A Private Function

2023-01-27T18:18:13Z

86.4.170.225:

{{Short description|1984 British comedy film}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox film
| name = A Private Function
| image = A Private Function.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Malcolm Mowbray]]
| producer = {{Ubl
| [[George Harrison]]
| [[Denis O'Brien (producer)|Denis O'Brien]]
| [[Mark Shivas]]
}}
| writer = {{Ubl | [[Alan Bennett]] | Malcolm Mowbray}}
| starring = {{Plainlist|
* [[Michael Palin]]
* [[Maggie Smith]]
* [[Denholm Elliott]]
* [[Richard Griffiths]]
* [[Tony Haygarth]]
* [[Bill Paterson (actor)|Bill Paterson]]
* [[John Normington]]
* [[Liz Smith (actress)|Liz Smith]]
* [[Alison Steadman]]
}}
| music = [[John Du Prez]]
| cinematography = [[Tony Pierce-Roberts]]
| editing = Barrie Vince
| studio = [[HandMade Films]]
| distributor =
| released = {{Film date|1984|11|09|United Kingdom}}
| runtime = 94 minutes
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| budget = £1.2 million
| gross = $2,527,088 <ref>{{cite web|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=privatefunction.htm|title=A Private Function|publisher=boxofficemojo.com|date=1985|access-date=28 January 2021}}</ref>
}}
'''''A Private Function''''' is a 1984 British [[comedy film]] starring [[Michael Palin]] and [[Maggie Smith]]. The film was predominantly filmed in [[Ilkley]], and [[Ben Rhydding]] in [[West Yorkshire]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Earnshaw|first=Tony|author2=Jim Moran|title=Made in Yorkshire|year=2008|publisher=Guerilla Books|isbn=978-0-9554943-1-4|url=http://guerilla-books.com/pdfs/MadeInYorkshire-APrivateFunction.pdf|access-date=28 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820013016/http://www.guerilla-books.com/pdfs/MadeInYorkshire-APrivateFunction.pdf|archive-date=20 August 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The film was also screened in the section of [[Un Certain Regard]] at the [[1985 Cannes Film Festival]].<ref name="festival-cannes.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/ficheFilm/id/1109/year/1985.html |title=Festival de Cannes: Quilombo |date=1985|access-date=28 June 2009|work=festival-cannes.com}}</ref>

==Synopsis==
In a small town in [[Northern England]] in 1947, the citizens endure continuing [[Rationing in the United Kingdom#World War II|food rationing]]. Some local businessmen want to hold a party to celebrate the [[Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten|royal Wedding of Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip]] and illegally decide to raise a [[pig]] for that occasion. However, the pig is stolen by Gilbert Chilvers, who was encouraged to do so by his wife Joyce. Meanwhile, the local food inspector is determined to stop activities circumventing the food rationing.

==Cast==

{{Cast listing|
*[[Michael Palin]] as Gilbert Chilvers
*[[Maggie Smith]] as Joyce Chilvers
*[[Denholm Elliott]] as Dr. Swaby
*[[Richard Griffiths]] as Allardyce
*[[Tony Haygarth]] as Sutcliff
*[[John Normington]] as Lockwood
*[[Bill Paterson (actor)|Bill Paterson]] as Wormold
*[[Liz Smith (actress)|Liz Smith]] as Mother
*[[Alison Steadman]] as Mrs Allardyce
*[[Jim Carter (actor)|Jim Carter]] as Inspector Noble
*[[Pete Postlethwaite]] as Nuttal
*[[Reece Dinsdale]] as P.C. Penny
*[[Don Estelle]] as Barraclough, the butcher
}}

==Production==
Three pigs were used in the filming of ''A Private Function'' which were all named Betty. Producer [[Mark Shivas]] was advised by Intellectual Animals UK that the pigs used should be female and six months old so as to not be too large or aggressive. However, the pigs were “unpredictable and often quite dangerous”.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/story-of-the-scene-a-private-function-malcolm-mowbray-1984-815022.html|title=Story Of The Scene: 'A Private Function', Malcolm Mowbray, 1984|date=24 April 2008|website=The Independent}}</ref>

During filming of one of the kitchen scenes, Maggie Smith was hemmed in by one of the pigs and needed to vault over the back of it in order to escape.<ref>{{cite news|title=Story Of The Scene: 'A Private Function', Malcolm Mowbray, 1984|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/story-of-the-scene-a-private-function-malcolm-mowbray-1984-815022.html|work=The Independent|first=Roger|last=Clarke|date=25 April 2008|access-date=28 June 2009}}</ref>

==Release==
The film had a Royal charity premiere on 21 November 1984 before being screened at the [[London Film Festival]] on 22 November and opening at the [[Odeon Haymarket]] in London on 30 November.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[The Times]]|date=10 November 1984|page=22|title=Ration books and pork talk|last=Waymark|first=Peter}}</ref>

==Reception==
On ''[[Sneak Previews]]'' in 1985, both [[Gene Siskel]] and [[Roger Ebert]] gave the movie two thumbs up. They called it one “really funny movie” and one “flat out winner.” Siskel said it “had perfectly believable characters” and Ebert said “just beneath this veneer of respectability is utter madness.”<ref>{{cite web|url=https://siskelebert.org/?p=4819|title=Heartbreaker, The Hit, Alamo Bay, A Private Function, 1985|publisher=Siskel and Ebert Movie Reviews|date=5 February 2019|access-date=17 April 2020}}</ref>

===Box office===
The film made £1,560,000 in the UK.<ref name="org">{{cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/sites/bfi.org.uk/files/downloads/bfi-back-to-the-future-the-fall-and-rise-of-the-british-film-industry-in-the-1980s.pdf|page=27|title=Back to the Future: The Fall and Rise of the British Film Industry in the 1980s – An Information Briefing|website=[[British Film Institute]]|date=2005}}</ref>

==Awards==
The film won three [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA Film Awards]]: [[BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role|Best Actress]] for Maggie Smith, [[BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role|Best Supporting Actress]] for Liz Smith and [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role|Best Supporting Actor]], for Denholm Elliott. It was also nominated for [[BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Original Screenplay]] ([[Alan Bennett]]) and [[BAFTA Award for Best Film|Best Film]].

==Musical adaptation==
A musical based on the film opened in the [[West End theatre|West End]] in April 2011 under the new title ''[[Betty Blue Eyes]]''. It was produced by [[Cameron Mackintosh]] and ran for several months at the [[Novello Theatre]]. It starred [[Reece Shearsmith]] as Gilbert and [[Sarah Lancashire]] as Joyce.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-features/8376765/Alan-Bennetts-A-Private-Function-hits-the-stage.html|title=Alan Bennett's 'A Private Function' hits the stage|website=telegraph.co.uk|date=13 April 2011|access-date=7 October 2020}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0089838|A Private Function}}
* {{amg movie|39303|A Private Function}}
* {{Screenonline title|id=452437|name=A Private Function}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|a_private_function}}

{{Malcolm Mowbray}}
{{HandMade Films}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Private Function, A}}
[[Category:1984 films]]
[[Category:1984 comedy films]]
[[Category:British comedy films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Malcolm Mowbray]]
[[Category:Films scored by John Du Prez]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Alan Bennett]]
[[Category:Films set in 1947]]
[[Category:Films set in England]]
[[Category:HandMade Films films]]
[[Category:British independent films]]
[[Category:1984 directorial debut films]]
[[Category:1980s English-language films]]
[[Category:1980s British films]]

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A Private Function