Gangster No. 1 (2000)

Director:

Paul McGuigan

Writers:

Johnny Ferguson (screenplay) and
Louis Mellis (original screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

9 June 2000 (UK)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

There can only be ONE.

Plot:

Chronicles the rise and fall of a prominent, and particularly ruthless English gangster.

Plot Keywords:

Gangster | Gang | Rise And Fall | Marriage Engagement | Flashback

Awards:

1 win & 9 nominations

Cast

Malcolm McDowell	...	Gangster 55
David Thewlis	...	Freddie Mays
Paul Bettany	...	Young Gangster
Saffron Burrows	...	Karen
Kenneth Cranham	...	Tommy (as Ken Cranham)
Jamie Foreman	...	Lennie Taylor
Eddie Marsan	...	Eddie Miller
Andrew Lincoln	...	Maxie King
Doug Allen	...	Mad John
Razaaq Adoti	...	Roland
Cavan Clerkin	...	Billy
David Kennedy	...	Fat Charlie
Johnny Harris	...	Derek
Anton Saunders	...	Trevor (as Anton Valensi)
Alex McSweeney	...	Bloke In Tailor's
Martin Wimbush	...	Judge
Binky Baker	...	Dodgy Geezer
Martyn Read	...	Rough Diamond
Johnnie Ould	...	Scarey
Don McCorkindale	...	Smashing Bloke
Ralph Collis	...	Stocky
Charles Anderson	...	Brute
Arthur Nightingale	...	Toilet Attendant
Jack Pierce	...	Jack The Lad
Emma Griffiths Malin	...	Julie (as Emma Griffiths-Malin)
Gary McCormack	...	Giggler Bennett
Sean Chapman	...	Bent Cop
Georgina Bull	...	Fat Charlie's Girl
Jo-Anne Nighy	...	Roland's Girl #1
Simone Bowkett	...	Roland's Girl #2
Caroline Pegg	...	Flo
Mark Montgomerie	...	Thug Car #1
Dave Ould	...	Eric
Lisa Ellis	...	Waitress
Simon Marc	...	Freddie's Attacker
Tony Denham	...	Club Manager
Nadine Leonard	...	Mel
Jo McInnes	...	Lesley
Lorraine Stanley	...	Attacker's Friend
Wayne Matthews	...	Youth 1
Tony Bowers	...	Youth 2
Danny Webster	...	Youth 3
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ian Boo Khoo	...	Gambler (uncredited)
João Costa Menezes	...	Witness (uncredited)
Lance Patrick	...	Witness - Snooker player (uncredited)

Directed by
Paul McGuigan

Writing credits
Johnny Ferguson		(screenplay adaptation)
Louis Mellis		original screenplay
David Scinto		original screenplay

Produced by
Nicky Kentish Barnes	....	co-producer
Peter Bowles	....	executive producer
Karsten Brünig	....	co-producer
Karsten Brünig	....	line producer: Germany
Jonathan Cavendish	....	producer
Ulrich Felsberg	....	co-producer
Norma Heyman	....	producer
Sheila Fraser Milne	....	line producer: additional photography

Original Music by
John Dankworth		(music composed by)

Cinematography by
Peter Sova		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Andrew Hulme

Casting by
Jina Jay

Production Design by
Richard Bridgland

Art Direction by
Philip Elton
Sebastian T. Krawinkel

Set Decoration by
Penny Crawford

Costume Design by
Jany Temime

Makeup Department
Caroline Hamilton	....	hair artist
Caroline Hamilton	....	makeup artist
Terry Jarvis	....	wig maker
Fiona Maynard	....	hair artist
Fiona Maynard	....	makeup artist
Jenny Shircore	....	hair designer
Jenny Shircore	....	makeup designer
Norma Webb	....	chief hair artist
Norma Webb	....	chief makeup artist

Production Management
Stephen Barker	....	post-production supervisor (as Steve Barker)
Elinor Day	....	executive in charge of production: Film Four
Jo Farr	....	production manager
Ralph Remstedt	....	production manager: Germany
Claire Tovey	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chris Carreras	....	first assistant director
Mark Fenn	....	first assistant director: second unit
Robert Grayson	....	second assistant director (as Robert P. Grayson)
Viviane Kriebisch	....	third assistant director: Germany
Simon Moseley	....	first assistant director: second unit (as Simon Mosely)
Davina Nicholson	....	first assistant director: additional photography
Fiona Richards	....	third assistant director
Waldo Roeg	....	first assistant director: second unit
Sue Wood	....	crowd assistant director (as Susan Wood)

