When Did You Last See Your Father? (2007) And When Did You Last See Your Father? (original title)

Director:

Anand Tucker

Writers:

David Nicholls (screenplay)
Blake Morrison (book)

Release Date:

5 October 2007 (Ireland)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

A parent and a child. The past and the present. Memories and secrets. Can you know someone for a lifetime.... and not know them at all? The life of a father. Through the journey of a son.

Plot:

The story of a son's conflicting memories of his dying father.

Plot Keywords:

Death | Cancer | Time | Hospital | Love

Awards:

1 win & 11 nominations

Cast

Bradley Johnson	...	Blake (Child)
Jim Broadbent	...	Arthur
Juliet Stevenson	...	Kim
Alannah Barlow	...	Gillian (Child)
Chris Middleton	...	Racing Steward (as Christopher Middleton)
Colin Firth	...	Blake
Gina McKee	...	Kathy
Elliot Avery	...	Peter
Rhiannon Howden	...	Sophie
Tom Butcher	...	Dr. Taggart
Claire Skinner	...	Gillian
Sarah Lancashire	...	Beaty
Naomi Allisstone	...	Josie
Matthew Beard	...	Blake (Teen)
Tara Berwin	...	Gillian (Teen)
Elaine Cassidy	...	Sandra
Richard Standing	...	Publican
Olivia Lindsay	...	Josie (Child)
Tilly Curtis	...	Josie (Teen)
Justin McDonald	...	Steve
Carey Mulligan	...	Rachel
Graham Turner	...	Undertaker
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Angell	...	Uncle Sam (uncredited)
Tom Clear	...	Mechanic (uncredited)
Blake Morrison	...	Awards Ceremony Attendee (uncredited)

Directed by
Anand Tucker

Writing credits
David Nicholls		(screenplay)
Blake Morrison		(book)

Produced by
Laurie Borg	....	co-producer
Lizzie Francke	....	executive producer
Elizabeth Karlsen	....	producer
Tessa Ross	....	executive producer
Gary Smith	....	executive producer
Paul White	....	executive producer
Kate Wilson	....	executive producer
Stephen Woolley	....	producer

Original Music by
Barrington Pheloung

Cinematography by
Howard Atherton		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Trevor Waite

Casting by
Priscilla John

Production Design by
Alice Normington

Art Direction by
Lynne Huitson

Set Decoration by
Barbara Herman-Skelding

Costume Design by
Caroline Harris

Makeup Department
Christine Blundell	....	hair designer
Christine Blundell	....	makeup designer
Chloe Meddings	....	trainee makeup assistant
Matthew Smith	....	prosthetics
Lesa Warrener	....	hair stylist
Lesa Warrener	....	makeup artist
Barbara Taylor	....	crowd hair stylist (uncredited)
Barbara Taylor	....	crowd makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Denise Bridgeman	....	production manager: Intandem Films
Polly Duval	....	post-production supervisor
Sasha Dein Fugazzola	....	production manager: Intandem Filma
Tracey Josephs	....	head of production: Film4
Fiona Morham	....	head of production: UK Film Council
Gerardine O'Flynn	....	production manager: Film4

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James Chasey	....	second second assistant director
Ben Howarth	....	first assistant director
Samantha Smith	....	second assistant director
Catherine Tyler	....	third assistant director

Art Department
David Broadfoot	....	stand-by rigger
Rob Brown	....	construction manager: studio
Leigh Bryant	....	dressing props
Alfie Burgess	....	stand-by props
Hugh Delancy	....	stand-by carpenter
Billy Edwards	....	chargehand
Billy Edwards	....	stand-by props
Lucy Eyre	....	set decorator assistant
Annie Gilhooly	....	buyer
John Moore	....	dressing props
Ben Munro	....	stand-by art director
Dominic Pike	....	construction manager: locations
Mary Pat Sheahan	....	stand-by painter (as Mary-Pat Sheahan)
Fabrice Spelta	....	graphic artist
Terry Stinson	....	dressing props
Andy Tomlinson	....	assistant art director
Stuart Watson	....	construction manager: studio
Terry Wood	....	props master
Monica Black	....	art department (uncredited)
Philip Clark	....	picture researcher (uncredited)
Robert J. Dugdale	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Lucy Barnes	....	foley artist
Paula Boram	....	foley artist
James Clark	....	assistant adr mixer
James Feltham	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael Fentum	....	sound effects editor
Nick Foley	....	adr mixer (as Nicholas Foley)
Jim Greenhorn	....	sound mixer
Nigel Heath	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jeremy Lishman	....	boom operator
Dan Morgan	....	supervising sound editor
Steven Parker	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
Blair Slater	....	foley editor
Ruth Sullivan	....	foley artist
Ted Swanscott	....	foley re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Ian Rowley	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Lucy Ainsworth-Taylor	....	executive producer: MPC
Tom Debenham	....	visual effects supervisor: One of Us
Chaya Feiner	....	visual effects coordinator: One of Us
Ian Mackinnon	....	animator: One of Us
Dominic Parker	....	visual effects supervisor: One of Us
Rachael Penfold	....	visual effects producer: One of Us
Robert A. Willis	....	visual effects coordinator: MPC (as Rob Willis)
Charlotte Gray	....	digital restoration (uncredited)

