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Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story

Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story

TV movie200890 minMidcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Director
Andy De Emmony
Starring
Julie Walters, Alun Armstrong, Hugh Bonneville, Ron Cook

The story of the rise of morals crusader Mary Whitehouse in the UK in the 1960's.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story?

Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story earns 3 badges, led by Hidden Gem and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story worth watching?

Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story's Midcredits score is the 79th percentile of all films, from 357 ratings across 3 sources. 69% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

79th percentile

Better received than 79% of films

66th percentile among Biography77th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)78th
Approval (how many liked it)77th

70 /100

78th percentile of all films

69th percentile among Biography77th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.0 — solid but not unanimous.

69% liked it

77th percentile of all films

61st percentile among Biography76th percentile among 2000s
69% rated it 7–1031% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 2 noms overall

34th percentile

357 ratings across platforms

15th percentile among Biography26th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 37% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A well-acted TV drama that portrays Mary Whitehouse as a sincere but morally rigid crusader whose campaign against BBC 'filth' clashed with the permissive 1960s.

Fans praised

  • Julie Walters' nuanced performance humanizes Whitehouse without descending into caricature
  • Balanced script that shows both Whitehouse's sincerity and her blinkered self-righteousness
  • Hugh Bonneville's energetic portrayal of Greene as an arrogant yet sympathetic foil

Detractors panned

  • Julie Walters' performance too reminiscent of Mrs Merton, undermining believability
  • Tone too light and comedic, making the subject feel like an Ealing comedy
  • Crude fantasy sequence and boorish slogans instead of substantive debate of ideas

What stands out

ActingDivisive75

Julie Walters praised for humanizing Whitehouse, but some cite Mrs Merton resemblance

CharactersDivisive70

Three-dimensional writing for both Whitehouse and Greene

Atmosphere70

1960s Midlands village wonderfully re-created

Plot and story60

Engaging feud narrative but narrow focus on early BBC campaign

Dialogue60

Script noted as well-structured and gradually revealing character

Emotional impact55

Sympathy shifts from Whitehouse to Greene over runtime

HumorDivisive50

Light tone appreciated by some, but comedic edge often misses

Watch experience

What is Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Quiet and reflective: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are in a patient, quiet mood.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Quiet and reflective.

Moods
TenseWarm
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Wry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.Satirical · 5% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film presents its subject with a balanced, even-handed stance—sympathetic to Mary Whitehouse's sincerity while also exposing her narrowness and the absurdity of some of her targets—played mostly straight but with a light, humorous touch.
The rideThe film balances moments of tension during Whitehouse's confrontations with a warm, occasionally humorous portrayal of her domestic life, with the emotional peak coming as her campaign intensifies in the middle act.
StructureThe film follows a chronological, linear depiction of Mary Whitehouse's rise as a campaigner, with a clear beginning, middle, and end focusing on her feud with Sir Hugh Greene.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer with a nuanced reflection on the clash between moral certainty and free expression, and the personal cost of public crusades.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.

13% of films fit this archetype

with Overcoming the monster underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe story follows Mary Whitehouse's transformation from a concerned citizen into a national crusader, which loosely fits the rebirth archetype's liberation subtype; her campaign to change BBC programming also carries elements of overcoming the monster. The plot is driven by her personal journey and her opposition to the BBC leadership, not a clear rebirth arc or monster-slaying.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFreedomPower
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5% (this title)
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% (this title) · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Power

Freedom · 5% of filmsCommunity · 14% of films: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film examines the tension between free speech and moral regulation, and how one woman's campaign challenged the BBC's control over public broadcasting.
StanceThe film questions the balance between free expression and moral responsibility, presented through a nuanced portrait of both Whitehouse and her opponent.

The world

Mid 20th centuryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
Setting1960s England, middle-class home and BBC offices
MusicThe score complements the period setting with a light, whimsical tone that reflects the film's satirical edge.

Cast and crew

Who is in Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story?

Cast

Julie Walters
as Mary Whitehouse
Alun Armstrong
as Ernest Whitehouse
Hugh Bonneville
as Sir Hugh Carleton Greene
Ron Cook
as Lord Charlie Hill
Georgie Glen
as Norah Buckland
Paul Westwood
as Paul Whitehouse
William Beck
as David Turner
Nicholas Woodeson
as Harman Grisewood
Emily Hamilton
as Miss Tate
Richard James
as TV Journalist

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story?

Movies like Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story include Jimmy's Hall (2014), Darkest Hour (2017) and Trumbo (2015). Of the 5 closest matches, all are period dramas and hero-versus-nemesis stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

4 of these 5 share its story type: biopic. Those cards say what else they share.

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