Art Department
Les Andrews	....	stand-by
Dave Ball	....	carpenter
Richard Burnett	....	stand-by carpenter
Marlon Cole	....	props storeman
Amanda Craggs	....	art department runner
Derek Ede	....	stagehand
Peter Edge	....	painter
Lee Edwards	....	carpenter
Stephen Forrest-Smith	....	storyboard artist (as Steve Forrest Smith)
Ian Fryer	....	dressing props
Mark Geeson	....	trainee propman
Peter Grove	....	carpenter
Gary Hedges	....	supervising carpenter
Matthias Hein	....	swing gang: Germany
Danny Hunter	....	property master
Stuart Kearns	....	draughtsman
Abdalla Khalafalla	....	set dresser: Germany
Sebastian T. Krawinkel	....	art director: Germany (as Sebastian Krawinkel)
Tamo Kunz	....	chargeman: Germany
Steve Mitchell	....	scenic painter
Brian Morris	....	painter
Brian Muir	....	sculptor
Jamie Muir	....	stagehand
Colin Mutch	....	stand-by chargehand
Michael Nitsche	....	swing gang: Germany
Alexander Oberlis	....	swing gang: Germany
Magdi Osman	....	set dresser: Germany
Alan Payne	....	graphic designer
Michael Pelham	....	painter
John Roberts	....	supervising painter
Michael Simpson	....	carpenter
Linda Stefansdottir	....	first assistant art director
Jessie Walker-Stewart	....	propmaker (as Jess Walker-Stewart)
Burt Wilson	....	stand-by painter
Debbie Wilson	....	production buyer
Dennis Wilson	....	construction manager (as Denis Wilson)
Kevin Woodhouse	....	art department assistant
Helen Xenopoulos	....	draughtsman

Sound Department
Tim Alban	....	sound re-recording mixer
Peter Baldock	....	supervising sound editor
Ben Barker	....	foley editor
Jens Christensen	....	adr mixer
Andie Derrick	....	foley artist
Gillian Dodders	....	adr editor
Gillian Dodders	....	dialogue editor
Steve Finn	....	boom operator (as Stephen Finn)
Steve Finn	....	sound maintenance (as Stephen Finn)
Simon Fisher-Turner	....	sound designer (as Simon Fisher Turner)
Andrew Halley	....	playback operator
Nina Hartstone	....	foley editor
Kate Morath	....	boom operator: additional photography
James Seddon	....	dolby consultant
Andrew Stirk	....	dubbing assistant
John Taylor	....	sound recordist
Martin Trevis	....	sound recordist: additional photography

Special Effects by
Neil Davies	....	special effects technician
David Harris	....	special effects supervisor (as Dave Harris)
Jude Harris	....	special effects technician
Matthew Horton	....	special effects technician
Graham Longhurst	....	special effects: additional photography
Darren May	....	special effects technician
Bob Wiesinger	....	wireman (as Bob Weisinger)
Jim Davey	....	digital film recording (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Marilyn Anderson	....	technical assistant
Steve Barnes	....	technical assistant
Steve Boag	....	digital/film opticals
Martin Bullard	....	digital/film opticals
Tim Caplan	....	I/O supervisor
Mike Connolly	....	cinespeed: Mill Film
Colin Coull	....	colour grader
Paul Edwards	....	visual effects coordinator: Mill Film Ltd
Charles Green	....	digital/film opticals
Martin Hobbs	....	visual effects producer
Duncan Horn	....	Inferno artist
Dylan Kendle	....	title sequence design
Alison Leaf	....	3D animator
Karl Mooney	....	visual effects supervisor
Luke Pendrell	....	title sequence design
Sandra Roach	....	digital compositor
John Seymour	....	visual effects editorial
Simon Wicker	....	digital matte painter

