Alan Bates The Go Between

Alan Bates The Go Between: What You Need to Know Before Watching

I picked up a copy of The Go Between back around 2008, probably from a BBC2 DVD offer. It's a 1971 British period drama directed by Joseph Losey, adapted from L.P. Hartley's 1953 novel. Alan Bates plays Leo Colston, a man who returns to Norfolk in 1900 and becomes reconnected with his childhood self through memories of two local children, Margery and Boris, who act as couriers between the estate and the village. It's got a runtime of roughly 116 minutes. The famous opening line — "The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there" — is actually a Hartley quote that sets the entire tone. The film is available through several distribution channels, but your options depend on where you are and whether you care about video quality. The Criterion Collection handled the US home video release, which is generally considered the most complete and well-presented version. They've put together a decent transfer from the original camera negative, though it's not a stunning restoration by modern standards. If you want the absolute best picture quality, you're looking at a Criterion Blu-ray if you can track one down secondhand. Standard streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV often carry it for rental or purchase in various regions, usually in standard definition or at best 1080p. Availability rotates constantly, so checking JustWatch or a similar aggregator for your region will save you time. I should mention that there is a 2015 TV remake with Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley. That's a different production entirely, directed by Peter Strickland. If you're searching for Alan Bates The Go Between specifically, make sure you're filtering for the 1971 version, since the 2015 one shows up in results regularly and has a completely different feel.

One practical issue I ran into when first trying to watch this: the Criterion DVD I owned had region coding that locked it to Region 1. I had a multi-region player, which solved it, but if you're on a standard console or portable DVD player without region switching, you'll need to buy the right region code or go digital. Streaming sidesteps this entirely, but you lose control over the source quality. For something like this, where the visual texture matters — the marshes, the estate house, the summer light — the transfer quality is worth paying attention to. The Criterion version is serviceable but not exceptional. Colors lean warm and slightly flat. If you have a decent display and a quiet evening, a Blu-ray or high-bitrate digital rental will show you more in the backgrounds than a compressed stream.

What Makes This Film Worth Your Time

The performances are the core of it. Alan Bates plays Leo as someone quietly unraveling — not dramatically, not in a way that draws attention, but through small tells. A hesitation before speaking. A glance that lingers too long. He was already established by this point, having done The Illusionist and various British television work, and he brings a grounded restraint that keeps the whole thing from tipping into melodrama. The supporting cast does similar work. Julie Christie as Marian Maudsley and Margaret Leighton as Mrs. Maudsley operate in entirely different registers but never compete. Edward Fox as Ted Burgess is subtly menacing without ever raising his voice. Joseph Losey was an American director who spent most of his career working in Britain after being blacklisted in the United States. The Go Between benefits from that perspective — he approaches British class dynamics with someone who understands surveillance and performance from the outside. The camera frequently frames characters through doorways, windows, and hedges, reinforcing the idea that everyone is being watched by everyone else. It's a technique Losey used before and would use again, but here it serves the story specifically. The cinematography by Dick Bush deserves mention. The Norfolk landscapes — the flat fields, the drainage ditches, the summer heat haze — function almost as a character. There's a sequence where Boris and Margery ride their bicycles through the marshes that runs about three minutes and conveys more about their world than most dialogue-heavy scenes could. The production design by Peter Hall captures the rigid interior hierarchy of the Maudsley estate with precise detail. Doors, staircases, and table arrangements all communicate status without anyone needing to say it aloud.

Music by John Addison ties everything together. The score is sparse and deliberately anachronistic in places, which keeps the film from settling into comfortable period-piece territory. The recurring themes are simple but effective, and Addison knew how to underscore psychological tension without overwhelming the scene.

Common Issues and Realistic Expectations

This isn't a fast film. It moves at a measured pace that some viewers find deliberate and others find tedious. The middle section, particularly the sequences focusing on Margery's courtship and the growing tension between the families, can feel slow if you're expecting narrative momentum. I'd estimate that about 20 to 25 minutes in the middle portion could be trimmed without damaging the story, but that's the version that exists, and trimming it would require editing decisions that would change the rhythm Losey was going for. The film also carries the weight of its source material's reputation. Hartley's novel is frequently assigned in literature courses, which means some viewers come to it with preconceptions about what it should be. The film diverges from the book in several places — notably in how it handles the ending and the role of Boris — and those changes will register differently depending on whether you've read the novel. There's a content note worth mentioning: the film contains a sequence involving animals that some viewers find distressing. It's not gratuitous, but it's unmistakable and lasts long enough to leave an impression. If you're sensitive to that kind of material, be aware before you start it.

From a practical standpoint, the biggest limitation is availability. The film isn't widely distributed the way most Studio Canal titles are. It won't appear on major subscription streams consistently. If you want to own it, you're looking at physical media or digital purchase. Rental options exist but disappear quickly from platform lineups. For someone who just wants to watch it once, a digital rental is fine. For someone who values the transfer quality and wants to revisit it, the Criterion Blu-ray is the right investment.

Alan Bates The Go Between: Is It Still Accessible Today

Yes, but with caveats. The 1971 version remains the definitive adaptation, and no new major release has superseded it. Secondary market pricing for the Criterion Blu-ray typically runs between $15 and $25 depending on condition. Digital rental prices hover around $3 to $5 in the US market. Streaming availability through services like Kanopy (through library partnerships) is intermittent but worth checking if you have access. The 2015 remake complicates search results, so use specific filters when looking for the Bates version. The film holds up because it trusts its audience. It doesn't explain its themes or rush to resolve its emotional questions. What it offers is a precise observation of a particular time and place, executed with craft and restraint. That's not for everyone, but it's what makes it worth finding in the first place.