Room at the Top (1959 film)

Room at the Top is a 1959 British film directed by Jack Clayton, based on the 1957 novel of the same name by John Braine. It stars Laurence Harvey, Simone Signoret, Heather Sears, and Donald Wolfit.

The film tells the story of Joe Lampton, a young, ambitious working-class man who arrives in the fictional Yorkshire town of Warnley after World War II. He is determined to climb the social ladder and escape his humble origins. He initially pursues Susan Brown, the wealthy daughter of a local industrialist, but becomes involved in a passionate and ultimately tragic affair with Alice Aisgill, an older, married woman.

Room at the Top is considered a landmark film in British cinema, often cited as a key example of the British New Wave. It explored themes of class, ambition, and social mobility in post-war Britain, and its frank depiction of sexuality was considered groundbreaking for the time.

The film was a critical and commercial success, winning two Academy Awards: Best Actress for Simone Signoret and Best Adapted Screenplay. It was nominated for several other awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Laurence Harvey's performance was also widely praised.

A sequel, Life at the Top, was released in 1965, with Harvey reprising his role as Joe Lampton. The sequel, however, was not as critically acclaimed as the original.