Stunts
Richard Bradshaw	....	stunt performer
Jim Dowdall	....	stunt coordinator
Joss Gower	....	stunt performer
Steve Griffin	....	stunt performer
Paul Heasman	....	stunt performer
Sy Hollands	....	stunt performer (as Cy Holland)
Mark Lisbon	....	stunt performer
Lee Sheward	....	stunt performer (as Lee Sherward)
Julian Spencer	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Armin Bach	....	electrician: Germany
Adrian Biddle	....	director of photography: additional photography
Alf Bloor	....	stand-by rigger (as Alfred Bloor)
Ian Buckley	....	grip: additional photography
Matthew Butler	....	electrician
Gary Chaisty	....	electrician
Peter Chester	....	best boy
Graham Cussell	....	electrician
Rosalyn Ellis	....	clapper loader: second unit (as Ros Ellis)
Mike Evans	....	focus puller: second unit
Wilf France	....	clapper loader
Catherine Frift	....	clapper loader: second unit
Mike Frift	....	lighting cameraman: second unit
Amy Gilliam	....	camera trainee
Richard R. Harrison	....	electrical rigger (as Richard Harrison)
David Hedley	....	electrician: Germany
Dai Hopkins	....	key grip
Ronald Kage	....	electrician: Germany
Josh Lee	....	clapper loader: second unit
Anna Leippe	....	video operator: Germany
Terry Lewis	....	gaffer: additional photography
Clive Mackey	....	focus puller
Brian Mcgivern	....	generator operator (as Brain Mcgivern)
Simon Mills	....	focus puller: additional photography
Nic Milner	....	lighting cameraman: second unit
Peter Mountain	....	still photographer
Steve O'Donoghue	....	electrician (as Steve O'Donaghue)
James Offord	....	camera trainee
John Payne	....	grip: second unit
Alan Rank	....	grip: second unit (as Allan Rank)
Ronald Schwarz	....	best boy: Germany (as Ronnie Schwarz)
Agis Stamos	....	second grip: Germany
Chyna Thomson	....	focus puller: second unit (as Chyna Thompson)
Alasdair Walker	....	director of photography: additional photography (as Alistair Walker)
Aaron Walters	....	electrician
Gavin Walters	....	gaffer
David Weller	....	rigger: additional photography (as Dave Weller)
Garie Wetherill	....	video assist trainee (as Gary Wetherall)

Casting Department
Shaheen Baig	....	assistant to casting director
Louis Elman	....	adr voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ozwald Boateng	....	costumes: Mr. McDowell, Mr. Thewlis & Mr. Bettany (as Oswald Boetang)
Amanda Craze	....	key costumer
Stefan Dietzelt	....	wardrobe assistant: Germany
Stephanie Eatwell	....	costume designer's assistant
Françoise Fourcade	....	wardrobe assistant (as Francoise Fourcade)
Rose Goodheart	....	costume stand-by: additional photography (as Rose Goodhart)
Annemarie Laber	....	wardrobe assistant: Germany
Wilfrid Laudicina	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Wilfred Laudicina)
Mark Powell	....	costumes: Mr. McDowell, Mr. Thewlis & Mr. Bettany

Editorial Department
Mark Gravil	....	assistant editor
Helen de Winter	....	post-production coordinator (uncredited)

Music Department
Gilad Atzmon	....	musician
Michael Blakey	....	music producer
Liz Gallacher	....	music consultant
Cathy Giles	....	music contractor
Tom Jenkins	....	assistant music engineer
Gary Thomas	....	music engineer

Transportation Department
Colin Bressington	....	driver: construction stand-by
Mark Clark	....	driver: construction runaround
Ian Clarke	....	vehicle technician
Graham Cussell	....	driver
John Dawson	....	facilities captain
Tim Delmache	....	driver: minibus
Roger Hardman	....	driver: props runaround
Graham Kelly	....	action vehicle coordinator
Dean Moran	....	unit driver
Ron Narduzzo	....	unit driver (as Ron M Narduzzo)
Graham Pamment	....	driver: minibus
Dave Pratt	....	driver: camera car
David Rosenbaum	....	unit driver
Stuart Sharp	....	driver: wardrobe truck
John Squires	....	driver: make-up truck
Jim Stephens	....	unit driver
Darren Thackeray	....	driver
Darren Thackeray	....	unit driver
Sean Thornton	....	picture vehicle technician

