The Damned United (2009)

Director:

Tom Hooper

Writers:

Peter Morgan (screenplay)
David Peace (novel)

Release Date:

27 March 2009 (Ireland)

Genre:

Biography | Comedy | Drama | Sport

Tagline:

"They love me for what I'm not... ...they hate me for what I am."

Plot:

A look at Brian Clough's 44-day reign as the coach of Leeds United.

Plot Keywords:

Leeds United | Football | Brighton | Cup | Flashback

Awards:

5 nominations

Cast

Colm Meaney	...	Don Revie
Henry Goodman	...	Manny Cussins
David Roper	...	Sam Bolton
Jimmy Reddington	...	Keith Archer
Oliver Stokes	...	Nigel Clough
Ryan Day	...	Simon Clough
Michael Sheen	...	Brian Clough
Mark Bazeley	...	Austin Mitchell
Timothy Spall	...	Peter Taylor
Maurice Roëves	...	Jimmy Gordon
Stephen Graham	...	Billy Bremner
Peter McDonald	...	Johnny Giles
Mark Cameron	...	Norman Hunter
Frank Skillin	...	Younger Nigel Clough
Dylan Van Hoof	...	Younger Simon Clough
Sydney Wade	...	Younger Elizabeth Clough
Elizabeth Carling	...	Barbara Clough
Jim Broadbent	...	Sam Longson
Mark Jameson	...	Groundsman
Liam Thomas	...	Les Cocker
Glenn Cunningham	...	Syd Owen
Tony Gubba	...	Himself
Gillian Waugh	...	Lillian Taylor
Brian McCardie	...	Dave Mackay
Martin Compston	...	John O'Hare
Colin Harris	...	John McGovern
Giles Alderson	...	Colin Todd
Stewart Robertson	...	Archie Gemmill
Laurie Rea	...	Terry Hennessey
Michael Parkinson	...	Himself (as Sir Michael Parkinson)
Ralph Ineson	...	Journalist
Philip Childs	...	Commentator (Wembley)
Terence Harvey	...	FA Committee Chairman
Gordon Hall	...	FA White Haired Elder
John Craven	...	Himself
Isabella Eades-Jones	...	Elizabeth Clough
Joe Dempsie	...	Duncan McKenzie
Paul Bown	...	Mike Bamber
Christopher Chilton	...	Floor Manager
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tomasz Aleksander	...	Roy McFarland (uncredited)
Muhammad Ali	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Brian Clough	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Alex Harker	...	Allan Clarke (uncredited)
Nathan Head	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Jimmy Hill	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Kevin Keegan	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
James MacColl	...	Luton Town Player (uncredited)
Stephen Nicholas	...	Alan Durban (uncredited)
Don Revie	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
John Savage	...	Gordon McQueen (uncredited)
David Stevenson	...	(uncredited)
Danny Tomlinson	...	David Harvey (uncredited)
Baxter Williams	...	Committee Member (uncredited)
Craig Williams	...	Joe Jordan (uncredited)
Chris Wilson	...	FA Disciplinary Board Member (uncredited)

Directed by
Tom Hooper

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Peter Morgan		screenplay
David Peace		novel "The Damned Utd"

Produced by
Andy Harries	....	producer
Hugo Heppell	....	executive producer
Christine Langan	....	executive producer
Grainne Marmion	....	co-producer
Peter Morgan	....	executive producer
Lee Morris	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Rob Lane

Cinematography by
Ben Smithard		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Melanie Oliver

Casting by
Daniel Hubbard		(as Dan Hubbard)

Production Design by
Eve Stewart

Art Direction by
Andrew Holden-Stokes		(supervising art director)
Leon McCarthy

Costume Design by
Mike O'Neill

Makeup Department
Jan Archibald	....	hair designer
Jan Archibald	....	makeup designer
Nicola Mount	....	hair stylist
Nicola Mount	....	makeup artist
Rachael Speke	....	hair stylist
Rachael Speke	....	makeup artist
Caitlin Tanner	....	chief hair stylist
Caitlin Tanner	....	chief makeup artist
Barbara Taylor	....	crowd hair supervisor
Jo Sweeting	....	makeup artist: dailies (uncredited)

Production Management
Mally Chung	....	unit manager
Alistair Hopkins	....	post-production supervisor
Monique Mussell	....	production manager
Juanjo Seda	....	production manager: Mallorca

