FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE is an early film in the long-running career of J. Lee Thompson, the British director best known for his hard-knuckle thrillers starring the likes of Charles Bronson. This one's a kitchen sink comedy, made before the kitchen sink drama became popular with the release of ROOM AT THE TOP in the late 1950s. The film stars the ubiquitous Dirk Bogarde alongside Susan Stephen as a young couple, madly in love, who want to get married but find life working against them. The humour is of the dated and genteel variety rather than the laugh-out-loud antics of, say, the CARRY ONs or Ealing films of the era. The snapshots of social life during the era are engaging, as are supporting players including Cecil Parker, Sid James, James Hayter, Thora Hird and Dennis Price, but this is very much a lesser work.
Review of Cocktails in the Kitchen