Other crew
Colette Appleby	....	stand-in (as Collette Appleby)
Libbie Barr	....	script supervisor
Joanna Beresford	....	head of physical production: Film Four
Daniel Bird	....	rushes synchronization: Telefilm
Karim Bouall	....	boxing crew: Peacock Gym, London
Martin Bowes	....	boxing crew: Peacock Gym, London
Roman Brandt	....	floor runner: Germany
Martin Brennan	....	boxing crew: Peacock Gym, London
Tom Chisman	....	assistant location manager
Amy Coop	....	production runner (as Adam Coop)
Chris Cosham	....	medical services
Claudia Davids	....	production accountant: Germany
David Dean	....	health and safety officer
John Deering	....	boxing crew: Peacock Gym, London
Scott Dixon	....	boxing crew: Peacock Gym, London
Toby Dixon	....	boxing crew: Peacock Gym, London
William Dodds	....	floor runner: dailies
Ganny Douidouls	....	boxing crew: Peacock Gym, London
Gwyn Griffiths	....	assistant: Mrs. Heyman
Renée Gundelach	....	financing consultant
Christine Haouas	....	unit nurse: Germany
Roy Hilder	....	boxing crew: Peacock Gym, London
Klaus Hinz	....	stand-in: Germany
Richard Hooper	....	armorer
Patrick Humphries	....	boxing crew: Peacock Gym, London
Andrew Michael Jolley	....	trainee director
Helena Jones	....	boxing crew: Peacock Gym, London
Sabine Kotke	....	caterer: Germany (as Sabine Kötke)
Paul Lawson	....	boxing crew: Peacock Gym, London
Gloria Luck	....	studio coordinator: Angel Recording Studios
Tracey Malone	....	production accountant
Detlef Matthies	....	caterer: Germany (as Detlef Mathies)
Ulrich Michelsen	....	stand-in: Germany
Michael Murphy	....	stand-in
Gabriele Niemeyer	....	production coordinator: Road Movies
Claudia Pauly	....	accountant: Road Movies
Daniele Pfennigs	....	public funds coordinator: Road Movies
Sebastian Pfutze	....	stand-in: Germany (as Sebastian Pfütze)
Richard Preston	....	sound design producer
Christiane Raab	....	production runner: Germany
Louise Randall	....	assistant accountant
Bernd Rautenberg	....	armorer: Germany
Vinny Reed	....	stand-in
Rupert Regis	....	stand-in
Bruce Reynolds	....	consultant
Adam Richards	....	location manager
Scott Rowlatt	....	location manager: additional photography
Ulrike Schaare	....	stand-in: Germany
Dominic Sharp	....	floor runner
Joss Skottowe	....	armorer (as Joss)
Imke Sommerkamp	....	production assistant: Germany
Amanda Street	....	international sales: FilmFour
Rebecca Sutton	....	production coordinator
Phil Symes	....	unit publicist: Cowan Symes/Associates
Esther Mary Thompson	....	choreographer
Justin Thomson-Glover	....	senior business affairs executive: Film Four
Kai-Peter Uhlig	....	legal service: Road Movies
Derek Warman	....	fire officer
Joan Washington	....	dialogue coach
Paul Webster	....	chief executive: Film Four
Sarah Wheale	....	production secretary
Thomas Wiseby	....	boxing crew: Peacock Gym, London
Dave Evans	....	armorer (uncredited)

Thanks
David Aukin	....	thanks
Liz Gallacher	....	thanks
Jeremy Kimberlin	....	thanks
Vanessa Myrie	....	thanks
Abigail Payne	....	thanks
Bridget Pedgrift	....	thanks

Production Companies

• FilmFour (presents)
• Pagoda Film (producer) (as Pagoda Film and Television Corporation)
• Road Movies Filmproduktion (in association with)
• British Screen Productions (with the participation of) (as British Screen)
• British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB) (with the participation of) (as BSkyB)
• Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg (FBB) (with the participation of) (as Filmboard Berlin Brandenberg)
• NFH Productions (in association with)
• Little Bird (in association with) (as Littlebird Productions)

Distributors

• FilmFour (2000) (UK) (theatrical)
• Senator Film (2001) (Germany) (theatrical)
• GAGA (2003) (Japan) (theatrical)
• IFC Films (2002) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sagittaire Films (2001) (France) (theatrical)
• Channel 4 DVD (2008) (UK) (DVD)
• Channel 4 DVD (2009) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2001) (Argentina) (all media)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (VHS)
• Egmont Entertainment (2001) (Finland) (VHS)
• EuroVideo (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2001) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2001) (Argentina) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Nelonen (2006) (Finland) (TV)
• Nordisk Film (2001) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Senator Home Entertainment (2009) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Das Werk (additional compositing)
• Mill Films (I) (digital visual effects)
• Specialist Film Projection Services Ltd. (back projection and visual effects)

