This film is part of Free
We Are the Lambeth Boys
Karel Reisz’s honest depiction of South London teens aimed to challenge the media perception of ‘Teddy Boys’.
Overview
Karel Reisz’s honest and sympathetic depiction of South London teens aimed to challenge the media perception of ‘Teddy Boys’, and would be one of the last films to appear under the Free Cinema banner. One of the key elements of the Free Cinema films was the sympathetic representation of working-class people, something the filmmakers felt was lacking in contemporary British cinema. Here, members of Kennington’s Alford House youth club talk about their lives and interests.
By avoiding a strict narrative, We Are the Lambeth Boys gives its subjects space to express their frustrations and aspirations, allowing the youngsters a voice and sensitively capturing the nuances of their daily lives. The film has much in common with Lindsay Anderson's Every Day Except Christmas, which was also produced by Leon Clore, sponsored by Ford Motor Company as part of its ‘Look at Britain’ series, and filmed on 35mm by the usual Free Cinema cinematographer Walter Lassally and editor John Fletcher. We Are the Lambeth Boys is also available on BFI's Free Cinema DVD set, along with the entirety of the Free Cinema films.
Related
StoryTrails: The People's Map Newport StoryTrails: The People's Map Newport
Documentary 2022 12 mins Location: Newport/Casnewydd
This map showcases a curated selection of audio stories and digitally animated 3D scans of the people and places in and around Newport.
StoryTrails: The People's Map Wolverhampton StoryTrails: The People's Map Wolverhampton
Documentary 2022 14 mins Location: Wolverhampton
This map showcases a curated selection of audio stories and digitally animated 3D scans of the people and places in and around Wolverhampton.
StoryTrails: The People's Map Omagh StoryTrails: The People's Map Omagh
Documentary 2022 15 mins Location: Omagh
This map showcases a curated selection of audio stories and digitally animated 3D scans of the people and places in and around Omagh.
StoryTrails: The People's Map Slough StoryTrails: The People's Map Slough
Documentary 2022 15 mins Location: Slough
This map showcases a curated selection of audio stories and digitally animated 3D scans of the people and places in and around Slough.
StoryTrails: The People's Map Dundee StoryTrails: The People's Map Dundee
Documentary 2022 14 mins Location: Dundee
This map showcases a curated selection of audio stories and digitally animated 3D scans of the people and places in and around Dundee.
StoryTrails: The People's Map Swansea StoryTrails: The People's Map Swansea
Documentary 2022 15 mins Location: Swansea/Abertawe
This map showcases a curated selection of audio stories and digitally animated 3D scans of the people and places in and around Swansea.
May Day Revels May Day Revels
Non-Fiction 1921 1 mins Silent Location: Kennington
The Kennington May Queen poses shyly for a close-up and performs a perfect maypole dance.
London's Outer Ring London's Outer Ring
1924 12 mins Location: Kennington
Part of Wonderful London, the BFI National Archive’s programme of restored London travelogues, filmed in the capital in the 1920s.
If I Make It To The Morning If I Make It To The Morning
Drama 2024 9 mins
A Chinese teenager dreams of living with her cool aunt in New York, until tensions boil over during a crab dinner.
We’ll Go Down in History We’ll Go Down in History
Documentary 2025 25 mins
Two years in the life of TRUK United FC, a beacon for positive change and trans inclusivity in football.
Wrong Bathroom Wrong Bathroom
Drama 2024 9 mins
A trans high-schooler is tempted by toxic masculinity in the boys’ bathroom.
Dragfox Dragfox
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2024 8 mins
A child struggling with their identity and a charismatic fox (voiced by Sir Ian McKellen) learn to embrace their differences in this heart warming stop-motion animation.
Wait, Wait, Now! Wait, Wait, Now!
Drama 2024 13 mins
A Maori and a Kiwi teen buddy up to raid their mum’s wardrobe and pucker their lips with red.
NGGAK!!! NGGAK!!!
Drama 2024 8 mins
‘I pronounce you wife and wife.’ A young couple design their perfect wedding online, but then mum dials in.