Drama

Life at the Top

- The more they live it up the more they have to live it down!

Successful businessman Joe Lampton is married to the wealthy Susan, has two children, and lives in the mill town of Warley in northern England. But his career seems to have plateaued, leaving him disillusioned. This feeling is only exacerbated when he discovers his wife's infidelity with local man Mark. So he takes up with attractive TV host Norah and moves with her to London, aiming to reignite the fire that drove him to the top.

Release Date : 1965-12-14

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Romulus Films

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Joe Lampton

Original Name : Laurence Harvey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Susan Lampton

Original Name : Jean Simmons

Gender : Female

Character Name : Norah Hauxley

Original Name : Honor Blackman

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mark

Original Name : Michael Craig

Gender : Male

Character Name : Abe Brown

Original Name : Donald Wolfit

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tiffield

Original Name : Robert Morley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sybil

Original Name : Margaret Johnston

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mrs. Margaret Brown

Original Name : Ambrosine Phillpotts

Gender : Female

Character Name : George Aisgill

Original Name : Allan Cuthbertson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Harry

Original Name : Paul A. Martin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Barbara

Original Name : Frances Cosslett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ralph Hethersett

Original Name : Ian Shand

Gender : Male

Character Name : Graffham

Original Name : George A. Cooper

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mottram

Original Name : Nigel Davenport

Gender : Male

Character Name : McLelland

Original Name : Andrew Laurence

Gender : Male

Character Name : Industrial Psychologist

Original Name : Geoffrey Bayldon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ben

Original Name : Denis Quilley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tim

Original Name : David Oxley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Oscar

Original Name : David McKail

Gender : Male

Character Name : Keatley

Original Name : Paul Whitsun-Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wincastle

Original Name : Charles Lamb

Gender : Male

Character Name : Newspaper Boy

Original Name : Michael Newport

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doctor

Original Name : Richard Leech

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stripper

Original Name : Ingrid Anthofer

Gender : Female

Character Name : Magic Beans Man

Original Name : Harry Fowler

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sherry Party Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Lewis Alexander

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pub Customer (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Armstrong

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lord Mayor (uncredited)

Original Name : Rex Arundel

Gender : Male

Character Name : Board Member (uncredited)

Original Name : Joe Beckett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sherry Party Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Hyma Beckley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Election Agent (uncredited)

Original Name : Ernest Blyth

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tiffield Interview Panel (uncredited)

Original Name : Mark Burns

Gender : Male

Character Name : Art Exhibition Visitor (uncredited)

Original Name : Robin Burns

Gender : Male

Character Name : Woman at Party (uncredited)

Original Name : Pauline Chamberlain

Gender : Female

Character Name : Bit Part (uncredited)

Original Name : Mark Colleano

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man at Party (uncredited)

Original Name : Peter Evans

Gender : Male

Character Name : Office Supervisor (uncredited)

Original Name : Edward Fox

Gender : Male

Character Name : Board Member (uncredited)

Original Name : Victor Harrington

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sherry Party Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Aileen Lewis

Gender : Female

Character Name : Election Agent (uncredited)

Original Name : Richard Neller

Gender : Male

Character Name : Art Exhibitor Visitor (uncredited)

Original Name : Dido Plumb

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tiffield Interview Panel (uncredited)

Original Name : Philip Stone

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gambler (uncredited)

Original Name : John Tatham

Gender : Male

Character Name : Board Member (uncredited)

Original Name : Lockwood West

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-09-05

As sequels go, this isn't half bad. Aspirational, working-class lad "Joe" (Laurence Harvey) has managed to marry the boss's daughter "Susan" (Jean Simmons), has the semi detached trappings of middle class luxury but his life consists little of substance. His career is going nowhere fast and he is soon being tempted by the visiting television star "Norah" (Honor Blackman) as his wife embarks on an affair de coeur of her own with the rather unfortunately wooden Michael Craig ("Mark"). Has he the fortitude to go it alone; does he even really want to? The story isn't as potent as "Room at the Top" (1959) but both Harvey and Simmons as well as a strong series of cameos from the likes of Sir Donald Wolfit and Robert Morley still work well to convey many of the frustrations of a young man trying to escape the bonds of a class system and of a woman who has never had to want for anything, efficiently. It looks good. The photography is intense, almost intrusive at times, and the score from the accomplished Richard Addinsell adds much to the story and in many ways substitutes for a rather wordy and descriptive narrative. It's a good film, not a great one, and it is good to see Simmons remind us just how adaptable an actress she was.