MAN AT THE TOP
UK, 1973, 92 minutes, Colour.
Kenneth Haigh, Nanette Newman, Harry Andrews, William Lucas, Clive Swift.
Directed by Mike Vardy.
Man at the top is a sequel to the celebrated 1959 film, based on the novel by John Brain, Room at the Top with Laurence Harvey and Simone Signoret. Laurence Harvey took up the role of Joe Lampton again in Life at the Top in 1964. There was also a television series based on the novel.
After many years, Joe Lampton is at the top, mixing it with high society and big business – and the moral problems of the 1970s.
1. The title, reference to Joe Lampton, the previous books, films, television series? This film within this series and its quality? Impact?
2. Audience consciousness of Joe Lampton over two decades as an Englishman, working class, worked his way to the top, restlessness? His impact in the 50s, in the 60's, his change in the 70's as he works at the top? A reflection of what had happened to so many young Englishman in the decades after the war? how attractive a symbol of this character?
3. The background of the television series, the plot stretched to feature length, the structure of incidents, the character delineation? Enjoyable as a film?
4. The background of the executive suite world, the picturing of corruption? Audience interest in this kind of world and its evil? Remote from the audience and therefore fascinating, or not? Joe repellent? How authentic did this world seem?
5. Joe Lampton as the loner, separated from wife, a man who hurt people, a man who teased at business problems, his resentfulness at being ousted, his encounter with the hitch hikers and what this revealed, his conduct at meetings, blackmailing people, seduction of his boss's wife and daughter, participation in the hunt, his hold over Lord Akerman, his promotion? A career of corruption and evil? Any redeeming features?
6. The cynical nature of the film and the presentation of Joe Lampton? Joe as a cynical person with no values except at being at the top?
7. Lord Akerman and what he stood for, the presentation of the ugly British business, evil and unscrupulous, covering up? Wife and daughter? Handling work meetings at the hunt? Defeated by Lampton? A strong characterisation, how well illustrated?
8. The roles of Alex and Robyn in the film? Towards Lord Akerman, the business world, seduced by Joe?
9. The African background, the drugs and sterility, the social evil and injustice, the cover-up? The suicide of the executive? A symbol of today's corrupt business world?
10. The cynical ending with jobs for the boys and everything continuing as such?
