Following an acclaimed career in hard-hitting TV drama, director Alan Clarke achieved a cinema hit with his much-loved comedy.

Bradford teenagers Rita and Sue regularly babysit for successful couple Bob and Michelle, whose comfortable suburban lifestyle contrasts with their own bleak existence. One evening when Bob is taking them home, he suggests a detour to the moors. Impressed by his flashy car and worldly ways the girls are smooth-talked into a three-way sexual relationship that becomes very much part of their lives. At first it's a bit of a laugh but people are quick to point the finger and the affair is soon out in the open.

The screenplay was adapted from a series of acclaimed plays by Andrea Dunbar, which were based on her own upbringing on Bradford's Butterworth estate. The contrast of bawdy laughs with astute social comment results in one of the more memorable and enduring British films from the period.

Special features:

• New feature-length documentary on the film with newly filmed interviews with the cast and crew
• Fully illustrated booklet with new writing essays and full film credits

UK | 1987 | Colour | English language, with optional hard-of-hearing subtitles | 88 mins | Cert 18 | Region B Blu-ray | Region 2 DVD

Rita, Sue and Bob Too (1987)
A film by Alan Clarke
Dual Format Edition – Blu-ray/DVD release on 22 May 2017

Following an acclaimed career in TV drama (much of which was made available in last year’s BFI box set release, Dissent and Disruption: Alan Clarke at the BBC 1969-1989), director Alan Clarke achieved a box-office hit with the much loved raunchy comedy Rita, Sue and Bob Too.

Adapted by Andrea Dunbar from her own play, based on her upbringing on Bradford’s Buttershaw estate, Rita, Sue and Bob Too contrasts bawdy laughs with astute social commentary.

Bradford teenagers Rita (Siobhan Finneran) and Sue (Michelle Holmes) regularly babysit for Bob (George Costigan) and Michelle (Lesley Sharp), whose comfortable suburban lifestyle contrasts with the girls’ bleak life on a council estate. One evening when Bob is taking them home, he smooth-talks the girls into a three-way sexual relationship. At first it is all a bit of fun, but tempers flare once the affair is out in the open.

Special features
• New 2K restoration by the BFI from the original Super 16mm camera negative;
• Presented in High Definition and Standard Definition;
• Having A Ball: The making of Rita, Sue and Bob Too (Jon Robertson, 2017, 69 mins): a newly filmed documentary with extensive cast and crew interviews;
• Textless opening sequence;
• Stills and Collections Gallery;
• Theatrical trailer;
• 36-page illustrated booklet with writing by David Rolinson, Andrea Dunbar and Max Stafford-Clark, and full film credits.

Product details
RRP: £19.99/ Cat. no. BFIB1274 / Cert 18
UK / 1987 / colour / 94 mins / English language, with optional hard-of-hearing subtitles / original aspect ratio 1.66:1 // BD50: 1080p, 24fps, PCM 1.0 mono (48kHz/24-bit) / DVD9: PAL, 25fps, Dolby Digital 1.0 mono (192kbps)