The Firm (1988)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | The Firm |
| Original title | The Firm |
| Country of production | UK |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1988 |
| length | 70 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 16 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Alan Clarke |
| script | Al Hunter Ashton |
| production | David M. Thompson |
| camera |
Ben Phlipott Richard Philpott John Ward |
| cut | John Strickland |
| occupation | |
| |
The Firm is a British television film from 1988. The film drama directed by Alan Clarke focuses on the British hooligan scene in the late 1980s. The film serves as a template for The Firm - Third Half (2009).
action
Clive Bissell, known as "Bexy", is the leader of the hooligan group Inter City Crew (ICC) and a father and real estate agent in everyday life. Bexy has the bold plan to operate as the leader of a "National Firm" that will compete against the continental hooligan associations at the next European Football Championship in 1988 . To do this, his “company” (hooligan jargon) must compete against the rival groups The Buccaneers under the leadership of Yeti and another group under the leadership of Oboe. The first argument with the Yetis and Oboes companies was bloody. Yusef, a young member of the ICC, has his face cut up by the oboe. In addition, Yeti vandalizes several cars of Bexy's troop. Nevertheless, Bexy does not let go of his plan. He assaults oboe at his front door and cuts his face in turn. Several group members get out because they shy away from the escalating argument. The rest of the ICC is also fluctuating, as they have been weakened by the exit and see little prospect of emerging from the confrontation with their numerically superior rivals as the winner. Bexy pressures the remaining members with threats and violence to keep them on his line.
Even when Bexy's son is badly injured with his Stanley carpet knife and this leads to family tensions, Bexy sees no reason to withdraw. However, there is a break with his wife Sue, who so far seemed determined not to take notice of her husband's activities.
Bexy and the remaining five members of the ICC raid the Buccaneers' hangout and put them to flight. Bexy deals with Yeti and hits him badly in the street. But at the moment of his triumph, the yeti, already lying on the ground, pulls a revolver and shoots Bexy.
The next evening the ICC is already sitting together and preparing for the European Championship as a representative of a national company in memory of Bexy . Bexy is glorified as a visionary, hero and martyr by the hooligans, who are increasingly disinhibited by drinking alcohol . It is said that where you belong is important and that if you want to forbid them from having fun in football , they would switch to other sports.
background
The phenomenon of hooliganism , which has been known in Great Britain for decades , came to the attention of the public in continental Europe through the 1985 Heysel disaster , when riots between British and Italian hooligans broke in a stadium grandstand and killed many people. Despite some rigorous official measures (Great Britain imposed travel bans and placed known hooligans under police surveillance), there were also riots at the European Football Championship in 1988 on the sidelines of the games, in which British hooligans were again heavily involved. This also increased the interest of the British public in this subject.
The film shows that, contrary to the widespread opinion that hooligans are young, neglected, racist marginalized existences with a strong tendency towards alcohol, are predominantly adult men from the lower middle class with secure bourgeois existences. Racism and right-wing extremism do not play a role, and people of different skin color are of course in all groups. The final sequence of the film shows that the connection between hooliganism and football is rather loose, not the support of a team, but the "fun", in other words: the riot is in the foreground.
The name of Bex's hooligan group, ICC, is a reference to the actually existing Inter City Firm , whose members advised on the film.
The Firm is the last feature film by director Alan Clarke. A year later he made the experimental short film Elephant before he died of cancer in 1990 . The film was shot mostly with a steadicam to give the film a documentary feel.
The film was broadcast in 1988 as part of a series of television films on British Broadcasting Corporation entitled Screen Two . A German-language publication is only available as part of a deluxe edition from the thematically similar hooligans .
criticism
The Firm is often referred to as one of Alan Clarke's best films. He describes the fascination of violence on the "little man", like Made in Britain a main theme at Clarke.
“The Firm is a very physical film. Not only because his characters repeatedly indulge in vulgar masculinity rituals and measure their strength, but also because the viewer is mobilized. The camera is just as restless as Gary Oldman, bursting with negative energy, who fights one aggressive word battle after another with his respective opponents. Clarke does not allow his audience any distance. Again and again the camera sticks uncomfortably close to the faces of the characters, showing how the anger makes them grimace. "
Web links
- The Firm in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Josh Ralske: Plot Synopsis. All Movie Guide , accessed February 1, 2011 .
- ↑ Phil Michaels: Review. Thespinningimage.co.uk, accessed February 1, 2011 .
- ^ The Firm (1988) in the online film database
- ^ Troy Howarth: Review of The Alan Clarke Collection. Eccentric-Cinema.com, September 24, 2004, accessed February 1, 2011 .
- ↑ Michael Kienzl: The Firm. Critic.de - the film page, February 2, 2012, accessed on February 25, 2013 .