A Sense of Freedom
1981 British TV series or programme
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Sense of Freedom is a 1981 Scottish crime film directed by John Mackenzie for Scottish Television.[2] The film stars David Hayman and featured Jake D'Arcy, Sean Scanlan, Hector Nicol, Alex Norton and Fulton Mackay.[3] It is based on the 1977 autobiography of Glasgow gangster Jimmy Boyle, who was reputed to be Scotland's most violent man.[4]
| A Sense of Freedom | |
|---|---|
DVD cover | |
| Genre | True crime Drama Thriller |
| Written by | Peter McDougall |
| Story by | Jimmy Boyle |
| Directed by | John Mackenzie |
| Starring | David Hayman Jake D'Arcy Sean Scanlan Hector Nicol Fulton Mackay |
| Music by | Frankie Miller Rory Gallagher |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producer | Jeremy Isaacs |
| Cinematography | Chris Menges |
| Editor | Alan MacMillan |
| Running time | 85 minutes |
| Production company | Scottish Television |
| Budget | £500,000[1] |
| Original release | |
| Network | ITV |
| Release | February 17, 1981 |
A harrowing tale of a habitual and brutal criminal. Boyle repeatedly resisted attempts by the Prison Service to dampen his temper. He was brutally assaulted many times by Prison Officers.[5] He also assaulted many staff including a brutal attack causing an officer to lose his eye.[6]
The film received a BAFTA nomination for Best Single Play.[7]
Cast
- Jimmy Boyle - David Hayman
- Rab - Jake D'Arcy
- Jada - Sean Scanlan
- Malkie - Alex Norton
- Piper - John Murtagh
- Chief officer - Roy Hanlon
- Inspector Davidson - Fulton Mackay
- Bobbie Dougan - Martin Black
- Uncle Jodie - Hector Nicol
- Barman - Frank Welshman
- Boyle's mother - Katy Gardiner
- Archie - Billy Jeffrey
- Judge - David Steuart
- Prison officer - Ken Drury
- Prison governor - Gerry Slevin
- Prison governor - Ron Paterson
- Prison governor - Hugh Martin
- Special unit officer - Jackie Farrell
Production
Jeremy Isaacs read the book A Sense of Freedom and thought that it was ideal for filming. He optioned the book and attracted interest from Scottish Television (STV); Isaacs wrote that Bill Brown's support was crucial.[8] Isaac then attached writer Peter MacDougall and director John Mackenzie who had worked together for the BBC on three episodes of Play for Today: Just Another Saturday (1975), The Elephants' Graveyard (1976) and Just a Boys' Game (1979). The film was financed by STV.[9]
Hayman said that he spent five weeks training in the gym and two weeks in pubs in the east end of Glasgow observing people, in preparation for his role.[10] Due to non-co-operation by the Scottish Prison Service in allowing a film crew access to their property, Hayman's scenes in prison were filmed in Dublin's Kilmainham Jail.[11] Strathclyde Council also prohibited the film from being shot within its borders.[9] Local courts refused to allow the film to use it as a location, forcing the producers to build a set. However most of the film was eventually shot in Scotland.[12]
In August 1980 Scottish Television refused to allow the film to be entered into the Edinburgh Film Festival, which was showing a retrospective of John MacKenzie's work. Producer Kenith Todd said this was essentially a ban.[9]
Music
The music is by Frankie Miller and Rory Gallagher.[13]
Release
The film was broadcast on ITV on 17 February 1981. The following evening they screened a debate about the case called A Long Term Solution? chaired by Desmond Wilcox.[14][15]
The Scottish Daily Record called it "The most powerful piece of television ever to come out of Scotland."[1] "Rarely has time passed so slowly or tediously," wrote Nancy Banks-Smith in The Guardian about the film who noted that McKenzie had triumphed in his objective to convey the feeling of time passing slowly.[16] The Daily Telegraph review rated the film as outstanding and praised Hayman's powerful performance.[15]
In May 1984 it was announced that HandMade Films - which had helped finance MacKenzie's 1980 film The Long Good Friday - had agreed to distribute the film in cinemas outside the UK.[17][18]
The film received a release in some US cinemas in 1985.
Notes
- Isaacs, Jeremy (2006). Look me in the eye : a life in television. Little, Brown.