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Brighton Rock (1948)
By Alistair Lawrence,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Classic British gangster movie has violence, sexism.
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Brighton Rock (1948)
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What's the Story?
BRIGHTON ROCK tells the story of Pinkie Brown (Richard Attenborough), a youthful gangster leading one of the "razor gangs" operating in a seaside town on the southern coast of England. As his criminal activity escalates, Pinkie must avoid both arrest and the attention of rival gangs in the area.
Is It Any Good?
A film noir shot in harsh grays and inky blacks, this British classic tells an antihero's tale without warmth or compromise. At Brighton Rock's center is Attenborough as the youthful and psychotic Pinkie Brown, unrecognizable from his gentler later roles in Jurassic Park and Miracle on 34th Street. Adapted by Graham Greene and Terence Rattigan from Greene's novel, the movie trims much of the religious metaphor and debate that slows the book at times. What's left is a lean and visceral adaptation that gets off to a hurried start but then finds its rhythm as a story about Pinkie's toxic relationship with Rose (Carol Marsh), his love interest, and the other people foolish -- or unfortunate enough -- to cross his path.
While the booming 1940s score occasionally over-eggs the movie's climactic moments, the period also offers up some masterful, restrained performances in places. Brighton Rock is at its most menacing when its violence and cruelty seems every day, disrupting the lives of people you recognize, despite its bygone era.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Brighton Rock. How did it make you feel? What did the movie have to say about violence? Did it glorify it?
Discuss the sexism in the movie. How were the women genuinely treated? How did Pinkie's relationship with Rose differ from other romantic relationships in movies? What did their relationship tell you about the two characters?
How were drinking and smoking depicted in the movie? Were they glamorized? Why is that important? Have our attitudes toward drinking and smoking changed since this film was made? If so, how?
Talk about the 1930s setting. How were people's lives different then? What did they do for fun that they wouldn't do nowadays, and what remains the same?
Talk about Richard Attenborough's portrayal of Pinkie. Did you recognize him from other roles he played when he was older? How was it different watching him play a character like Pinkie?
Movie Details
- In theaters: November 7, 1951
- On DVD or streaming: July 9, 2015
- Cast: Richard Attenborough , Hermione Baddeley , William Hartnell
- Director: John Boulting
- Studio: Arthur Mayer-Edward Kingsley
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Book Characters
- Run time: 92 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: October 8, 2022
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