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Martin Curry	....	first assistant director
Alex Kaye-Besley	....	crowd second assistant director
Sarah Mooney	....	crowd assistant director
Gemma Nunn	....	third assistant director
Tom Rye	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Jason Bond	....	property master
Jean Challender	....	art department coordinator
Henry Gallagher	....	standby painter
Rose Geddes	....	art department runner
Philip Green	....	trainee: Screen Yorkshire
Darren Hayward	....	carpenter
Sara Hayward	....	stand-by art director
Mark Hopton	....	trainee: Screen Yorkshire
Eric Johnston	....	stagehand
Peter Jones	....	carpenter
Steven Leadbitter	....	standby carpenter (as Steve Leadbitter)
Graeme McHugh	....	scenic artist
Leah Megginson	....	stand-by prop hand
Jay Pales	....	stand-by prop hand
Martin Parker	....	construction manager
Kevin Scarrott	....	dressing prop hand
Alison Staples	....	graphic designer
Kate Thomas	....	production buyer
Michael Turner	....	dressing prop hand (as Mickey Turner)
Kevin Waite	....	carpenter
Colin Worrall	....	painter
Douglas Ingram	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Martin Beresford	....	sound mixer
Dawn Gough	....	assistant sound editor
Paul Hamblin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Andrea King	....	foley artist
Forbes Noonan	....	foley supervisor
Giles Parkes	....	sound assistant
Phil Porter	....	boom operator (as Philip Porter)
Andre Schmidt	....	supervising dialogue editor (as André Schmidt)
Alexandros Sidiropoulos	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
Matthew Skelding	....	dialogue editor
Jack Stew	....	foley artist
Lee Walpole	....	supervising sound editor
Rachel Carberry	....	assistant adr recordist (uncredited)
Naomi Dandridge	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Tom Deane	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Mark Henry	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Billy Quinn	....	sfx recordist (uncredited)
Lionel Strutt	....	adr coordinator (uncredited)
Chris Sturmer	....	sound consultant: dolby (uncredited)
Virginia Thorn	....	assistant dialogue editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ben Ashmore	....	special effects coordinator
Paul Kelly	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Charlie Bennett	....	digital matte painter: The Mill (as Charles Bennett)
David A.T. Bowman	....	visual effects supervisor: The Mill (as David Bowman)
Darren Christie	....	visual effects consultant
Martin Clough	....	data operator: Molinare
Will Cohen	....	visual effects executive producer: The Mill
Joe Dearman	....	data operator: Molinare
Dave Early	....	senior digital matte painter: The Mill (as David Early)
Marie A. Jones	....	visual effects producer: The Mill (as Marie Jones)
Simon Kilroe	....	additional visual effects supervisor: Molinare
Suraj Odedra	....	cg artist: The Mill
Katy Piggott	....	data operator: Molinare
Lewis Saunders	....	visual effects artist: Molinare
Foad Shah	....	compositor: The Mill
Shanaullah Umerji	....	additional visual effects producer: Molinare
Anthony Webb	....	visual effects artist: Molinare
Kris Anderson	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Bryan Bartlett	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
David Emeny	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Stephanie C. Kelly	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Rick McMahon	....	visual effects artist (uncredited)
Natalie Stopford	....	visual effects producer (uncredited)
Ben Turner	....	digital compositor (uncredited)

Stunts
Ian Pead	....	stunts
Peter Pedrero	....	stunt coordinator
Charles Ramsay	....	stunts
Roy Taylor	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Steven Campbell	....	electrician
Adam Coles	....	focus puller: "a" camera
Mark Dempsey	....	clapper loader
Stuart Drummond	....	gaffer
Phil Field	....	electrician
Alex Fitton	....	camera trainee
Clare Fuller	....	clapper loader dailies
Steve Gartside	....	electrician (as Stephen Gartside)
Richard Lawson	....	focus puller: 'b' camera
Vince McGahon	....	Steadicam operator
Vince McGahon	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Ronan Murphy	....	key grip: "a" camera
David Ode	....	key rigger
Craig Porter	....	clapper loader
Howard Roe	....	generator operator
Laurie Sparham	....	stills photographer
Marc Tempest	....	key grip: "b" camera
Kim Vinegrad	....	clapper loader
John Welsh	....	best boy
Laurence Wright	....	video trainee
Dean Thompson	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Michelle Smith	....	additional casting
Martin Ware	....	casting assistant
Abigail Barbier	....	adr voice casting (uncredited)
Louis Elman	....	adr voice casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Caroline Drinkeld	....	costume trainee
Samantha Horn	....	assistant costume designer
Katerina Pesulova	....	wardrobe supervisor
Ladislav Procházka	....	costume assistant
Keeley Scothern	....	costume trainee: Screen Yorkshire
Esme Short	....	costume assistant
Kat Willis	....	costume assistant
Ann Maskrey	....	costume maker (uncredited)
Emily Newbold	....	daily costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Mike Andrews	....	digital film technician
Len Brown	....	digital intermediate film supervisor
Claire Davis	....	post-production coordinator
Tim Drewett	....	digital film technician
Matt James	....	digital film supervisor
Nina Khan	....	digital intermediate production manager
Søren Kloch	....	digital intermediate film supervisor
Steve Knight	....	digital intermediate technician
Chris McGloin	....	first assistant editor
Ben Renton	....	second assistant editor
Andy Richards	....	supervising DI conform editor
Gareth Spensley	....	colorist
Gemma Townsend	....	digital intermediate technician
Garry Maddison	....	data scanner (uncredited)

