Prick Up Your Ears

"They shared everything... except success."

1987 1h 51m EN

👍

6.7

SOLID

🔥

92%

CERTIFIED FRESH

👌

METACRITIC

⭐

7.1

IMDB

★6.7TMDB · 106🍅92%Rotten Tomatoes●72Metacritic★7.1IMDB · 6,630

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

When the young, attractive Joe Orton meets the older, more introverted Kenneth Halliwell at drama school, he befriends the kindred spirit and they start an affair. As Orton becomes more comfortable with his sexuality and starts to find success with his writing, Halliwell becomes increasingly alienated and jealous, ultimately tapping into a dangerous rage.

“They shared everything... except success.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Gary Oldman
Joe Orton
Alfred Molina
Kenneth Halliwell
Vanessa Redgrave
Peggy Ramsay
Wallace Shawn
John Lahr
Lindsay Duncan
Anthea Lahr
Julie Walters
Elsie Orton
James Grant
William Orton
Frances Barber
Leonie Orton

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Stephen Frears
Writers: Alan Bennett
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

39 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Stephen Frears, shot by Oliver Stapleton. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Stanley Myers. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Mick Audsley shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Gary Oldman and Alfred Molina and Vanessa Redgrave carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "They shared everything... except success.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0093776 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Stephen Frears directs. Oliver Stapleton behind the camera. Stanley Myers scores. Mick Audsley cuts. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

139 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Directed by Stephen Frears, shot by Oliver Stapleton. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Stanley Myers. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Mick Audsley shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Gary Oldman and Alfred Molina and Vanessa Redgrave carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "They shared everything... except success.".
7IMDB entry: tt0093776 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 9 themes, including "london, england", "based on novel or book", "england", "biography".

The technical file

Cinematography: Oliver Stapleton
Original score: Stanley Myers
Editing: Mick Audsley
Production design: Hugo Luczyc-Wyhowski
Costume design: Bob Ringwood
Makeup / hair: Sally Harrison
Sound: Peter Maxwell
Runtime: 111 min · 1h 51m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Prick Up Your Ears (1987)
Rotten Tomatoes: 92% 🍅 Fresh
Metacritic: 72/100
IMDB rating: 7.1/10 · 6,630 votes
MPAA: R
US box office: $1,654,743

Awards

Nominated for 3 BAFTA 5 wins & 8 nominations total

Also by

Stephen Frears

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2025-01-29
★ 7/10
Maybe now, a few decades after this was made and when the politically correct brigade advocate that only gay actors should play gay roles, they ought to watch this and see just how engagingly two straight blokes can do what it says on their CVs and act! This is quite a witty and telling retrospective on the turbulent lives of playwright John "Joe" Orton (Gary Oldman) and his general factotum, friend, confidante and part-time lover "Kenneth" (Alfred Molina) set at a time when homosexuality in the UK was starting to emerge from the shadows of illegaility and, even amongst the more theatrical fraternity, was still frowned upon. What now ensues sees their relationship vacillate wildly, temptation rear it's ugly head and an unattractive degree of thoughtless, even callous, behaviour creep into Orton's behaviour towards his obsessive friend. Jealousy and toxicity aren't far away either, especially when Orton starts to see the fruits of his labours and makes a few quid. It's quite possibly the most perverse of love stories and there's a palpable chemistry that straddles loving and loathing between these two men that's well delivered by Orton, yes, but more so by the emotionally cuckolded character played by Molina. It's entertainingly speculative in nature, but that's delivered plausibly and epitomises a great many relationships where success profoundly alters the dynamic with drastic effects. It's also an interesting glance at the hypocrisy of public attitudes in the UK in the late 1960s and though not quite so potently, still resonates today - long after the "Section 28" debate that was about to hit the UK shortly after this was made. Good soundtrack, too.

Production companies