Page 9 | Rita, Sue and Bob too

BeachBlondey · 2023-02-09T13:00:08+00:00

As a Happy Valley fan, I was surprised to find out that the actors who played Nev and Clare in Happy Valley, were actually in two main roles of the Rita, Sue and Bob too film from the 80s. It's made me think about that old film again, and I'm actually shocked that it was made at all. There is some discussion online today about the film, and most comments are along the lines of "great film", "a British Classic", and so forth. The plot (for those who haven't seen it), is centered around a fully grown married man, who seduces --grooms-- two 15 year old school girls and engages in lots of sex with them, mainly in his car (iirc). How the hell was this okay, to put this out as a comedy, even back then? And how can the majority of people who remember the film, still think it's a great British classic?

IloveRickyGervaisAndHisTeeth · 09/02/2023 20:37

It wasn't meant to be a comedy

Florenz · 09/02/2023 20:47

It was a black comedy.

Far better than all the stupid films nowadays that bear no relation to real life.

maddiemookins16mum · 09/02/2023 21:06

It always made me feel thankful for my lot in life.

TomPinch · 09/02/2023 21:06

What I found questionable about the film wasn't what it depicted but (in my view at least) Bob's behaviour is portrayed sympathetically. He's portrayed as a man stuck in a loveless marriage with a horrible cold fish of a wife, so of course he plays away. Rita and Sue aren't portrayed as victims of his behaviour. His wife isn't portrayed as someone who hates him because he cheats - she hates him because she's just plain nasty and childish.

That's regardless of the fact that Bob's behaviour would not have been considered acceptable at the time, regardless of the fact that it went on more than now. If anything the film seems to - very slightly - celebrate the trio's transgressiveness versus the morals of the time.

I understand that Bob doesn't come off so well in the play.

I could imagine a modern equivalent being made about ethical non-monogamy where one person clearly benefits but that is nevertheless celebrated.

TwoBigNoisyBoys · 09/02/2023 21:19

Yep. Not unusual at all in the 80’s. A school friend used to get picked up at lunchtime by a bloke who used to take her off in his work van, they’d have sex, and she’d come back to tell us all about it in the afternoon. She would have been 14/15, he was mid 30’s and married. She actually went on to join the police.

This wasn’t an isolated incident either, it was reasonably commonplace. Another friend was 13 and seeing a married man in his 20’s…they’d met when she was babysitting. I had many friends who were seeing men in their 20s and 30’s, not all of them married, some were very out in the open relationships and some friends had very flirty relationships with teachers. I myself got asked out by a man of 26 when I was 14. I didn’t go out with him, but only because I didn’t fancy him, it wasn’t horror at the age or inappropriateness of it, that wasn’t a thing at the time. Revolting isn’t it. Horrifying looking back.

TomPinch · 09/02/2023 21:28

I remember a thirteen year old girl at my school who dated a twenty year old man. Her parents knew about it. I remember (I was 11'at the time) the predominant feeling was that it was definitely at or beyond appropriate limits.

I think (unlike some here) there was a lot of ambiguity about the 80s. Then, as now, sex with a child was an imprisonable offence and in general people's morals were way more conservative than now - but there was also a sense - perhaps a hangover from the 70s that those conservative morals were old hat.

HRTQueen · 09/02/2023 21:37

I think it’s a fantastic film. Many find it relatable (I do it was Thatchers British summed up)

its depressing but at times there is humour and warmth the characters are great so well written

i went to an all girls school we all wanted an older boyfriend and most of us had one, one girl used to babysit for a teacher we all knew they were having sex, none of us were disgusted and it cause a bit of jealousy we were too young to understand why this was so wrong.

Elvis1956 · 09/02/2023 21:50

Radio 4 did a play about the writer, who based it on her own life. It wasn't meant to be a comedy. They walked all over her requirements. She was shafted. She knew it was shit that they were being exploited. That was the original premise.

ASimpleLampoon · 09/02/2023 21:57

It was written by Young female writer Andrea Dunbar based on her own experiences. See also The Arbor even more grim and not at all humorous. Look her up, the documentary about her is on Youtube. She had a very sad life and her daughter's life was sadly worse. Dunbar did not like the ending of the film. Her version had a grim ending which reflected how she felt about life.

ASimpleLampoon · 09/02/2023 22:01

TwoBigNoisyBoys · 09/02/2023 21:19

Yep. Not unusual at all in the 80’s. A school friend used to get picked up at lunchtime by a bloke who used to take her off in his work van, they’d have sex, and she’d come back to tell us all about it in the afternoon. She would have been 14/15, he was mid 30’s and married. She actually went on to join the police.

This wasn’t an isolated incident either, it was reasonably commonplace. Another friend was 13 and seeing a married man in his 20’s…they’d met when she was babysitting. I had many friends who were seeing men in their 20s and 30’s, not all of them married, some were very out in the open relationships and some friends had very flirty relationships with teachers. I myself got asked out by a man of 26 when I was 14. I didn’t go out with him, but only because I didn’t fancy him, it wasn’t horror at the age or inappropriateness of it, that wasn’t a thing at the time. Revolting isn’t it. Horrifying looking back.

