The Ragman’s Daughter *** (1972, Simon Rouse, Victoria Tennant, Patrick O’Connell, Leslie Sands) – Classic Movie Review 10,842

Director Harold Becker’s 1972 British crime-drama romantic film The Ragman’s Daughter stars Simon Rouse and Victoria Tennant in her screen debut and is adapted by Alan Sillitoe from his short story.

Simon Rouse plays a Nottingham ne’er-do-well called Tony Bradmore who falls for a nice girl named Doris Randall (Victoria Tennant) but, naturally, the course of true love doesn’t run smooth or there couldn’t be a movie.

Surprisingly, tough American director Becker’s first film is a sensitive love story set in the English Midlands and written by Alan Sillitoe, the author of Saturday Night and Sunday Morning. It tells the story of the ill-fated love between working-class petty thief Tony and the beautiful blonde Doris. The middle-aged Tony thinks back on his wild youth and his love affair with Doris, his memories intercut with scenes from his present life as a cheese factory worker with a wife, two kids and a boring existence.

Doris’s father is a prosperous, upwardly mobile scrap merchant who came from Tony’s neighbourhood but made enough money to move his family to a large, detached house in a better area. Doris does not have to work and has fine clothes and her own horse. Doris’s father disapproves of Tony but she is attracted to him and the kicks they enjoy, riding on Tony’s motorcycle and having sex.

There is plenty of atmosphere and a little charm in the tale, but the film doesn’t really get to grips with its passions and themes. It is decently acted, though, with Leslie Sands outstanding as Tennant’s crusty father, and it plays well on TV. The photography and Nottingham location filming by Michael Seresin add lots of interest and class.

Also in the cast are Patrick O’Connell as Tony aged 35 years, Jane Wood as Tony’s Wife, Leslie Sands as Doris’s father, Rita Howard as Doris’s mother, Brenda Peters as Tony’s mother, Brian Murphy as Tony’s father, Kevin Richmond as Paul, Reginald Marsh as George, Peter Attard as Pete, Steve Hatton as Alf, John McEnery as old man in wagon, Donald Webster as Jack, Gareth Thomas as Tom, John Malcolm as Factory Manager, Brenda Peters, Jane Wood, Peter Dudley, Sydney Livingstone, and Chris Sullivan.

Becker’s known for Malice (1993), Sea of Love (1989) and Mercury Rising (1998).

Simon Rouse (born 24 June 1951) was around 20 at the time of filming in October 1971. He is best known for playing bad-tempered DCI Jack Meadows in the long-running ITV police drama The Bill. The character was a regular from 1992 until the show’s cancellation in 2010.

The Ragman’s Daughter is directed by Harold Becker, runs 94 minutes, is made by Harpoon Films, is released by Twentieth Century Fox Film Company (1972) (UK) and Penelope Films (1974) (US), is written by Alan Sillitoe, is shot by Michael Seresin, is produced by Harold Becker and Souter Harris, is scored by Kenny Clayton and designed by David Brockhurst.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 10,842

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