The Homecoming (1973)

Taglines: The share the house. They share the food. They share Teddy’s wife. Such a nice happy family.

The Homecoming movie storyline. Max (Paul Rogers) is a surly pensioner who alternately venerates and vilifies his dead wife. Sam (Cyril Cusack), his brother, is a supercilious chauffeur. Lenny (Ian Holm) is a smiling, snake-like pimp. Joey (Terence Rigby) is a thick-witted, would-be boxer. These four men live together in a North London flat, the site of their perpetual sadomasochistic battle of words and sometimes physical violence.

And then after nine years, Max’s third son, Teddy, a philosophy professor living in California, comes back home for a visit. He brings his wife, Ruth. She is immediately drawn in to the family’s ugly psychological games and quickly proves a worthy opponent. Soon, the game involves both of Teddy’s brothers taking extreme liberties with Ruth, as the coiled Teddy obstinately refuses to spoil the malicious fun by objecting.

The Homecoming is a 1973 British-American drama film directed by Peter Hall based on the play of the same name by Harold Pinter. The film was produced by Ely Landau for the American Film Theatre, which presented thirteen film adaptations of plays in the United States from 1973 to 1975. The film was screened at the 1974 Cannes Film Festival, but was not entered into the main competition.

Directed by: Peter Hall
Starring: Cyril Cusack, Ian Holm, Paul Rogers, Terence Rigby, Michael Jayston, Michael Jayston, Vivien Merchant
Screenplay by: Harold Pinter
Production Design by:
Cinematography by: David Watkin
Film Editing by: Rex Pyke
Costume Design by: Joan Bridge, Elizabeth Haffenden
Art Direction by: Jack Stevens
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: American Film Theatre
Release Date: October 29, 1973