Brassed Off (1996)

The coal mine in a northern English village may be closing, which would also mean the end of the miners' brass band.

Director:

Mark Herman

Writer:

Mark Herman

Stars:

Pete Postlethwaite, Tara Fitzgerald, Ewan McGregor

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 10 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Pete Postlethwaite	...	Danny
Tara Fitzgerald	...	Gloria
Ewan McGregor	...	Andy
Stephen Tompkinson	...	Phil
Jim Carter	...	Harry
Philip Jackson	...	Jim
Peter Martin	...	Ernie
Sue Johnston	...	Vera
Mary Healey	...	Ida
Melanie Hill	...	Sandra
Lill Roughley	...	Rita
Peter Gunn	...	Simmo
Stephen Moore	...	McKenzie
Kenneth Colley	...	Greasley (as Ken Colley)
Olga Grahame	...	Mrs. Foggan

Storyline

In existence for a hundred years, Grimley Colliery Brass band is as old as the mine. But the miners are now deciding whether to fight to keep the pit open, and the future for town and band looks bleak. Although the arrival of flugelhorn player Gloria injects some life into the players, and bandleader Danny continues to exhort them to continue in the national competition, frictions and pressures are all too evident. And who's side is Gloria actually on?

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Plot Keywords:

yorkshire | bare chested male | nudity | male nudity | male rear nudity | 

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Taglines:

Fed up with the system. Ticked off at the establishment. And mad about... each other.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 May 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Brassed Off!

Filming Locations:

British Waterways Wharf, Friars Gate, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

£1,674,359 (United Kingdom), 15 November 1996

Opening Weekend USA:

$52,534, 26 May 1997, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,560,471, 10 August 1997

Company Credits

Production Co:

Channel Four Films, Miramax, Prominent Features

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A portion of Pete Postlethwaite's speech at the end of the film was sampled by the British group, Chumbawamba, for the beginning of their 1997 hit "Tubthumping."

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Goofs

When Gloria is playing the Concerto de Aranjuez, the second measure after the Flugelhorn comes in, she plays a note with the second valve that should be played with the first valve. The written note is a B-flat for Flugelhorn (concert A-Flat). Playing with the second valve would produce a B natural, a half step higher.

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Quotes

Jim: Must be an awful lot, having that much guilt you got to buy your way out of it.
Gloria: Jim, I'm not doing it for me. I'm doing it for you... and Danny.

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Crazy Credits

On some prints, the words "The End" remain onscreen as three additional lines of "definitions" are added one by one underneath: n. 1. closure (as in 140 pits since 1984) 2. termination (as in 250,000 jobs) 3. conclusion (as in draw your own...)

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Alternate Versions

The American release removes the scene where Phil explains that he was a scab (voted for pit closure).

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Connections

Referenced in At the Movies: Conspiracy Theory/Kiss Me, Guido/The Full Monty/Career Girls/Love Serenade/Free Willy 3: The Rescue (1997)

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Soundtracks

William Tell Overture
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Arranged by G.J. Grant
Solo Cornet - Shaun Randall
Published by Boosey and Hawkes Music Publishing Limited

User Reviews

the miners' political kick to the establishment

'Brassed Off' came at just the right time for British politics, just as the death knell for the Conservative Party as the main political force sounded; the story fictionalises the troubles of the real-life Grimethorpe Colliery Band (who you hear playing the great brass band tunes throughout).

There are pit closures all over Yorkshire, and 'Grimley' Band has one last chance to triumph in the various band contests to end up playing at the Royal Albert Hall. This being drama of course the path to victory isn't a smooth one - there is bankruptcy, illness, broken marriages, and a clash with the new executive power (represented by Tara Fitzgerald, also taking a place in the band for her father). Romantic interest for Tara is present in cute Ewan McGregor - an unusually quiet role for him.

Say what you like about the way this film portrays the North of England, there is no denying the power of the final sequences as the triumph of 'William Tell' turns into Postlethwaite's power rant against the Government and into the trip home's 'Land of Hope and Bloody Glory'. It really couldn't have been done better.