Spring and Port Wine (1970)

Interesting facts

Spring and Port Wine is a 1970 British film starring James Mason based on the play of the same title.

Production

The play was based on a radio play that already been filmed twice for television. The stage play version debuted in 1965, sponsored by Memorial Enterprises, a company founded by Albert Finney and Michael Medwin to make films, television and stage plays. Spring and Port Wine was a huge success on the British stage. Memorial moved into filmmaking with If.... and Charlie Bubbles and wanted to make a film of Spring and Port Wine.

Due to the success of the play there was some American interest in financing a film version. EMI, under Bernard Delfont, had taken over Associated British Pictures, whose companies included an independent unit, Nat Cohen's Anglo-Amalgamated. Only a few days of becoming chairman of Associated, Delfont agreed to finance Spring and Port Wine.

Director Peter Hammond came from television. James Mason said he accepted the role in part because "I have been looking for films financed by European money and I have not made a film in this country for two years because I resent working on projects that are financed by American money. Films are so personal to a country that they should take on exclusively the character of that country."

Filming took place from May to June 1969, in the studio and on location. The movie was the first film shot at Elstree Studios after Bryan Forbes took over EMI Films. The location scenes were shot in Bolton in May 1969 and the family house is 51 Grisdale Road. It was filmed whilst many of the old industrial buildings remained and as St.

After filming ended, it was announced the film would be the first to be released under the banner of EMI Films. (Other early films were Eyewitness and All the Way Up.)

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