Stunts
Jim Dowdall	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Russell Allen	....	camera equipment: Arri Media
Trevor Brooker	....	director of photography: "b" camera
Michael Chambers	....	gaffer (as Mike Chambers)
Ricky Churchouse	....	electrician
Barny Crocker	....	camera loader
Eddie Dias	....	lighting equipment: AFM
Lee Godfrey	....	assistant grip
Stuart Godfrey	....	key grip
Stuart Holt	....	electrician
Alex Howe	....	camera focus puller
Giles Keyte	....	still photographer
John King	....	electrician
Brian Miller	....	electrician
John O'Donoghue	....	best boy
Steve O'Donoghue	....	best boy (as Stephen O'Donoghue)
Chris Plevin	....	camera operator
Sweta Rajyaguru	....	trainee: ew media
Matt Ward	....	camera trainee
Matt Ward	....	video assist
Paul 'Welcie' Wellstead	....	rigging electrician (as Paul Wellstead)
Tim Battersby	....	first assistant camera: second unit (uncredited)
Tim Dean	....	libra head technician (uncredited)
Rupert Hornstein	....	assistant camera: second unit (uncredited)
Gavin MacArthur	....	camera loader: dailies (uncredited)
Phil Whittaker	....	grip: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Faith Allbeson	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Yvonne Duckett	....	stand-by costumer
Vidya Krishnamurthy	....	stand-by costumer
Marco Scotti	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Matthew Benns	....	digital intermediate data manager
Nina Bradley	....	assistant editor
Paul Ensby	....	digital intermediate colorist
Nikki Groves	....	digital intermediate project manager
Sacha Guttenstein	....	additional post-production
Jonathan Mann	....	digital despot
Vikki Mickel	....	head of post-production: Future Production Services
Steve O'Leary	....	digital despot
Ben Setterfield	....	digital scanning
Dominic Thomson	....	digital editor (as Dom Thomson)
Simon Wilkinson	....	digital intermediate consultant

Music Department
Christoph Bauschinger	....	music assistant
Robin Baynton	....	assistant: Stephen McLaughlin
Andy Brown	....	orchestra contractor
Caroline Dale	....	musician: cello soloist
Karen Elliott	....	music supervisor: Hothouse Music
Sally Heath	....	musician: piano soloist
David Juritz	....	musician: violin soloist
Janis Kelly	....	musician: soprano soloist
Richard Lancaster	....	assistant: Stephen McLaughlin
The London Metropolitan Orchestra	....	musicians
Stephen McLaughlin	....	music engineer
Stephen McLaughlin	....	music mixer
Stephen McLaughlin	....	music recordist
Barrington Pheloung	....	conductor
Barrington Pheloung	....	music producer
Heather Pheloung	....	music assistant
Matthew Slater	....	score preparation
Amanda Street	....	score supervisor: DNA Music

Transportation Department
David Broadfoot	....	driver: facilities
Kevin Collyer	....	driver: facilities
Andy Dixon	....	facilities manager
Allison Drury	....	transport captain
Mike Gilbert	....	driver: facilities
Pete Newman	....	unit driver (as Peter Newman)
Peter Ogunsalu	....	unit driver
John Ott	....	driver: facilities
Richard Paxton	....	driver: facilities
Will Petty	....	driver: rushes
D. Smith	....	driver: camera truck
Mick Stanton	....	unit driver
Bohdan Stoklasa	....	driver: facilities
Richard Watkins	....	driver: facilities
Joseph Wood	....	driver: facilities

