The Navigators (2001)

Director:

Ken Loach

Writer:

Rob Dawber

Release Date:

16 November 2001 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Five Yorkshiremen try to survive after the British Rail is bought out by a private company.

Plot Keywords:

Privatization | Railway | Kitchen Sink Realism | Three Legged Dog

Awards:

3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Dean Andrews	...	John
Thomas Craig	...	Mick (as Tom Craig)
Joe Duttine	...	Paul
Steve Huison	...	Jim
Venn Tracey	...	Gerry
Andy Swallow	...	Len
Sean Glenn	...	Harpic
Charlie Brown	...	Jack
Juliet Bates	...	Fiona
John Aston	...	Bill Walters
Graham Heptinstall	...	Owen
Angela Forrest	...	Tracy (as Angela Saville)
Clare McSwain	...	Lisa
Megan Topham	...	Chloe
Abigail Pearson	...	Eve
Charlotte Hukin	...	Rose
Jamie Widowson	...	Michael
Andy Oldham	...	PICOP
Nigel Harrison	...	Will Hemmings
Charles Armstrong	...	John Wilson
Sue Robbie	...	Video Narrator (voice)
Sue Thompson	...	Interviewer (voice)
Betty Noble	...	Interviewer (voice)
Charlie Wathen	...	Manager of Chip Shop
John Roy	...	Installation Man
Kevin Carroll	...	Company Rep
Tim Cooper	...	Company Rep
Max Lemon	...	Company Rep
Tony Nyland	...	Company Rep
Gerry McMahon	...	Essex Builder
Tony Maskell	...	Essex Builder
Mike Wattam	...	Supervisor
Paul André	...	Other Worker
Neil Baggot	...	Other Worker
Ian Best	...	Other Worker
Stuart Brierley	...	Other Worker
Kevin Broadhead	...	Other Worker
Matt Brown	...	Other Worker
Wayne Clark	...	Other Worker
Glyn Davis	...	Other Worker
John Earl	...	Other Worker
Ken Ellis	...	Other Worker
Graham Heath	...	Other Worker
Chris Hitchens	...	Other Worker
Philip Johns	...	Other Worker
Pete Martin	...	Other Worker
Gary Maycock	...	Other Worker
Paul Morris	...	Other Worker
Steven Mowatt	...	Other Worker
Austin Wagstaff	...	Other Worker
Peter Wardlow	...	Other Worker
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jonathan Bridge	...	Man Asleep at Union Meeting (uncredited)
Jason Croot	...	Worker (uncredited)

Directed by
Ken Loach

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Rob Dawber

Produced by
Michael André	....	co-producer: WDR/ARTE
Ulrich Felsberg	....	co-producer
Peter Gallagher	....	line producer
Rebecca O'Brien	....	producer

Original Music by
George Fenton

Cinematography by
Barry Ackroyd
Mike Eley

Film Editing by
Jonathan Morris

Production Design by
Martin Johnson

Art Direction by
Fergus Clegg

Costume Design by
Theresa Hughes

Makeup Department
Joyce Dean	....	makeup designer

Production Management
Rebecca Mark-Lawson	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Gilchrist	....	first assistant director
Sebastian Lyte	....	second unit director
Elaine MacKenzie	....	assistant director
Michael Queen	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Nina Appleyard	....	art department assistant
Charles Burman	....	painter
Jude Dennis	....	prop buyer
Tony Gibbs	....	props
Michael Gleeson	....	props
Stephen Hargreaves	....	construction manager
Julie Ann Horan	....	assistant art director
Joe McVey	....	carpenter
Neil McVey	....	carpenter
Paul Mitchell	....	props
Philip Stanway	....	painter

Sound Department
Julie Ankerson	....	foley artist
Ray Beckett	....	sound recordist
Ben Brazier	....	dubbing assistant
Kevin Brazier	....	sound editor
Simon Day	....	dubbing assistant
John Fewell	....	foley artist
Stephen Griffiths	....	dubbing editor
Dave Humphries	....	sound re-recording mixer
Peter Murphy	....	boom operator (as Pete Murphy)
Tim Pallister	....	sound assistant
James Seddon	....	dolby consultant
Robert Thompson	....	foley artist

