The Pumpkin Eater

If you want a drama that takes its characters as seriously as its plot, The Pumpkin Eater is available on streaming right now. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. 53 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Anne Bancroft's performance alone is worth the time investment. There is no real reason to keep putting it off.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, The Pumpkin Eater is worth clearing space for. The Pumpkin Eater takes its time building the world its characters inhabit, and the patience pays off. Jo, the mother of seven children, divorces her second husband in order to marry Jake, a successful but promiscuous screenwriter. Though they are physically and emotionally compatible, they are slowly torn apart. Anne Bancroft and Peter Finch lead a cast that treats the material with real seriousness. It hit screens in 1964. The writing trusts the audience to sit with ambiguity rather than wrapping everything up in a tidy conclusion — it is the approach that separates good drama from great. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

The Pumpkin Eater is what you recommend to people who say they do not really watch much. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Anne Bancroft is the centre of it, and it is one of their strongest performances on record. The patience it asks of you early on is paid back with interest.

The Pumpkin Eater was released in 1964, directed by Jack Clayton. The full 110-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.