Other crew
Elisa Alvares	....	senior executive production services: Future Production Services
Kim Armitage	....	script supervisor
Carola Ash	....	business development manager: Future Production Services
Andrew Brown	....	sales and marketing director: Intandem Films
Keith Bryant	....	laboratory contact: Technicolor Creative Services
Katherine Butler	....	head of development: Film4
Sally Caplan	....	head of premiere fund: UK Film Council
Bruno Cassoni	....	on-set runner
Bruno Cassoni	....	stand-in
Tony Clarkson	....	location manager
Alice Clough	....	business affairs: Future Production Services
Tim Curtis	....	legal services: Film4
Robin Davies	....	production runner: Number 9 Films
Joao de Sousa	....	assistant to director
Karl Dye	....	gap financing: Royal Bank of Scotland
Will Evans	....	head of business affairs: UK Film Council
Elizabeth Every	....	tutor (as Liz Every)
Paul Grindey	....	head of business affairs: Film4
Martin Haines	....	legal services: Number 9 Films, Davenport Lyons
Denise Hanrahan	....	assistant production coordinator
Tarn Harper	....	post-production accountant
Barry Hatsell	....	rushes contact
Andrew Hildebrand	....	managing director: Future Production Services
Dan Hillsdon	....	assistant accountant
Dan Hodgett	....	locations executive: EM Media
Sally Hodgson	....	communications executive: EM Media
Vince Holden	....	head of production finance: UK Film Council
Christine Howard	....	head of business affairs: Intandem Films
Billy Hurman	....	sales and marketing director: Intandem Films
Steve Joberns	....	auditor: Shipleys
Barry Jones	....	location security
Annabel Kennedy	....	script development executive: Number 9 Fiklms
Emily Lappin	....	head of communications: EM Media
Joanna Laurie	....	assistant: Stephen Woolley
Anita Lavitza	....	caterer: Limelight Catering
Kate Lawrence	....	script development executive: Number 9 Films
J.J. Lousberg	....	production executive: UK Film Council
Sarah Lucraft	....	production accountant
Stacy Mann	....	on-set publicist
John Morgan	....	accountant: Number 9 Films
Kevin O'Shea	....	insurance: AON/Albert G Ruben
David Z. Obadiah	....	title sequence producer
Margaret Parvin	....	legal services: Number 9 Films, Davenport Lyons
Michelle Pianca	....	assistant location manager
Chris Randall	....	caterer
Luke Randolph	....	completion guarantor: International Film Guarantors
Helen Revington	....	unit nurse
Maria Robbins	....	catering manager
Mathieu Robinet	....	media finance coordinator: Future Production Services (as Matthieu Robinet)
Jan Haydn Rowles	....	dialogue coach
Kiran Shah	....	double
Michael Simkins	....	legal services: Film4
Nic Smith	....	locations executive: EM Media
Shellie Smith	....	completion guarantor: International Film Guarantors
Sue Bruce Smith	....	head of commercial development: Film4 (as Sue Bruce-Smith)
Andrew Southey	....	chef
Deryn Stafford	....	production coordinator
Delyse Stewart	....	tutor: Aaron Johnson
Carly Taverner	....	on-set runner
Carly Taverner	....	stand-in
Maya Toone	....	production runner
Chris Valler	....	caterer
Emma Yeomans	....	assistant location manager: Derby
Philip Ball	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Vicky Chapman	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Erick Gbewonyo	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Roger Phillips	....	titles (uncredited)

Thanks
Sharon Maguire	....	thanks
Augie Tucker	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Film4 (presents)
• UK Film Council (presents)
• EM Media (presents)
• Intandem Films (presents)
• Number 9 Films (co-production)
• Father Features (co-production)
• Audley Films (in association with)
• Comptom Investments (in association with)
• Tiger Aspect Pictures (with the assistance of)
• Bórd Scannán na hÉireann (with the assistance of)
• European Development Fund, The (with the support of)

Distributors

• A-Film Distribution (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2007) (UK) (theatrical)
• Icon Film Distribution (2007) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Mongrel Media (2007) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Top Film Distribution (2008) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Warner-Lusomundo (2007) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• Falcon Films (2008) (Lebanon) (all media) (Middle East)
• MG Film (2007) (Croatia) (all media)
• Movie Bank (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (rental)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (Canada) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2009) (Argentina) (all media)

Special Effects

• One Of Us (visual effects)
• Moving Picture Company (MPC)

