This Happy Breed (Restored) (2 discs)

Star Review

As a director, David Lean is synonymous with epic locations and grand passions, which makes This Happy Breed something of an oddity in his filmography. Adapted from Noël Coward’s play, it’s an episodic tale of an average working class family in the interwar years, tracing the drama caused by illicit affairs, family bereavement, the first ripples of women’s liberation and political instability in the country during the General Strike. It’s impressive how Lean transforms the material into cinema. Under a lesser director, this might have been a stagebound affair but Lean’s knowledge of his craft means he avoids any sense of claustrophobia. It might be worlds away from a ‘typical’ Lean film but it proves what a great filmmaker he was. And if its celebration of British restraint and stolidity may seem quaint to some, then it should be remembered that it was made when these qualities were under siege. BK

Brian Kelly on 10th September 2008

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Film Description

An episodic tale of an average working class family in the interwar years. Narrated by Laurence Olivier and directed by David Lean, the story traces the melodrama caused by illicit affairs, family bereavement, the first ripples of women's liberation and political instability in the country during the General Strike. It highlights the fact that these internal wranglings are all happening in one house in an average street, and that each average house has its own dramatic stories to tell. Adapted from Noel Coward's stage play, this is a celebration of the ideal of the British family and one of the best British films of the period.

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DVD Extras

• 2 discs
• Brand new digital restoration
• Original theatrical trailer
• Re-release trailer
• Restoration comparison featurette
• Extensive South Bank Show feature on David Lean
• Commemorative booklet by noted British film historian David Rolinson
• Extensive stills gallery, including behind the scenes images
• Original Pressbook and material in PDF format.

Film Details

Cast

John Mills, Robert Newton, Celia Johnson, Stanley Holloway, Kay Walsh

Technical Details