Other Companies

• 2020 Casting  extras casting
• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance (as AON/Albert G Ruben)
• Action Cars  action vehicles supplied by
• Aimimage / Ice Film  camera equipment provided by
• Angel Recording Studios  music recorded at
• Angels & Bermans  costumes supplied by
• Animated Extras  prosthetics
• Axium  payroll company (as Axium UK)
• Cine Image  digital/film opticals
• Cowan/Symes & Associates  unit publicist (as Cowan Symes / Associates)
• David Deane Associates  health and safety
• Delmage Associates  accommodations
• Die Nefzers  weapons and armourers
• Early Call  background artistes
• Excasting  background artistes
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Film Flow  facilities
• Goldcrest Post Production London  post-production facilities
• Harbottle & Lewis  legal services by
• Ice Film Equipment  Aaton camera supplied by (as Ice Film Company)
• Lays International  facilities
• Lee Lighting  lighting
• Location Facilities  facilities
• Moviecat  catering by: Germany
• Offline Editing Company, The  editing facilities
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Peppermint Parallel  costumes supplied by
• Place Invaders  location services
• Reelsound  post production sound
• Reisebüro am Rankeplatz  travel
• SOS Doctors  medical services
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• Sarah Phillips Co.  wigmaker
• Smoke and Mirrors  the producers wish to thank
• Studio Three  title design
• Technicolor  film processing
• Telefilm  telecine transfers
• The Almeida Theatre  the producers wish to thank
• The Sound Suite  sound recorded at
• The Travel Company  travel
• Town Base  accommodations
• Tru-Cut  negative cutting (as Trucut)
• Universal  cranes supplied by
• Useful Company  computer/TV and video systems (as Useful Companies)
• Videosonics Cinema Sound  re-recorded at (as Videosonics)
• Wavevend Limited  communications by (as Wavevend)
• Willie's Wheels  facilities (as Willies Wheels)
• Wood Hall Catering  location catering (as Woodhall Catering)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong brutal violence, pervasive language, and brief drug use and nudity

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

UK | Germany | Ireland

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:MA (censored version) | Canada:R | Chile:18 | France:-16 | Germany:16 | New Zealand:R18 | South Korea:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | Singapore:M18 | Iceland:16 | Finland:K-15

Filming Locations:

Babelsberg Studios, Berlin, Germany

Company:

FilmFour

Trivia:

The two actors who play the "gangster" at the two points in his life are 7 inches different in height.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Exactly an hour into the film, the young Gangster states that he is carrying a "Beretta" on his way to kill Lennie. It is actually a Browning P-35 "Hi-Power," the same weapon he has carried throughout the movie.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[song "The Good Life" begins as scene opens at boxing match; crowd noises]
Gangster 55:[laughing] What? With Scotland Yard breathing down me neck? Fuck off. Do me a favor!
[laughter]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Lucky Number Slevin (2006)

Soundtrack:

Lazy Sunday

McDowell redivivus

What a mug! The evil-harlequin mask of Malcolm McDowell, so familiar from those bugeyed closeups of him "mounching lumpchiks of toast" in A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, has aged into a fabulous ruin. And one of the pleasures of the glib, slick, cocky, brutal, shallow, and terrifically entertaining GANGSTER NO. 1 is in the realization that McDowell is the same McDowell--his voiceover has the same energetic sneer it had 31 years ago in CLOCKWORK. He's the same guy under a withered and weathered facade. As Gangster No. 1--a sociopath with a schoolgirl crush on his boss, spit-shined David Thewlis--McDowell brings you into the succulent pleasures of aged corruption and long-swallowed brutality. No. 1's nuttiness--a kind of belch of guilt, generally released in Francis Bacon-derivative silent screams--seems, for a while, like fun. Paul Bettany, playing Young No. 1, has a great, lizardlike, histrionic deadpan--he keeps telling his victims "Look into my eyes!" as if something scary and deep were hidden there. (Instead, there is zero--an effect Young No. 1 may be unaware of.) The movie takes such a jaunty and directorially piquant view of its own shin-kicking nihilism that you can't help but play along; until the moralizing but utterly earned finale sets you on your ear.

Not deep stuff--not even as deep as the superbly unself-reflective head-smackers who made up GOODFELLAS' crew. But Saffron Burrows, as a Cockney chanteuse who's mad in love with Thewlis' Mr. Big, brings you back to the days of much-posher-and-prettier-than-their-parts British character actresses. (Could Burrows in fact be the Susannah York of the millennium?) And the director, Paul McGuigan, and Bettany keep the joint jumpin'. Why did this get such a crummy release? There's been almost nothing this year as sheerly, undilutedly fun.