Kes (1970)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Ken Loach

Writers:

Barry Hines (book)
Barry Hines (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

19 June 1970 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

They beat him. They deprived him. They ridiculed him. They broke his heart. But they couldn't break his spirit.

Plot:

A young, English working-class boy spends his free time caring for and training his pet falcon.

Plot Keywords:

Boy | Falcon | Teacher | School | Public Humiliation

Awards:

Won 2 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

David Bradley	...	Billy
Freddie Fletcher	...	Jud
Lynne Perrie	...	Mrs. Casper
Colin Welland	...	Mr. Farthing
Brian Glover	...	Mr. Sugden
Bob Bowes	...	Mr. Gryce
Bernard Atha	...	Youth Employment Officer
Laurence Bould
Joey Kaye	...	Comedian at Pub
Ted Carroll
Robert Naylor	...	MacDowell
Agnes Drumgoon
George Speed	...	Billy's Friend
Desmond Guthrie
Zoe Sutherland	...	Librarian

Also Known As:

A Kestrel for a Knave (UK) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language, nudity and some teen smoking.

Runtime:

110 min | Netherlands:90 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Australia:PG | Germany:12 | Sweden:11 | UK:PG (video rating) (1987) | UK:U (original rating) | USA:GP | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Athersley South, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England, UK

Company:

Kestrel Films Ltd.

Trivia:

One of the Kestrels used in the film belonged to Robert Nairac, the Undercover soldier murdered by the IRA in 1977. Nairac was at College at the time when he allowed the film to 'borrow' his kestrel.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Mr Sugden is dancing down the pitch in the early part of the match, he shouts various instructions and admonitions to Speed. Speed was on Tibbutt's team and was his first choice.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Amator (1979)

My best fillum

My favourite film of all time. Admittedly I haven't seen this film ( movie ) for years. A stark portrayal of late sixties/ early seventies northern Britain at a time of ( still ) post war miserablism and not unlike my own school experience. Receiving " the belt " as punishment for little reason other than the teacher's inability to control a class or just their own boredom. Classic football ( soccer ) scene with the wonderful Brian Glover. Sigh. Did Ken Loach make a better film in the rest of his career? " My Name is Joe " was a great movie of desperation in the poverty stricken,drug addled, hinterland of 90's/2000's Scotland. Desperately sad, desperately funny. Kes,however has my vote as it was one of my earliest moving film experiences.