The Pumpkin Eater

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The Pumpkin Eater

1964,

1h 50m,

Drama

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Watchlist

64%

14 Reviews

Tomatometer

72%

250+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

64%

Tomatometer

14 Reviews

72%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

Jo (Anne Bancroft) leaves the banality of her marriage to second husband Giles (Richard Johnson) to wed her screenwriter lover, Jake Armitage (Peter Finch), but insists her new husband adhere to her strict marital ideals. Though their relationship is passionate, Jo, now a mother of six, begins to feel stifled in her role as a doting homemaker -- and increasingly isolated from Peter, who is filming on location in Morocco. Jo's sanity is shaken when it seems Peter is not being faithful.

Bosley Crowther

New York Times

Aug 1, 2015

It might make for valid drama if Mr. Pinter had done a half‐way job of establishing this insecure woman on firm psychological ground.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Feb 13, 2009

Anne Bancroft is exceptionally good... The role may sound conventional enough, but not as played by Bancroft; she adds a depth and understanding which puts it on a higher plane.

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David Thompson

Time Out

Jun 24, 2006

Fine performances notwithstanding, the world of the Hampstead soap opera now seems so far away as to almost rate as science fiction.

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Kat Halstead

Common Sense Media

Sep 25, 2024

There are moments of humor, too, despite the heavy material, and a beautiful full-circle moment that manages to avoid feeling cheesy or forced, lending a sense of some hope and understanding to an otherwise weighty watch.

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Joan Didion

Vogue

Mar 16, 2020

There are no easy answers here, no inadvertent banality, nothing off-key. Anne Bancroft gives a flawless performance.

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Merl Edelman

Los Angeles Free Press

Jan 24, 2020

Miss Bancroft's performance is in a class few besides Garbo and Ingrid Bergman have ever achieved on the screen.

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Hagrid M

Apr 14, 2017

Among the most provocative portrayals of a woman I've ever witnessed. Clayton uses every technique in the book to reach out and touch the audience.

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Jack Clayton

Director

Anne Bancroft

Jo Armitage

Peter Finch

Jake Armitage

James Mason

Bob Conway

Cedric Hardwicke

Mr. James

Alan Webb

Mr. Armitage

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Synopsis

Jo (Anne Bancroft) leaves the banality of her marriage to second husband Giles (Richard Johnson) to wed her screenwriter lover, Jake Armitage (Peter Finch), but insists her new husband adhere to her strict marital ideals. Though their relationship is passionate, Jo, now a mother of six, begins to feel stifled in her role as a doting homemaker -- and increasingly isolated from Peter, who is filming on location in Morocco. Jo's sanity is shaken when it seems Peter is not being faithful.

Director: Jack Clayton
Producer: James Woolf
Screenwriter: Harold Pinter
Distributor: Columbia Home Video, Royal Films International
Production Co: Romulus Films Ltd.
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 9, 1964, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 15, 2010
Runtime: 1h 50m

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