Children (1976)

Robert Tucker, a young gay man who is almost without affect, sits in various waiting rooms. As he sits, he recalls events from the year of his childhood when his father dies. He's ten or ... See full summary »

Director:

Terence Davies

Writer:

Terence Davies

Stars:

Phillip Mawdsley, Nick Stringer, Valerie Lilley

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Phillip Mawdsley	...	Robert Tucker (as a boy)
Nick Stringer	...	Robert's Father
Valerie Lilley	...	Robert's Mother (as Val Lilley)
Robin Hooper	...	Robert (as a young man)
Colin Hignet	...	Bully (as Colin Hignett)
Robin Bowen	...	Bully 2
Harry Wright	...	First Teacher
Phillip Joseph	...	Second Teacher
Trevor Eve	...	Man In Shower
Linda Beckett	...	Neighbour
Bill Maxwell
Elizabeth Estensen	...	Nurse
Malcolm Hughes	...	Man In Bedroom
Kate Fahy	...	Neighbour (as Katherine Fahey)
Marjorie Rowlandson	...	Neighbour

Storyline

Robert Tucker, a young gay man who is almost without affect, sits in various waiting rooms. As he sits, he recalls events from the year of his childhood when his father dies. He's ten or eleven that year, picked on by bullies at the Catholic school he attends. He seems friendless. At home, his mother is quiet, his father is ill and angry. After his father's death, there's a wake, the coffin arrives, the body is removed. The lad grieves, alone.

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Plot Keywords:

catholic school | physical examination | funeral | underwear | boy | 

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Genres:

Short | Drama

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

November 1976 (USA)

Also Known As:

Paidia

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Film Institute (BFI)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

43 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Connections

Edited into The Terence Davies Trilogy (1983)

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Soundtracks

"The Folks Who Live on the Hill"
Written by Oscar Hammerstein II and Jerome Kern
Performed by Peggy Lee

User Reviews

Poorly paced, technically iffy, and thematically splotchy

"Children", available as part of Terence Davies Trilogy along with "Madonna & Child" and "Death & Transfiguration", is part one in the tale of Robert Tucker. Told in an artistic flashback style in ever fashionable black & white, Davies manages to confound the conventions of plot structure. Luckily, the summary on the video box let's you know that the story is told in flashbacks to Robert Tucker's childhood. Davies does do a good job of keeping the film's look undated. The only obvious clue to the film's time-frame is the ridiculous trousers worn by young adult Robert Tucker. As the viewer watches them flap in the breeze, it is clearly 1976. One highlight that may not appeal to everyone is an interesting shower scene at a swimming pool. The long shot followed by several medium shots gives a feeling of isolation. If you have a good eye, you will recognize a young Trevor Eve in a non speaking role as the "Man in Shower".