Other Companies

• AFM Lighting  lighting
• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance (as AON/Albert G. Ruben)
• ARRI Media  camera equipment provided by
• Abbey Road Studios  music recorded at
• Access Bookings  accommodation
• All England Caterers  catering (as All England Film Caterers)
• BBC Costume and Wigs  costumes supplied by (as BBC Costume + Wigs)
• Casting Collective  extras casting
• DNA Music  score coordination
• DNA Music  soundtrack coordination and organization
• Davenport Lyons  legal services: Number 9 Films
• Eurosafety (DDA Fire)  health and safety
• Fatts  post-production script services
• Film4  development
• Fintage House  collection account management
• Freud Communications  unit publicity
• Future Films Production Services  production services provided by (as Future Production Services)
• Hackenbacker Audio Post Production  re-recorded at (as Hackenbacker London)
• Hothouse Music  music supervision
• International Film Guarantors  completion guaranty
• Kodak  negative stock
• Royal Bank of Scotland  gap financing
• Shipleys  auditing
• Silva Screen Records  soundtrack
• Technicolor Creative Services  digital intermediate (as Technicolor Creative Services London)
• Technicolor  release printing
• VooDooDog  titles

Also Known As:

"And When Did You Last See Your Father?" - UK (original title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, thematic material and brief strong language

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

UK | Ireland

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Ireland:15A | UK:12A | Canada:14A | Australia:M | Netherlands:6 | New Zealand:M | Mexico:B | Argentina:13 | South Korea:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Brighton, East Sussex, England, UK

Company:

Film4

Trivia:

Matthew Beard wore brown coloured contact lenses in order to look more like Colin Firth.

Quotes:

Arthur Morrison:Blake gave me a look like thunder!

Movie Connections:

References Stairway to Heaven (1946)

Soundtrack:

Adagio from Piano Trio in E Flat Major D.897

An honest and unsentimental film

My last recollection of my father was the look on his face after I placed him in a nursing home in Miami, Florida. Wracked by Parkinson's disease and heart trouble, I was saddened by how far removed he was from the authoritarian and emotionally distant man I feared when I was young, yet a lifetime of resentment could not be entirely forgotten. Indeed, in our society the pressure to love our fathers no matter how awful their behavior is so strong that it often leaves children deeply conflicted. Anand Tucker's And When Did You Last See Your Father? is a film about such conflict, though it does not question the underlying bond of love. Based on the autobiography by British writer Blake Morrison with a screenplay by David Nicholls, the film's title asks the question "when" but seeks an answer that requires more than a date. It asks for the last time in your life when you really saw your father, not as an authority figure but as a complete human being, the complex individual that you may have never seen before.

The film charts the relationship between Doctor Arthur Morrison (Jim Broadbent) and his son Blake (Colin Firth), a writer, over a period of thirty years. As his dad lies dying of cancer, Blake is reminded of their difficult relationship over the years. Using mirrors to suggest there are many different angles with which to view life, Tucker catches events in Blake's life that remain with him and threaten to keep the two apart at a moment when they clearly need each other. Through extensive flashbacks showing Blake as a child, teenager, and adult, the film allows us to understand how events, both small and large, took on mass as the years went by. It makes clear that while Arthur was a devoted father, he was not above being overbearing, deceitful and duplicitous, especially regarding his infidelities with Aunt Beattie (Sarah Lancashire), an open secret in the household, though one that his wife (Juliet Stevenson) came to accept. Stevenson is outstanding in her role of the suffering partner who tries to make up for her husband's aloofness by giving the children her unconditional love.

In flashbacks, we see the eight-year old Blake (Bradley Johnson) seeing his father flaunting the rules by waving his stethoscope to get to the front of a queue waiting to enter a sports event; the fifteen-year-old Blake (Matthew Beard) putting up with his father's whimsy during a camping trip that left them soaked but liberated by driving lessons on the beach, his annoyance when his father, who called him "fathead", walked in on his first sexual awakening with a live-in-maid (Elaine Cassidy). We see the adult Blake (Colin Firth) recalling how his father refused to acknowledge his award of a literary prize at a gala, and then had the tenacity to call writing poetry "not a real job".

And When Did You Last See Your Father is a lyrical tone poem that is marked by brilliant performances. An honest and unsentimental film, it brings dignity to the subject of family relationships and has a powerful conclusion that left much of the audience, including myself, in tears. The best performances are by Matthew Beard as the sensitive but self-righteous adolescent who is hard put to give his father the benefit of the doubt and by Jim Broadbent as the overbearing but loving father. As the final days play out, the quality of Broadbent's performance is such that, while we understand Blake's misgivings, we can still see Arthur as a complex individual with both flaws and virtues. Blake still longs for his father's acceptance and, as his father lay dying, asks him: "It would be good to talk at some point, wouldn't it?" Yet the answer, "What about?" underscores the superficial banter that replaces conversation in many households.