Man at the Top is a 1973 British drama film directed by Mike Vardy and starring Kenneth Haigh, Nanette Newman and Harry Andrews. It was a spin-off from the ITV television series Man at the Top (1970–1972).
Contents
Plot
Joe Lampton is promoted to managing director of a pharmaceutical company, and becomes involved with Lord Ackerman, the powerful chairman, who is also his father-in-law. But Joe makes a shocking discovery: his predecessor committed suicide because of his involvement in a drug that left 1,000 African women sterile. Joe threatens to reveal all to the press, while Lord Ackerman seeks to persuade him otherwise, by offering him promotion to Chief Executive.
Cast
Kenneth Haigh as Joe Lampton
Nanette Newman as Lady Alex Ackerman
Harry Andrews as Lord Ackerman
William Lucas as Marshall
Clive Swift as Massey
Paul Williamson as Tarrant
John Collin as Wisbech
John Quentin as Digby
Danny Sewell as Weston
Charlie Williams as George Harvey
Anne Cunningham as Mrs. Harvey
Angela Bruce as Joyce
Margaret Heald as Eileen
Mary Maude as Robin Ackerman
Norma West as Sarah Tarrant
John Conteh as boxer
Production
Shooting took place from 3 March to 7 April 1973.
Reception
Box office
The film was not a success at the box office.
Critical
John Gillett wrote in The Monthly Film Bulletin: "As played by Kenneth Haigh, Lampton's coarse, chip-on-shoulder gruffness and wearying pop-eyed charm soon fall flat, but the film does score a point or two in its depiction of Ackerman's world, with its suave surface etiquette, cool boardroom manners and secret country house meetings (Harry Andrews' steely, banked-down performance is a decided asset). The little interlude on the road with the girls brings some pleasantly relaxed exchanges, but the film is less successful (and rather cheap) when dealing with Lampton's swift seduction of Ackerman's wife and daughter. Despite its moments of insight and sharp, bristling dialogue, it remains too much like a television episode stretched to movie length."
Variety wrote: "This spinoff of a popular British vidseries by the same name is a professionally-crafted entry in the middlebrow stakes, with the usual reliable performance by Kenneth Haigh who repeats his vidrole of the lower class boy making good – and fighting tooth and nail to get there – in the business and society bigtime. Though no blockbuster, pic should nevertheless perform well in general release situations."