This Happy Breed (1944 David Lean) / All Or Nothing (2002 Mike Leigh)

What on earth would these families make of each other? And here's another question: what would Leigh have thought about Noel Coward's world, and vice versa? Watching the two back to back is remarkably interesting.

Put it another way. Transplant Robert Newton, Celia Johnson, Kay Walsh, Eileen Erskine and John Blythe into the twenty-first century Greenwich housing estate; put Timothy Spall, Lesley Manville, Alison Garland and James Cordon less than ten miles away into inter-war Clapham...

They're both emotional, and funny, Leigh's despite its bleak landscape (physical and personal). (Spall: 'It's... wossname... fate accompli.') The acting in the latter film is outstanding throughout and perhaps wins in that department. John Mills = Ruth Sheen? I love them both, they both give you hope. Leigh's film in particular does that - it presents a slice of Britain in 2002, but doesn't say 'Isn't this awful?' (like I guess Jonathan Ross* read it), instead it says 'There is a way forward, things will get better'.

The most striking thing I suppose is the total lack of respect the kids have for the adults.

" 'Course you can have a heart attack without really knowing about it."
"Can you?"
"You just don't feel very well."

Spall looks like a man who is haunted by himself. Fabulously underscored by Andrew Dickson. Marion Bailey (the drunk) is now with Leigh.

The trio of medals worn denoting WW1 service were colloquially known as 'Pip, Squeak and Wilfred'.

* "This is Mike Leigh up to his old tricks, serving up a dollop of misery which becomes progressively more black and depressing and, in my view, ever more condescending in its depiction of working class life in modern Britain." Leigh was nominated for the Palme D'Or at Cannes...