Ratcatcher (1999)

Glasgow, summer, 1973. Dustmen are striking; bags of garbage add to the blight of council flats and a fetid canal. Ryan, who's about 12, drowns during a play fight with his neighbor, the ... See full summary »

Director:

Lynne Ramsay

Writer:

Lynne Ramsay

Stars:

Tommy Flanagan, Mandy Matthews, William Eadie

11 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tommy Flanagan	...	Da
Mandy Matthews	...	Ma
William Eadie	...	James
Michelle Stewart	...	Ellen
Lynne Ramsay Jr.	...	Anne Marie (as Lynne Ramsay Jnr.)
Leanne Mullen	...	Margaret Anne
John Miller	...	Kenny
Jackie Quinn	...	Mrs. Quinn
James Ramsay	...	Mr. Quinn
Anne McLean	...	Mrs. Fowler
Craig Bonar	...	Matt Monroe
Andrew McKenna	...	Billy
Mick Maharg	...	Stef
James Montgomery	...	Hammy
Thomas McTaggart	...	Ryan

Storyline

Glasgow, summer, 1973. Dustmen are striking; bags of garbage add to the blight of council flats and a fetid canal. Ryan, who's about 12, drowns during a play fight with his neighbor, the jug-eared James. James runs home, a flat where he lives with his often-drunk da, his ma, and sisters, who live in hope of moving to newly-built council flats. The slice-of-life, coming-of-age story follows James as he tags along with the older lads; has a friendship with his quirky wee rodent-loving neighbor, Kenny; spends time with Margaret Anne, myopic, slightly older, the local sexual punching bag; and, has a moment or two of joy. The strike may end, but is there any way out for James?

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Plot Keywords:

neighbor | friendship | canal | garbage | moving | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK France

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 November 1999 (UK)

Also Known As:

Nazwij to snem

Filming Locations:

Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$10,762 (USA) (13 October 2000)

Gross:

$216,781 (USA) (27 April 2001)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pathé Pictures International, BBC Films, Arts Council of England

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of Gary Oldman's favourite films.

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Goofs

A radio announcer mentions a football score "Stirling Albion 20, Selkirk 0." That game was played in 1984, not in the early 70's when the film was set.

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Quotes

Kenny: Goodbye, Snowball!

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Connections

References Star Trek (1966)

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Soundtracks

"Something Stupid"
Performed by Frank Sinatra (as Frank) and Nancy Sinatra
Written by C. Carson Parks (as Carson Parks)
Licensed by Montclare Music Company Ltd. London
Copyright © Greenwood Music Company, USA
Used by kind permission of Montclare Music Company Ltd. London
Recording licensed by Nancy's, a label owned by Ms Nancy Sinatra operated by Hammer Musik Ltd.

User Reviews

a stunning debut from Lynne Ramsey

One of the best British films of the nineties, Ratcatcher is a powerful evocation of the uncertainty and surreal nature of childhood. The film also has something to say about family relationships, death, and the toll poverty takes on people (in this case, in the Glasgow of the seventies).

Although the film could be criticised for being fairly slow-paced, I think this is entirely missing the point. The film is more about atmosphere than a linear plot, and the lingering, intriguing glimpses it offers of the young character's life will stay in your memory like a particularly vivid dream.

I expect great things of Lynne Ramsay in the future.