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Kes

  • 1969
  • PG-13
  • 1h 51m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
24K
YOUR RATING
David Bradley in Kes (1969)
Three Reasons Criterion Trailer for Kes
Play trailer1:40
4 Videos
73 Photos
Coming-of-AgeDocudramaDramaFamily

A working-class English boy spends his free time caring for and training his pet kestrel.A working-class English boy spends his free time caring for and training his pet kestrel.A working-class English boy spends his free time caring for and training his pet kestrel.

  • Director
    • Ken Loach
  • Writers
    • Barry Hines
    • Ken Loach
    • Tony Garnett
  • Stars
    • David Bradley
    • Brian Glover
    • Freddie Fletcher
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    7.9/10
    24K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Ken Loach
    • Writers
      • Barry Hines
      • Ken Loach
      • Tony Garnett
    • Stars
      • David Bradley
      • Brian Glover
      • Freddie Fletcher
    • 125User reviews
    • 65Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 2 BAFTA Awards
      • 6 wins & 5 nominations total

    Videos4

    KES: The Criterion Collection [Blu-Ray]
    Trailer 1:40
    KES: The Criterion Collection [Blu-Ray]
    KES
    Trailer 3:00
    KES
    KES
    Trailer 3:00
    KES
    KES - Original Masters of Cinema Trailer
    Trailer 1:47
    KES - Original Masters of Cinema Trailer
    Why We Can't Wait for the '28 Years Later' Trilogy
    Clip 3:48
    Why We Can't Wait for the '28 Years Later' Trilogy

    Photos73

    View Poster
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    + 67
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    Top cast32

    Edit
    David Bradley
    David Bradley
    • Billy
    Brian Glover
    Brian Glover
    • Mr. Sugden
    Freddie Fletcher
    • Jud
    Lynne Perrie
    • Mrs. Casper
    Colin Welland
    Colin Welland
    • Mr. Farthing
    Bob Bowes
    • Mr. Gryce
    Bernard Atha
    • Youth Employment Officer
    Laurence Bould
    Joey Kaye
    • Comedian at Pub
    Ted Carroll
    Ted Carroll
    Robert Naylor
    • MacDowell
    Agnes Drumgoon
    George Speed
    • Billy's Friend
    Desmond Guthrie
    Zoe Sunderland
    • Librarian
    • (as Zoe Sutherland)
    The 4D Jones
    Eric Bolderson
    • Farmer
    Joe Miller
    • Reg, Mother's Friend
    • Director
      • Ken Loach
    • Writers
      • Barry Hines
      • Ken Loach
      • Tony Garnett
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      According to a BBC Radio 4 interview, the child actors were actually caned on the hand by school headmaster (who was the real school headmaster). They were paid an additional 10 shillings or 50p (about £8.28 in 2020) for their troubles.
    • Goofs
      When Mr Sugden is dancing down the pitch in the early part of the match, he shouts various instructions and admonitions to Speed. Speed was on Tibbutt's team and was his first choice.
    • Quotes

      Mr. Gryce: Mere fodder for the mass media.

    • Crazy credits
      The majority of the crew were listed simply under the heading "This film was made by..." without each person's specific job title (director of photography, sound recordist, editor etc) being given.
    • Alternate versions
      Some scenes, including the opening scene and the scene when Jud bullies Billy for having a book, were re-dubbed for the American market to be in a more understandable form of English for Americans. This soundtrack was then used in the UK market for VHS and DVD releases in the 1980s and 1990s, but the 2011 DVD and Blu-Ray releases use the original soundtrack in Yorkshire dialect.
    • Connections
      Featured in Aquarius: Rosemary Brown/The Modern Composer/J.B. Priestley on Breugel/Ed Ruscha/Kes/William Wordsworth (1970)
    • Soundtracks
      Honey
      Written by Bobby Russell
      Performed by The 4D Jones at the club

    User reviews125

    Featured review
    8/10

    More Than Just a Pet

    Most film-makers who deal with a story featuring a boy/girl and his/her pet go for the heartstrings by underlining both the kid's and the animal's cuteness. The narrative structure holding this picturesque idyll together mainly consists of predictable melodramatic incidents that endanger this relationship.

    One of Loach's best pics undermines this soapy approach by intensifying the unaffectedly portrayed boy-pet relationship through the unflinchingly bleak description of the boy's surroundings. Kes is not just a beloved falcon, he represents a way to endure social hardships.

    This earnest, heartfelt drama is a true gem of British working-class cinema.

    8 out of 10 funny football matches
    • Rindiana
    • Jun 18, 2009
    • Permalink

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    FAQ18

    • How long is Kes?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 3, 1970 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • A Kestrel for a Knave
    • Filming locations
      • Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Kestrel Films
      • Woodfall Film Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $79,751
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 51 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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