Camera and Electrical Department
Joss Barratt	....	still photographer
Oliver Driscoll	....	clapper loader
Steve Gartside	....	best boy
Chris Greenwood	....	assistant camera
Gary Hayler	....	electrician
Carl Hudson	....	focus puller
Paul Murphy	....	gaffer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jenny Snape	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Anthony Morris	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Geoff Alexander	....	orchestrator
Simon Chamberlain	....	musician
Chris Lawrence	....	musician
Alasdair Malloy	....	musician
Steve Price	....	music recordist
Frank Ricotti	....	musician
Mike Smith	....	musician
Ian Thomas	....	musician

Transportation Department
Chris Armstrong	....	driver
Alex Robinson	....	driver

Other crew
Joanna Ashton-Jones	....	production team: Road Movies
Leon Ballin	....	location assistant
Denise Booth	....	production team: Road Movies
Martin Butterworth	....	title designer
Tessa Crockett	....	location manager
Kirstie Edgar	....	script supervisor
Shuna Frood	....	production coordinator
Sally Grant	....	production assistant
Patrick Hennessy	....	unit nurse
Barry Hines	....	script editor
Elizabeth Hurley	....	production accountant
Uwe Kiefer	....	production team: Road Movies
Mark Lawson	....	production assistant
H. Li	....	production team: Road Movies
Gavin Makinson	....	production assistant
Pamela Marshall	....	researcher
Karin C. Müller	....	production team: Road Movies
Mary Jo O'Donoghue	....	assistant accountant
Volker Otte	....	production team: Road Movies
Darren Price	....	production assistant
Darren Price	....	production runner
Ute Schneider	....	production team: Road Movies
Roger Smith	....	script consultant
Peter Treod	....	railway advisor
Kai-Peter Uhlig	....	production team: Road Movies
Luc Webster	....	location manager
Luke Webster	....	location manager
Dave Whittington	....	railway advisor
Jona Wirbeleit	....	production team: Road Movies (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Alta Films
• Parallax Pictures
• Road Movies Filmproduktion
• Tornasol Films
• WDR / Arte

Distributors

• BIM Distribuzione (Italy)
• A-Film Distribution (2002) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Filmcoopi Zürich (2002) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Neue Visionen Filmverleih (2002) (Germany) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (video)
• Alta Classics S.L. Unipersonal (Spain)
• Diaphana Films
• Epix Media (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• First Look International (2002) (USA)
• Madman Entertainment (2003) (Australia) (DVD)
• United King Films (Israel)

Other Companies

• ARRI Lighting Rental  lighting equipment
• Angel Studios  music recording studios
• Cintimage  titles
• Colour Film Services  laboratory services
• Creative Partnership  title design
• English Welsh and Scottish Railway (EWS)  thanks
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Great Central Railway  thanks
• Jarvis Rail Training  thanks
• Panavision UK  camera equipment provided by
• Pepper Post Production  video mastering
• Set Breaks  catering
• Vehicles in Vision  picture cars
• dB Post Production  dubbing theatre

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexuality

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

UK | Germany | Spain

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Germany:6 | Netherlands:AL | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Loughborough Great Central Station, Loughborough, Leicestershire, England, UK

Company:

Alta Films

Goofs:

Continuity: The vest that John wears in the beginning (with the meter) and end (their last job), is actually a British Rail safety vest, over his Gilchrist coat (when he moves you can see the gray on it). He has the combination on before the company is renamed Gilchrist Engineering.

Quotes:

Gerry:[Already arguing] 'Elf' and Safety.
Harpic:What do you mean, Health and Safety.
Gerry:Health and Safety.
Harpic:Yeah well what about health and safety.
Gerry:That clock...
Harpic:[trying to cut off] Gerry.
Gerry:-shouldn't be in here; this is our mess room.
Harpic:[raising voice] But, that clock is not a health and safety issue.

Solid and good

Ken Loach is known for his political/social films. This one is no different. The story of the consequences of the privation of British Rail is told through the eyes of the simple workers. They are the one who suffer the most from it. Loach is very sympathetic to them and doesn't hide it. In his opinion they are the "good guys". He tells their story with humor which draw us to their side. There is nothing wrong about that because he is right, they are the good guys.

Loach is also cleverly draw the impact privation have on the safety matters in this case and the unnecessary death it brings. As usual Loach uses a lot of non-professional actors and they do a very good job and we feel very close to them because they seem real and the problems they are facing seem also real.

This is a good film. No fireworks here, but a solid piece of work. The ending is a bit of disappointment, because it hangs in the air with no conclusion. And sometime all we need is a solid film. Just go and see it.