The Firm (26 Feb. 1989)

This is the story of rival "Firms" of football (soccer) supporters, and how one man has a wish to team them up for the European Championships of 1988. However, when this is discussed, the ... See full summary »

Director:

Alan Clarke

Writer:

Al Ashton

Stars:

Gary Oldman, Lesley Manville, Philip Davis

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Gary Oldman	...	Bex Bissell
Lesley Manville	...	Sue
Philip Davis	...	Yeti
Andrew Wilde	...	Oboe
Charles Lawson	...	Trigg
William Vanderpuye	...	Aitch
Jay Simpson	...	Dominic
Patrick Murray	...	Nunk
Robbie Gee	...	Snowy
Terry Sue Patt	...	Yusef
Nick Dunning	...	Simon
Nicholas Hewetson	...	Beef
Steve McFadden	...	Billy
Steve Sweeney	...	J.T
Hepburn Graham	...	Stu

Storyline

This is the story of rival "Firms" of football (soccer) supporters, and how one man has a wish to team them up for the European Championships of 1988. However, when this is discussed, the opposing leaders are not happy, as they believe this is a challenge to their authority. This Film shows how football violence has progressed from pure violence to a form of organized crime, to the extent that all the leaders know each others home phone / mobile phone numbers.

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Plot Keywords:

violence | football | soccer | hooligan | knife | 

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 February 1989 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Blackheath, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

70 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

The crew meet opposite King's Cross station in London before they travel to Birmingham. Euston station is the usual station for that destination. King's Cross serves the north east of England.

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Quotes

Bex Bissell: We come in peace, we leave you in pieces.

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Connections

Remade as The Firm (2009)

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Soundtracks

"Hornchurch Boys"
(uncredited)
sung to the tune of "Nick Nack Paddy Whack"
Traditional

User Reviews

Another entertaining film from Alan Clarke

After seeing Alan Clarke's "The Firm," the first thing I did was ask my brother, a big football fan, if the violence that Clarke's film portrays REALLY does go on in British soccer. For, whilst the main theme of "The Firm" is soccer hooliganism, it's main characters are in no way how we would expect traditional soccer thugs to be. After all, Clarke is reknown for making social realist films, and, as a whole, "The Firm" comes across as pretty darn realistic and gritty.

"The Firm" is about a group of soccer hooligans, who are highly organised in their plans for getting involved in, and, indeed winning fights on match-days. Gary Oldman is Baz, the head of 'The Firm,' a group of football hooligans who like nothing more than a good fight outside a soccer ground come match day. The Firm, however, also have a rival gang, who are much bigger and perhaps even better organised and more hateful. Following a huge fight where one of the group's member's is seriously hurt, the film ends with a chilling and genuinely shocking climax.

The big revelation that "The Firm" tries to make is that football hooliginism isn't just going on amongst a few over-excited youths. Most of the people this film portrays have good jobs and families. Indeed, Baz is from a lower middle class background, works as an estate agent and has a loving wife and daughter. There is little evidence to suggest he's even much of a football fan.

"The Firm" is also a study of violence and how and why it is that some people actually enjoy and get a thrill out of it. Like his fellow gang-mates, Baz enjoys fighting more than anything else, and his descriptions of it throughout the movie parallel with that of drugs or alcohol ("I need the buzz" Baz boasts.)

"The Firm" is a highly entertaining film, and, as we have come to expect from the late Alan Clarke, this is raw, no-messing-about-film-making. Similarly to "Scum," it's difficult not to get the impression with this movie that Clarke has found an issue which has interested him, and he's simply gone out and made a film about it. Clarke's films always seem to come with no-thrills attached, and that's what makes him one of my most favourite filmmakers.

If I were to find faults, I guess it's length is one. I rarely complain that a movie is too short these days, but I wouldn't have minded a bit more of one. However, rather than being a film where football hooliganism is part of the plot, "The Firm" is ABOUT football hooliganism. Gary Oldman is quite brilliant and believable as Baz, whilst all the other performances are above par too. Decent entertainment and well worth a look.