsome young one (Christian Roberts) with a pregnant girlfriend (Elaine Taylor).

Mrs Taggart’s three sons Terry, Henry and Tom (Hedley, Cossins, Roberts), all of whom work in the family construction business, arrive to celebrate their father’s anniversary. Terry brings his wife Karen (Hancock), secretly intending to emigrate to Canada. Henry loves to wear women’s underwear. Tom brings his pregnant fiancée Shirley Blair (Taylor) to tell his mother that they are getting married. They play a game of happy families!

The piece is in the cruel, dark spirit of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, if without its distinction. Originally, Mona Washbourne played the Davis part of Mrs Taggart, quite differently, on stage.

Baker replaced original director Alvin Rakoff on the request of Davis, who allegedly renewed her unsuccessful campaign to seduce writer Sangster.

Jimmy Sangster (who died on August 19 2011, aged 83) was one of the men responsible for the creating some of Hammer’s most beloved films and horror franchises as writer of The Mummy (1959), Dracula [Horror of Dracula] (1958) and The Curse of Frankenstein (1957).

After his first screenwriting credit on Joseph Losey’s A Man on the Beach in 1955, he worked as a writer on dozens of Hammer films in the Sixties, including Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966). In the Seventies, he directed The Horror of Frankenstein (1970), Lust for a Vampire (1971) and Fear in the Night (1972).

Christian Roberts (born 17 March 1944) is best remembered for his film debut role as the rebellious Denham in the 1967 film To Sir, with Love starring Sidney Poitier and Judy Geeson. His other films include Twisted Nerve (1968), The Desperados (1969), The Adventurers (1970), The Mind of Mr Soames (1970) and The Last Valley (1971) starring Michael Caine and Omar Sharif.

RIP Jack Hedley (28 October 1929 – 11 December 2021).

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2755

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