Main Cast: Clare Higgins, Iain Robertson, Joseph McFadden, Laura Fraser
Release Year: 1995
Country: UK
Run Time: 102 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Scottish filmmaker Gillies MacKinnon directed and co-wrote (with brother Billy MacKinnon) this semi-autobiographical drama set in the working class Glasgow of 1968. Thirteen-year-old Lex Maclean (Iain Robertson) is torn between his brothers, his only male role models. Alan (Joseph McFadden) is an aspiring artist who's on his way to develop his talent at school. Bobby (J.S. Duffy) is mentally disturbed and somewhat simple-minded and has become involved with a local gang, the Glens. While walking down the street with Bobby one day, Lex takes an air gun and casually shoots it at some boys, hitting Malky Johnson (Kevin McKidd) in the eye. The leader of a rival gang, the Tongs, Johnson is aware that his girlfriend Joanne Macgowan (Laura Fraser) has a crush on Alan. Johnson's blinding injury turns him into a deadly enemy of Lex and his brothers. Offered protection by Bobby's gang, Lex must choose between two different paths. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
Kevin McKidd - Malky Johnson; Thomas Logan - Tutor; Ian McElhinney - Uncle Andrew; Andy Gray - Tactless Man; John Murtagh - Teacher; Mark McConnochie - Gorbals; Garry Sweeney - Charlie Sloan; David Walker - Fabio
Credit
Pat Campbell - Art Director, Pat Harkins - Casting, Kate Carin - Costume Designer, Eric Coulter - First Assistant Director, Gillies MacKinnon - Director, Scott Thomas - Editor, Mark Shivas - Executive Producer, Andrea Calderwood - Executive Producer, John Keane - Composer (Music Score), Pat O'Neill - Musical Direction/Supervision, Louis Kramer - Musical Direction/Supervision, John Keane - Songwriter, Zoe MacLeod - Production Designer, John DeBorman - Cinematographer, Steve Clark-Hall - Producer, Billy MacKinnon - Producer, Eddie Dick - Producer, Gillies MacKinnon - Screenwriter, Billy MacKinnon - Screenwriter
The film was produced in 1995 by Skyline Productions in association with the BBC Film Fund and subsequently released in 1996 and distributed by Pathé - a division of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. The film received a BBFC Certificate of 15 (intended for audiences aged 15 and over) within the United Kingdom. Some argued that because of the high levels of violence and adult themes portrayed in this film, an 18 Certificate would have been more suitable.
The typical strong Glasgow Patter vernacular that would be characteristic of real local gangs was transformed into a very "standardised" dialect of Scottish English so as to encompass a wider audience.
