Billy Elliot (2000)

A talented young boy becomes torn between his unexpected love of dance and the disintegration of his family.

Director:

Stephen Daldry

Writer:

Lee Hall

Stars:

Jamie Bell, Julie Walters, Jean Heywood

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 54 wins & 65 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jamie Bell	...	Billy
Jean Heywood	...	Grandma
Jamie Draven	...	Tony
Gary Lewis	...	Dad
Stuart Wells	...	Michael
Mike Elliot	...	George Watson
Billy Fane	...	Mr Braithwaite
Nicola Blackwell	...	Debbie
Julie Walters	...	Mrs. Wilkinson
Carol McGuigan	...	Librarian
Joe Renton	...	Gary Poulson
Colin MacLachlan	...	Mr. Wilkinson (as Colin Maclachlan)
Janine Birkett	...	Billy's Mum
Trevor Fox	...	PC Jeff Peverly
Charlie Hardwick	...	Sheila Briggs

Storyline

County Durham, during the endless, violent 1984 strike against the Thatcher closure of British coal mines. Widower Jackie Elliot and his firstborn, fellow miner Tony, take a dim view of 11 year-old second son Billy's poor record in boxing class, which worsens when they discover he sneakily transferred to the neighboring, otherwise girls-only-attended ballet class. Only one schoolmate, closet-gay Michael Caffrey, encourages Billy's desire, aroused by the teacher, who judged him talented enough for private lesson, to train and try out for the world-renowned Royal Ballet audition. Only the prospect of a fancy career unimagined in the pauper quarter may twist pa and big brother's opposition to indispensable support.

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Plot Keywords:

ballet | miner | miners strike | gay crush | gay kid | 

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Taglines:

Inside every one of us is a special talent waiting to come out. The trick is finding it.

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Genres:

Drama | Music | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Official Sites:

Universal

Country:

UK France

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 November 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dancer

Filming Locations:

Ellington Colliery, Northumberland, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,541,109 (United Kingdom), 1 October 2000, Limited Release

Opening Weekend USA:

$215,681, 15 October 2000, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$21,995,263

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$109,280,263

Company Credits

Production Co:

StudioCanal,Working Title Films,BBC Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Large parts of the mining village of Easington Colliery, where most of the filming took place, were demolished shortly after the movie was finished, including the house which stood in as Billy's home and the entire surrounding street.

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Goofs

When Billy is confronted by his father who has just found out about his ballet lessons, Billy is wearing a beige shirt under a dark jacket. In the following shots while he runs out onto the street and vents his anger, he is wearing a dark-blue sweater.

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Quotes

Mrs. Wilkinson: What have I told you about that arm?

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Alternate Versions

An edited version was released in the USA rated PG-13 that tones down the language.

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Connections

Spoofed in The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy: Billy Idiot/Home of the Ancients (2005)

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Soundtracks

Cosmic Dancer
Words and Music by Marc Bolan
Performed by T. Rex
Courtesy of Straight Ahead Productions Limited

User Reviews

a pleasure from start to finish

With a seemingly run-of-the-mill storyline - that of an 11-year-old schoolboy wanting to be a ballet dancer - it is quite a feat to have made a movie as warm and entertaining as this.

Quite simply, this is the best British movie in years. All the characters are intriguing, and the acting is flawless, most notably from 14-year-old Jamie Bell whose acting is utterly convincing, filled with humour and insight beyond his years. He is also a fantastic dancer, and some of the dance sequences are reminiscent of the dance-filled musicals of the old black and white movies.

The backdrop of the historic miners' strike of the mid-1980s, it brings the story down to the earth and adds the necessary tension to make this film truly believable and a worthy story to tell.

I find it hard to see how anyone would not like this film. 9 and a half out of 10.