Rita, Sue and Bob Too * (1987, Siobhan Finneran, Michelle Holmes, George Costigan) – Classic Movie Review 9997

Director Alan Clarke’s 1987 drama Rita, Sue and Bob Too is an unattractive sex comedy about two Bradford schoolgirls, Rita and Sue (Siobhan Finneran, Michelle Holmes), who fall for and have a sexual fling with a slimy married man, adulterous businessman Bob (George Costigan), while babysitting.

Lacking enough charm, good humour and warmth, Clarke’s film attempts a liberated view of working-class schoolgirls struggling to get out of a social rut, but soon falls back on sexual stereotypes (randy men, frigid wives, naughty schoolgirls) and crude racial caricatures.

Andrea Dunbar’s attempt to tell a realistic story of working-class Yorkshire life is undermined by the attempted changes in tone and pace through in turn being serious and light-hearted. However, Dunbar does provide some funny dialogue, and there are several good performances in the film, helping to make it palatable.

Also in the cast are Lesley Sharp, Kulvinder Ghir, Willie Ross, Patti Nicholls, Danny O’Dea, David Britton, Mark Crompton, Stuart Goodwin, Maureen Long, Joyce Pembroke, Jane Atkinson and Bryan Heeley.

Rita, Sue and Bob Too is directed by Alan Clarke, runs 93 minutes, is made by Umbrella, British Screen and Film Four, is released by Mainline (UK), is written by Andrea Dunbar, based on the stage plays The Arbour and Rita, Sue and Bob Too by Andrea Dunbar, is shot by Ivan Strasburg, is produced by Sandy Lieberson and Patsy Pollock, and is scored by Michael Kamen.

Maureen Long, who has a non-speaking role as Rita’s Mother, was one of the few women to survive being attacked by the Yorkshire Ripper.

Dunbar disowned the film after Clarke changed her ending. Dunbar still lived in Bradford’s Buttershaw estate at the time, and its residents were angered at how it is shown in the film.

The three stars have all appeared in Emmerdale.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9997

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