Hindle Wakes (1952 film)

Lancashire mill-girls Jenny Hawthorne (Daniely) and Mary Hollins (Sandra Dorne) go on holiday to Blackpool during the annual wakes week in their hometown of Hindle. They run into Alan Jeffcote (Worth), the son of the owner of the mill in which they work, who has also travelled to Blackpool with a group of friends while his fiancée is detained on business in London. Jenny had admired Alan from afar in the factory and they hit it off immediately. When they go off on their own together, he persuades her to leave Blackpool to spend the week with him at Llandudno. To cover her tracks, Jenny takes Mary's advice and writes a postcard for Mary to post to her parents (Leslie Dwyer and Joan Hickson) later in the week. She and Alan leave their friends and set off for Llandudno, where he books them into a hotel on the front as Mr and Mrs Jeffcote.

Shortly afterwards, Mary is involved in a serious boating accident and is killed. Her possessions are returned to Hindle and the unsent postcard is found in her luggage. Jenny's parents are already suspicious and concerned by the fact that Jenny has not returned to Hindle as they would have expected in view of such a tragic turn to her holiday, and the discovery of the postcard increases their fears. When Jenny returns at the end of the week, her parents ask about her holiday, and allow her to dig a hole for herself as her fictitious account shows she is unaware of Mary's death and has clearly not spent the week in Blackpool. When confronted with the truth, Jenny is distraught at Mary's death and admits to where she has been, and with whom, but defiantly refuses to feel guilty or immoral.

The Hawthornes decide that they will confront the Jeffcotes (Ronald Adam and Mary Clare) with their son's unacceptable behaviour. Mrs. Hawthorne's anger is tempered by the fact that she believes the situation may be turned to financial advantage. Hawthorne feels some trepidation, as he and Jeffcote have been friends since childhood and have remained on good terms despite Jeffcote's rise to social prominence. To the surprise of Mr Hawthorne, Jeffcote agrees that the proper thing to do is for Alan to marry Jenny. Mrs. Jeffcote is less convinced, because of the loss of his expected marriage to the daughter of another local factory owner, who breaks off their engagement when Alan tells her what has happened. A meeting is convened between the families. Jenny and Alan remain silent while their parents try to agree the details of their marriage, and Mrs. Hawthorne and Mrs. Jeffcote become involved in a shouting match. Jenny then announces that she has no interest in marrying Alan and that for both of them it was just a "little fling". Her parents are shocked, and her mother sobs inconsolably. Alan and his mother are surprised but relieved, and he quickly phones and makes up with his fiancée. Jenny resumes her relationship with her admirer at the factory.

This was the first film version of the play since 1931 and it was felt to be a rather odd choice, as the subject matter which had been considered controversial and provocative a generation earlier now appeared somewhat anachronistic in light of the major changes which had taken place in British society in the interim, particularly the more liberal attitudes growing from the national experience during World War II when previous taboos had been relaxed to a significant degree. The film was felt to be dated, even by 1952 standards, and the incongruity of supposed Lancashire mill-workers speaking in cut-glass Mayfair tones was also singled out as an absurdity.

The storyline is set in the 1950s and is a valid and accurate reflection of that period. However, it has little resemblance to either the original story or the earlier film versions, having a very different atmosphere. It would have been more widely credited had it not adopted the title "Hindle Wakes" as this does little to validate the film.

• Hindle Wakes at IMDb
• Hindle Wakes at BFI Film & TV Database