Own the rights?
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
'The Steamie', set in 1953, is a Scottish comedy/drama about four women who try their best to get their laundry finished at the local 'steamie' (wash-house) on Hogmonay before the bells toll. The four women are the talkative 'Dolly' (Eileen McCallum), the young and naive 'Doreen' (Katy Murphy), the impatient 'Margaret' (Dorothy Paul) and the frail 'Mrs. Caulfeathers' (Sheila Donald). The handyman is 'Andy' (Peter Mullan), who has a fondness for whisky.The women pass the time by sharing their happiness, sadness and their gossip. Dolly likes to talk about her family, Doreen has dreams of starting a new life in Drumchapel with her husband 'John', Margaret likes to talk about her life and anyone else's lives whereas Mrs. Caulfeathers wishes her family weren't so distant.Perhaps the finest moment from 'The Steamie' was when Mrs. Caulfeathers was wondering why her husband kept asking for another 'tattie' (Scottish slang for potato) every time she cooked him mince from Galloway's butcher (you would have to see it to find it funny). Another memorable moment was when Dolly and Margaret were performing the 'tango' and Dolly tried to lean back and pick up a vest (a substitute for a red rose) with her teeth! 'The Steamie' was written by Tony Roper, who at this time was starring in the B.B.C sketch shows, 'Scotch & Wry' and 'Naked Video' and was to star as 'Jamesie Cotter' in 'Rab C. Nesbitt'. Here he shows us he is just as good at writing as he is at acting. Eileen McCallum was excellent as the irrepressible Dolly. McCallum at this time was starring as 'Isabel Blair' in the S.T.V soap opera 'Take The High Road' but is now to be seen as 'Liz Buchanan' in the B.B.C soap opera 'River City'. Peter Mullan, who so brilliantly played Andy, is now an award winning director and film star. Dorothy Paul, who stole the show as Margaret, is most well known for her successful one-woman shows in Glasgow, while Katy Murphy works nowadays as a primary school teacher.So, while not one of the best creations in the world, Roper's script does offer some funny dialogue and many fine, touching moments.
You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.