Same where I'm from but I was a teen late 80s early 90s.

LangClegsInSpace · 09/02/2023 22:17

I haven't watched it for a few years but it was always uncomfortable viewing.

It's 'of its time', it reflects attitudes in the late 1980's. We had only just begun to recognise the scale of CSA, thanks largely to Esther Rantzen, but it would be years before we recognised 15 y/o girls as vulnerable.

That's the environment lots of us grew up in.

PriamFarrl · 09/02/2023 22:38

I’m rewatching Grange Hill at the moment. It’s 1987 and a teacher has become very close to a year 5 (as it was then) girl. They have been to the cinema together and been seen walking through the park holding hands.
The board of governors was not impressed and called a meeting. The head defended him saying he’d done nothing wrong!

LangClegsInSpace · 09/02/2023 22:55

ASimpleLampoon · 09/02/2023 21:57

It was written by Young female writer Andrea Dunbar based on her own experiences. See also The Arbor even more grim and not at all humorous. Look her up, the documentary about her is on Youtube. She had a very sad life and her daughter's life was sadly worse. Dunbar did not like the ending of the film. Her version had a grim ending which reflected how she felt about life.

Thank you for this, I'll look her up.

Siameasy · 09/02/2023 23:00

Massively unreasonable
This was based on Andrea Dunbar’s life experiences. Just cos it offends some people should it not be written about?
I despair of the state of people
You’re ridiculously fragile.
Thank God Dunbar wasn’t as lame.

Siameasy · 09/02/2023 23:02

X posted because I felt annoyed and didn’t read full thread. This is my favourite film of all time. “Black teeth and a brilliant smile” is a good book.

Mexicola · 09/02/2023 23:16

MermaidEyes · 09/02/2023 13:31

Mandy Smith and Bill Wyman springs to mind. Somehow perfectly acceptable back then.

Show quote history

Yes… even in 1996 our 13 year old school mate was impregnated by a man almost 40 who was married and had 4 older children. When she had the baby at 14 she moved in with him and no one appeared to bat an eyelid…

SwingandaPrayer · 09/02/2023 23:21

A similar film is one but I can't remember the name about a young girl who is groomed by a very older man, in a British coastal town in think during the 1950s. She rides a bike carefree around town, is quite loud, he molests her in the garden shed. He is a very famous actor but I just can't remember the name of him or the film. I think he is a friend of her dad's. Does this ring a bell with anyone?

Celinia · 09/02/2023 23:30

@SwingandaPrayer yes it was Wish You Were Here. The scenes between Emily Lloyd and Tom Bell were difficult to watch.

EyesOnThePies · 10/02/2023 04:25

Celinia · 09/02/2023 23:30

@SwingandaPrayer yes it was Wish You Were Here. The scenes between Emily Lloyd and Tom Bell were difficult to watch.

Yes.
And necessarily so.
The film was based on the real life of Cynthia Payne.

lobeliasb · 10/02/2023 07:58

Right, the full film is on YouTube and I just watched it. I didn't find it particularly funny. The sex scenes were awkward to watch and it was generally a bit grim. Shocking that that was apparently acceptable conduct back then.

It's also very hard to see past the godawful hairstyles and fashions. Why did young girls dress like grannies in the 80's, and why did they all have hideous pouffy little mullets? Surely that's a hairstyle that would flatter absolutely no one.

Tirednest · 10/02/2023 08:03

It wasn't acceptable - the film was supposed to be shocking and a bit grim. I saw it when it came out and found it sad, but with some blackly funny parts and a certain brio about it. The fashions and hairstyles weren't something I noticed, but these were working class northern girls so they probably would have had it spot on.

rwalker · 10/02/2023 08:06

Both my lads have watched absolutely howled at some parts and in stunned silence at others

really drove home what used to be run of the mill and the need to change things

it’s a thought provoking fictional film
It’s not promoting or condoning anything

HRTQueen · 10/02/2023 08:12

Wish You Were Here is another fantastic film

funny in parts but desperately sad. Emily Lloyd was brilliant another film that many can relate to from the sexualisation of girls and the deep loneliness felt by the family who were grieving

Sleepyblueocean · 10/02/2023 08:41

"It's also very hard to see past the godawful hairstyles and fashions."

It's exactly as I remember it including the girls stomping home from school in little white heels.

PlaitBilledDuckyPuss · 10/02/2023 08:52

It's also very hard to see past the godawful hairstyles and fashions. Why did young girls dress like grannies in the 80's, and why did they all have hideous pouffy little mullets? Surely that's a hairstyle that would flatter absolutely no one.

30 years from now people will be wondering why young women had ridiculously inflated lips and eyebrows like slugs. That's fashion. In the 80s those clothes and hairstyles were what young people wore; it's meaningless to sneer at them through the lens of 2022.