Two Gentlemen Sharing is a 1969 American-British drama film directed by Ted Kotcheff, starring Robin Phillips, Judy Geeson, Esther Anderson, Hal Frederick, Norman Rossington and Rachel Kempson.[1][2] It was written by Evan Jones based on the 1963 novel of the same name by David Stuart Leslie.

Two Gentlemen Sharing
Directed byTed Kotcheff
Screenplay byEvan Jones
Based onTwo Gentlemen Sharing
by David Stuart Leslie
Produced byJ. Barry Kulick
StarringRobin Phillips
Judy Geeson
Esther Anderson
CinematographyBilly Williams
Edited byDerek York
Music byStanley Myers
Production
companies
American International Productions
Epstein-Kulick Productions
Distributed byAnglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors (UK)
American International Pictures (US)
Release dates
  • 17 September 1969 (1969-09-17) (New York, US)
Running time
105 minutes
CountriesUnited Kingdom
United States
LanguageEnglish

The film cost an estimated £380,000 to make.[3] It was not theatrically released in the UK.[1][3]

Plot

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An upper-class white Englishman is forced to confront his own feelings and prejudices when the London flat he advertises for sharing is taken up by an Oxford-educated black Jamaican.

Cast

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Critical reception

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Variety wrote: "Film boasts a solid and well-chosen cast, strong physical values for such a medium-scaled item, and a racial story [from a novel by David Stuart Leslie] delivered with unhysterical acumen and, at times, with considerable barbed humor."[4]

John Coleman wrote in the New Statesman: "Another stab at that colour problem. ... it was a pleasure to have a couple of laughs. Evan Jones's script is very alert at the beginning, when the posh black comes to share a flat with the posh white.[5]

Boxoffice wrote: "Chosen as the official British entry to the [1969] Venice Film Festival, this J. Barry Kulick productiona strong, adult story for mature audiences. It should click extremely well with art house clientele."[6]

The Radio Times Guide to Films gave the film 2/5 stars, writing: "There are few surprises on offer, but the film is competently acted."[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Two Gentlemen Sharing". British Film Institute Collections Search. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  2. ^ "Two Gentlemen Sharing (1969)". Archived from the original on 16 January 2009.
  3. ^ a b Alexander Walker, Hollywood, England, Stein and Day, 1974, p. 407–8.
  4. ^ "Two Gentlemen Sharing". Variety. 1 January 1969.
  5. ^ "Is Venice Sinking?". New Statesman. 66: 351. 12 September 1969 – via ProQuest.
  6. ^ "Two Gentlemen Sharing". Boxoffice. 95 (24): a11. 29 September 1969 – via ProQuest.
  7. ^ Radio Times Guide to Films (18th ed.). London: Immediate Media Company. 2017. p. 970. ISBN 9780992936440.
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