Music Department
Jonathan Allen	....	score engineer
Arthur Dick	....	musician: guitar soloist
Liz Gallacher	....	music supervisor
James Gosling	....	music preparation
Rob Lane	....	conductor
Steve Parr	....	score mixer
Samuel Sim	....	composer: additional music
Simon Whiteside	....	music preparation
Alison Butters	....	music clearance (uncredited)

Transportation Department
John Armistead	....	unit driver
Martin Clay	....	driver: camera car
Alan Evans	....	unit driver
Karl Jones	....	unit driver
Paul Pearson	....	unit driver
Paul Revill	....	standby camera car driver
Ian Bennett	....	transportation captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Geraldine Atlee	....	business affairs: BBC Films
Nicky Ball	....	crew and freelance development manager: Screen Yorkshire
Joe Biggins	....	inflatable crowd supervisor
Carol Carmichael	....	medic
Simon Clifford	....	football choreographer
Simon Clifford	....	football coach
Andrew Craske	....	head of communications: Screen Yorkshire
Kayleigh Cruickshank	....	location assistant
Farnaz Donovan	....	assistant production accountant
Penny Dyer	....	voice coach
Zoë Edwards	....	production executive: Left Bank Pictures (as Zoe Edwards)
Marie Elwood	....	location assistant: London
Bob Farrell	....	production assistant (as Rob Farrell)
Kerry Gill-Pryde	....	researcher: mythology and evil
Simon Gillis	....	business affairs: BBC Films
Neil Gregory	....	inflatable crowd supervisor
Nick Hodson	....	trainee: Screen Yorkshire
Mark Hubbard	....	production executive: BBC Films
Paula Jalfon	....	commercial affairs: BBC Films
Marigo Kehoe	....	head of production: Left Bank Pictures
Matt Lightowler	....	production assistant
Stuart McKay	....	archivist
Connan McStay	....	title designer
Steven Metcalfe	....	production assistant
Tariq Mirza	....	production legal
Sarah Mooney	....	floor runner
Della Moore	....	post-production accountant
Shailini Vijay Naik	....	production secretary
David Peace	....	consultant
Eve Petcher	....	assistant production coordinator
Lee Ramseyer-Bache	....	production assistant
Katy Roberts	....	production runner
Penelope Robinson	....	production accountant
Lindsay Salt	....	assistant: Mr. Harries, Left Bank Pictures
Daniel Sampedro Palerm	....	production coordinator: Mallorca (as Daniel Sampedro)
James A. Smith	....	archivist
Camilla Stephenson	....	location manager: Mallorca
Jemima Thomas	....	script supervisor
Charlie Thompson	....	location manager (as Charles Thompson)
John William Turner	....	production assistant (as John Turner)
Matthew Vizard	....	production and delivery coordinator: BBC Films
Pip Williams	....	assistant: Mr. Harries, Left Bank Pictures
Grace Wilson	....	head of finance: Left Bank Pictures
Michael Wood	....	production executive: BBC Films
Andy Booth	....	medical service (uncredited)
Dan Connolly	....	location scout (uncredited)
Sekani Doram	....	runner: second unit pick-ups (uncredited)
Daniel Gulliver	....	inflatable crowd supervisor (uncredited)
Ben Hepworth	....	location scout (uncredited)
Robert Shaw	....	daily floor runner (uncredited)
Luis Vidal	....	production assistant: Spain (uncredited)

Thanks
Isabel Begg	....	thanks
Jenny Borgars	....	thanks
Ann Maskrey	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents)
• BBC Films (presents)
• Screen Yorkshire (in association with)
• Left Bank Pictures
• Screen Yorkshire Production Fund (with the support of)

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA) (2009) (worldwide) (all media) (international sales agent)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (2009) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Warner Filmes de Portugal (2009) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Mongrel Media (2009) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2009) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2010) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2009) (France) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2009) (UK) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2009) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2009) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2010) (Japan) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (Canada) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (UK) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2010) (Argentina) (all media)

Special Effects

• The Mill (visual effects)

