I saw this movie years ago and can't seem to get hold of it now. Could someone please refresh my memory about the ending? Not the newlyweds, I know about them. But I seem to remember it comes out that Arthur is not John Mills' real son. Is his father actually this Billy character? And what is the famous last line one of the reviewers is refering to? Thanks!
shareI watched this film last night for the first time in 40 years and the ending made me "bloody cry"!
shareIt become clear when Jenny and Arthur's mothers are talking that Arthur's real father is the long lost and much missed Billy , who went down south to work in a car factory immediately after his one off encounter with Arthur's Mother while they were alone together decorating the house.
Arthur's father, Ezra clearly had no idea why his best and oldest pal would just leave town without even saying goodbye .
At the end of the film when Jenny and Arthur leave for their belated honeymoon and Ezra begins to cry ,its not clear if he's relized that Arthur is infact Billy's son or Its just that he's overcome with emotion because Arthur finally asked for his help and advice and that Arthur merely reminded him of Billy.
Just watched it agin for the 1st time in nearly 10 years, what a superb film
I actually didn't think it was all that clear about Billy. After all the talk of homosexuality, the relationship between Ezra and Billy certainly was given a new light. But your ascertations also work.
Outside the very odd dream type sequence when Arthur's mother was talking about Billy, I didn't see an indication that Arthur might be his son.
It's wonderful film and I am thrilled to have seen it again.
I just watched the film and liked it a lot. Excellent acting by all. But until I came to this site I had no idea about Arthur being Billy's son. That never occured to me, and I didn't know why Dad said, "It could have been him just now, walkin' out the door." I'm still not sure that's the case. I mean, the mother acted like she disliked Billy on their threesome honeymoon. She gave no indication that this wasn't her husband's son.
Still not sure. Very good movie, though.
The mother displayed her annoyance at the "threesome on honeymoon" because of the sheer embarrassment it caused her at the time.
"There we were in the hotel, coming down for our meals, sitting at the best table - the honeymoon table if you please, right by the window. Me, your father, and his best mate. I didn't know where to look."
Incidentally, I don't see any hint that there was homosexuality between Ezra and Billy - these were two pals who had grown up together and been best mates. Anyone seeing more into that should perhaps look into their own minds.
Well - homosexuality is very much on topic, given the fact that it was the subject of the talk that causes the Mother to tell the story about how she had an "extra" man on the honeymoon. And that the two men would disappear after breakfast without her. "What kind of man brings his mate along on the honeymoon?" (paraphrase). She was referring to the fact that her husband was throwing the word "queer" around when referring to her son. But what about HIS honeymoon behavior. I don't think she was indicting her husband -- just warning him about throwing condemning words around when he doesn't know the whole story. Others might think HE was "queer" too, from just making conclusions from the outside looking in.
I do think there were strong hints that friend Billy and Mom had a fling resulting in her pregnancy with Arthur.
In general, your interpretation is what I got from the movie. Ezra throws out accusations of homosexualitry without realising how his own actions might be interpreted. However, there is a speech about him standing on the beach in his new boots with Billy (and this being the highlight of the honymoon) that does undeniably hint at something more. I don't think this enhances the story. It smacks of indecisiveness rather than ambiguity.
My own problem with this movie is that is seems slightly anachronistic. I also recall outdoor privys, tin baths and all water having to be heated on a stove, but this relates to the early Fifties, not the mid-Sixties. Maybe this style of living lingered on later than I can personally verify but I think this movie would have worked better if it had been overtly set in the recent past.
KM
7/01/15 8:19p The Family Way 1966
potato2: I agree with your comment that Arthur's mother Lucy deeply resented that Billy was with Ezra and her on Their Honeymoon. Ezra defended having his Best Mate with them. Where were the gossip hounds on this Affair? Whether Ezra or Billy slept with Lucy is questionable. Lucy did not want Billy there. Was Ezra ever able to consummate the marriage? Where did Arthur come from? Accidental Sex? Ezra was seeing Billy in his own son, Arthur, in everything he did. He could not let go of Billy. Ezra was deeply unhappy and lonely man and he ached for the company of his Best Mate Billy.
ellisisle
i think we can take it that the marriage was consummated. ezra does not qppear to have suspected that Arthur was not his son until the resemblance to Billy is finally brought home to him, and he realises why Billy went away. Lucy reveals the attraction she felt for Billy, which clearly shows the way things are leading, when she describes the decorating episode.
share12/11/16 11:58a "The Family Way'' 1966 What are Best Mates For?
louiseculmer: Ezra, 20 years later, still is pining
for his lost Mate, Billy. His Wife Lucy
is still bitterly angry over Billy being
on their Honeymoon.
Ezra defends that fact 20 years later, he is a
very unhappy man. He is not close or even friendly
to his son nor his wife.
Lucy did Not sleep with Billy, they were Not lovers.
Billy was there to be with Ezra who wanted him there.
I don't know if Billy/Ezra were intimate but
they had strong emotional connection.
The final scenes where Ezra breaks down and
says something like ''To have your Best Mate
with you on your on that day was special
but Life can break your heart!''
ellisisle
Of course lucy slept with billy, that is made quite clear. the penny finally drops. ezra realises why Billy went away so suddenly. He realises arthur is billy's son. that's what the scene is all about when Lucy goes all nostalgic thinking about the decorating episode. that is most likely when it happened. at last Ezra understands everything. I thnk he and his wife are fond of each other in their way, though they don't show it much.
share12/13/16 12:56p ''The Family Way''
louiseculmer:
The character of Billy is Not in the Film
he is talked about at the very end.
Lucy was bitter, angry about Billy
being around on their Honeymoon
she was so resentful.
I believe Ezra was in Love with Billy
but Billy had no place in their
lives, so he left.
Lucy had no feeling about Billy
except anger.
How could she have had sex with him,
she saw her Husband with him too much?!
The reason Ezra had problems with his Son Arthur
was he reminded him of Billy 20 years earlier,
he just couldn't be reminded of what he had lost.
I don't know what film you saw but it wasn't about
Lucy/Billy it was about Ezra/Billy he had defended
having Billy there on their Honeymoon!!
Ezra had no problem with it!
ellisisle
I think you have misunderstood the film. lucy makes it quite clear that she has tender feelings about billy when she describes the decorating episode. Billy left because it was impossible for him to stay after he had slept with his friend's wife. Arthur reminds Ezra of billy because he is Billy's son, and that is what ezra realises at the end of the film. Finally he understands why Billy went away. i am surprised you did not realise this.
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