BRASSED OFF
UK, 1997, 94 minutes, Colour.
Pete Postlethwaite, Tara Fitzgerald, Ewan McGregor?, Stephen Tompkinson, Philip Jackson, Jim Carter.
Directed by Mark Herman.
Yorkshire gives rise to images of York minster, the countryside, the moors of Wuthering Heights. These days Yorkshire is giving us movie images of the working class becoming the unemployed in funny, sad and, often, raucous and earthy films.
Brassed Off is being marketed as a `feel good' movie. It is. But is also a `feel sad' movie. The colliery in Grimley has been marked for closure although it is still reasonably profitable. Staunch miners are resisting closure. Management is offering redundancy packages that are hard to refuse. In the meantime, the miners have built up a successful colliery band. Should it stop when the mines are closed? Should it stay in competition? Should it go to the finals at the Albert Hall? It is not hard to guess.
However, the screenplay is not always as predictable as expected. There are some tough scenes of families trying to survive without income. These mainly concern Stephen Tompkinson (Fr Clifford of Balleykissangel) and he gives a more nuanced performance than he does on TV. Pete Postlethwaite has a moving role as the band leader who lives intensely for his music. There is plenty of feeling in the film and never more so than at the end when Postlethwaite makes a moving and rousing speech highly critical of Tory policy, of economic rationalist programs that destroy livelihoods and families.
1. The impact of the film in the UK, as entertainment, as social and political comment?
2. The Yorkshire settings? The town, the mines? The realistic atmosphere? The locations?
3. The title, the anger? The humour with the brass band? The range of the musical score, the old band favourites, their placement within the film? The performance as well as the rehearsals?
4. The social situation: the `80s and the `90s in the UK and the closing of the mines? The repercussions for the miners (and their legacy of ill-health)? The repercussions for families? The economics of the towns? Management, their meetings, decisions made two years earlier, public relations? Reports being seen to be done, but not to be seen? The role of the unions, negotiations, compromise? The miners' votes and the redundancies? The tradition of scabs breaking picket lines? A realistic portrayal of social situation?
5. Danny and the long tradition of his work in the mines? His commitment to the music? The long tradition of the brass bands? On his bike, his love of music? His relationship with his son and Phil's family? The rehearsals and his criticisms?
6. Gloria's coming, discussions, accepting her? The rehearsals, going on tour and winning competitions? His collapse, the hospital, listening to the music? Not being allowed out and his sense of frustration? The band members and their wanting to disband? Phil and his breaking the news to his father? The decision to go to the Albert Hall? His conducting the music, the impact of his speech and his comment on the social situation?
7. Andy as a focus of the film? The young man, place in the town, the mines, going for drinks, playing pool? His place in the band? The encounter with Gloria and the memories of the past? Their relationship? His discovering the truth about her work? Being with the men? The vote? Going to London and the performance? Playing to get the money for his instrument? A happy ending? Gloria and her grandfather, coming back to town, working for management, their promises to her, thinking she was doing something with her report? Playing in the band? Going on tour? The relationship with Andy? The report and its being shelved? Her resignation? The reaction of the men, her money for the tour to London? Being accepted back again?
8. Phil and his family, harassed, his wife and her anxiety about money? The children? His being a gentle man? Wanting to buy the new instrument, putting himself in debt? The demands made for repayment? His wife's anger and her taking the children? His being the clown and his performance in the classroom? His father's collapse and his anxiety? The decision not to go to the Albert Hall? His despair, his swearing in his performance as the clown? His attempted suicide? With the men, voting for the redundancy? Their accepting him, the final performance? His wife and children in the bus coming home?
9. Harry and his wife, their work, passing as each went to work or came home? His comments about the name of his instrument? Participation in the group? The temporary leader during Danny's illness? His support of the band?
10. The other men and their work, their friendships, the drinks? The critical man, especially his harshness towards Gloria? His thanking her in the bus?
11. The wives, their life at home, shopping, going on tour? The ironic humour in supporting their husbands?
The picture of the unions? The picture of management and its disdain?
12. An entertaining film - and the aftermath of its social comment?
