The Norman Conquests : Living Together (1977)

Genres - Comedy  |   Sub-Genres - Comedy of Manners, Domestic Comedy  |   Run Time - 90 min.  |   Countries - United Kingdom  |  
  • AllMovie Rating
    8
  • User Ratings (0)
  • Your Rating

Share on

Review by Craig Butler

Part two of the delicious Chinese puzzle called The Norman Conquests, Living Together shows the viewers what was going on in the living room while the characters were going through their paces in part one, Table Manners. Alan Ayckbourn once again skillfully mines the comedy that exists in lives of quite desperation, the humor that can be found among people who just cannot find the right way to connect. Even small details -- such as whether Annie or Sarah will pour -- are fraught with meaning, and the slightest turn of a phrase or merest raising of an eyebrow tells a great deal. If Living Together is slightly weaker than the other two parts of the trilogy (and stands less well on its own), it's still a sharp, incisive, and adroitly manufactured piece of filmed theater, and is enormously entertaining to boot. Richard Briers is given a bit more opportunity to demonstrate his considerable skill here and comes through with flying colors, particularly toward the end as he becomes quietly alarmed at his wife's about-face and her questions about Bournemouth. Fiona Walker also shines, running with her chances to show why Ruth remains with the philandering Norman at all.