Bleak Moments **** (1971, Anne Raitt, Sarah Stephenson, Eric Allan) – Classic Movie Review 11,225

Writer-director Mike Leigh’s promising, distinguished first film Bleak Moments (1971) is an often affecting, sometimes harrowing, occasionally funny slice of life in South London, where secretary Sylvia (Anne Raitt) ekes out a bleak and pointless existence with her intellectually disabled sister Hilda (Sarah Stephenson), though fantasising about marrying an aloof teacher she is seeing.

Bleak Moments is revealing about buried emotions, but, as the title implies, it is low on humour, uplift and plot. Yet it is still a thoroughly impressive achievement, with Leigh using his actors and situations carefully and encouragingly, and the improvisational dialogue effectively, and also with the London location filming working strongly in its favour. Sylvia’s workplace is in Streatham, Sylvia’s house is in Tulse Hill, Pat’s flat is in Kentish Town, and Peter’s workplace is in Wood Green.

Also in the cast are Eric Allan as Peter, Joolia Cappleman as Pat, Mike Bradwell, Liz Smith, Donald Sumpter, Malcolm Smith and Christopher Martin.

The film was bankrolled by Memorial Enterprises, co-owned by Albert Finney and Michael Medwin. Leigh remembers Finney: ‘Had he not backed me, my career might never have happened.’ After this, Leigh concentrated on stage and TV for some years, and his next feature film is 17 years later, High Hopes (1988).

Bleak Moments is directed by Mike Leigh, runs 110 minutes, is made by Autumn Productions, Memorial Enterprises and British Film Institute Production Board, is released by Contemporary Films (1972) (UK), is written by Mike Leigh (scenario), is shot by Bahram Manoochehri, is produced  by Les Blair, and is scored by Mike Bradwell.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,225

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