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Just A Boy's Game [1979]
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A Must See !
Review date: 2007-06-29 Rating: 10 out of 10
I actually live a few miles away from Greenock and know the 'scheme' where much of the play was filmed. I also grew up in the 70's and witnessed to a small extent some of the violent behaviour portrayed. However working people always find something to smile about and this is reflected in the play. This play could almost have been written for Frankie Miller who must be one of Britain's most under rated actors.
I also recommend 'The Elephants Graveyard' the companion play to this one.
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Reviews
A Classic Exploration of the Life of a "Hard Man"
Review date: 2006-12-06 Rating: 10 out of 10
This is an absolutely classic piece of drama exploring the "hard man" persona so evident in west coast Scotland today, and in the 70's when this piece is set and was filmed.
A fantastic adaption of Peter MacDougall's play, 'Just a Boys Game' excells on all fronts. The writing is clever with superb lines like "Maybe if your Granda had been better to me when I was younger, I would nae be so old so young." The performances top notch, Frankie Miller (a singer by trade)plays the archetypal hard man to a tee, and the game of the plays title is the childish fighting, bravado and posturing which comes with this reputation.
It had been years since I had seen this adaption and I wondered whether I had been looking back through rose tinted specs for a number of years and whether it would look dated and tacky. How wrong could I be. It is dark, realistic and caustic (quite a difference from todays BBC drama).
The plot centres around Jake McQuillan a reputed hardman and grandson of a hardman. He has slightly aged and is trying to leave this life in the past, but all the young pretenders see him as a scalp and want to take his crown. His best friend is Dancer who dances through life without a care for anybody, including his wife and children. He is an infectious character who combines comedy and tragedy. Life seems a breeze to him, but he is probably an alchoholic and definitely a waster. They trawl through bars, shipyards, snookerhalls, run down estates with violence always threatening and building up to a tragic conclusion.
This play drills deep down into the senselessness of the lifestyle apopted by Jake, the childishness of it all. It is a very dark and intelligent piece with a depressing and deprived backdrop of industrial and council house Greenock, but also with some funny and cutting lines.
The accents are laid on thick which exentuates the realism (theres nothing worse than a supposed west coast hardman speaking in the queens english)but if you want subtitles are available.
I urge anybody to see this and enjoy a deep, thoughtfull masterpiece with meaning. I almost forgot, its also very entertaining, fun and exciting.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Gregor Fisher
Hector Nichol
Ken Hutchison
Frankie Miller
Creators:
Frankie Miller (Primary Contributor)
Hector Nichol (Primary Contributor)
Recording label: John Williams Productions
Manufacturer: John Williams Productions
EAN: 5024552223118
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2006-09-25
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region code: 2
Theatrical release date: 1979
Language: English (Original Language)