A man with learning difficulties suffers neglect and ill-treatment, and this is only exasperated when his parents die and nobody seems to know what to do with him. A sequel to this film, titled "Walter and June", was released in 1983 and set 19 years later in time. In the United States, these two are sometimes bundled together under the title "Loving Walter".
Acting
McKellen's physicality—no dialogue needed.
Direction
Frears' claustrophobic framing traps you with Walter.
Director
Stephen Frears
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Part of BBC's 'Play for Today' anthology, this aired once in 1982 then vanished for decades—presumed lost until a 16mm print resurfaced in 2015.
McKellen modeled Walter's physicality on men he'd observed at a home for adults with learning difficulties, spending weeks visiting without telling the residents he was an actor.
GB