Other Companies

• 1st Option Safety Services  health and safety
• 2020 Casting  extras casting
• AGN Shipleys  auditors (as Shipleys)
• Abbey Road Studios  score recorded at (as Abbey Road)
• Audiolink Radio Communications  walkie talkies
• BBC Motion Gallery  archive footage courtesy of
• BBC Sport Library  archive footage courtesy of
• BBC Sport  archive footage courtesy of
• Boom Post Production  audio post-production facility
• Cool Music  composer management
• Cool Music  musician contractor (as COOL Music)
• Cutting Edge Group  music services
• Derby County Football Club  thanks
• EuroKids & Adults International Casting and Model Agency  featured extras
• Fuji Photo Film  motion picture film supplied by
• Golden Age Television  period cameras
• HC Services  catering
• Hear No Evil Studios  score mixed at
• ITN Source  archive footage courtesy of
• ITV Productions  archive footage courtesy of
• Leeds United Football Club  thanks
• Lip Sync Post  adr recording (as Lipsync Post Production)
• Louis Elman Associates  voice casting
• Media Archive for Central England at the University of Leicester  archive footage courtesy of
• Media Insurance Brokers  insurance brokers
• Molinare Studio  digital intermediate (as Molinare, London)
• Molinare Studio  post-production facilities
• Offline Editing Company, The  cutting rooms (as The Offline Editing Co. Ltd.)
• Olswang  legal services
• Panavision UK  camera equipment provided by (as Panavision)
• Panavision UK  grip equipment (as Panavision)
• Premier PR  unit publicity
• Privilege Executive Travel  minibuses
• Provision Leeds  lighting equipment
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• Twinpics  production services: Mallorca

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | Ireland:15A | USA:R (certificate #45085) | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-11 | Canada:14A (Alberta/Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Sweden:7 | Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:M | Argentina:13 | Brazil:12

Filming Locations:

Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England, UK

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The scenes in the film set at the Derby County training ground were actually filmed in Leeds at a football pitch ironically overlooking the Leeds United stadium.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The player described as Clarke in the 27.01.68 game wears 3 on his back while Clarke usually wore the number 8 when he eventually joined Leeds United

Quotes:

Brian Clough:What are you doing? You weren't supposed to *accept* our resignations!
Sam Longson:Shouldn't bloody well offer them, then, should you?
Brian Clough:Look, you can't get rid of us. It would be a disaster for the club. For the whole of Derby!
Sam Longson:You can't keep shooting your mouth off the way you have been and issuing these ultimatums. With great reluctance, your resignations have been accepted.
Brian Clough:Look, you can't do this. It's madness.
Sam Longson:The decision stands. Car keys on the table and out.
Brian Clough:We're gonna create a footballing dynasty here. Derby could be one of the greats. Alongside United, Liverpool, Leeds!
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "De wereld draait door: Episode #4.124" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Yorkshire Television Logo (Original)

Damned Brilliant

Football has been poorly served by the cinema to date. "The Damned United" goes a long way to rectifying that. A bravura performance from Martin Sheen as Brian Clough and a faithful, intelligent screenplay by Peter Morgan combine with a well chosen storyline to deliver a convincing tale. Crucially, this is not a film about football, it uses football as a framework for ambition, greed, success, failure, friendship and love.

The traditional traps surrounding a football film are avoided. "Live" action is limited, and team sequences brief. Consequently the characters are given a chance to breathe and develop , not just Clough's, but those of Peter Taylor, marvellously captured by Timothy Spall, and others . Chairmen Manny Cousins and Sam Longson enjoy rewarding cameo parts and the footballers themselves are picked as actors rather than surrogate footballers.

Critics may carp about the odd anachronism and unconvincing physical shape of the Leeds United team in particular but it is the ego of Brian Clough which bestrides this story. The 90 minutes barely does justice to his 45 days at Leeds as his career up to the appointment is interwoven into the main tale. Although faction is a dangerous device, for me it does justice to both the lovingly recreated era and the characters. Cloughs family have apparently repudiated this work, which is a shame. It is broadly favourable with the wrinkles as foibles rather than damnable weaknesses.

The film closes with a re-creation of the YTV interview with Clough and Revie sitting side by side immediately following Clough's dismissal. The atmosphere is electric, Clough is surprisingly conciliatory whilst Revie delivers an, "I told you so", tour de force. Echoes of the Sheen/Morgan collaboration Frost / Nixon abound as does the repeated device of the late night telephone call from the arch protagonists, this time Clough to Revie, last time Nixon to Frost. The final reconciliation between Clough and Taylor is as brave a depiction of a male platonic relationship as has been screened for a very long time.

A triumph for all concerned.