New Cloughie movie

[saminblack]

Ok, I know I am biased here – I became a Forest fan in the 1980s to alongside my beloved hometwon team Tamworth FC BECAUSE I loved Brian Clough so much – but I have to say the new film about him, The Damned United, is really very, very good and any footi fan will love it.

I had previously read and thoroughly enjoyed the book (which is an absorbing read but is very dark and often quite depressing) and having seen the Clough family distance themselves from this film I was in two minds about seeing it. But I really hope the Clough family DO actually see it because although the book is slightly ambiguous the movie shows Brian at his very best and is a joy to watch from start to finish.

In case you don’t, know the film centres on two main events – his success and eventual resignation/sacking at Derby and then his bizarre 44 day reign at ‘dirty’ Leeds where he was motivated by his hatred for Don Revie and everything Cloughie believed he stood for. It is riveting from the ‘kick off’ and also (like Clough) both very funny and very unpredictable.

Cloughie made many mistakes – as Forest fan I know this, Justin Fashanu anyone? – but he also had the ability to make people walk over hot coals for him and to make the ordinary extraordinary and this film portrays both sides of his character perfectly. And it is perfectly acted too. Michael Sheen – brilliant as Tony Blair in The Queen and The Deal – is superb in the title role and the supporting cast are equally impressive with Timothy Spall’s Peter Taylor and Jim Broadbent as Sam Longson, the Derby chairman especially impressive.

And, it is also a wonderful evocation of the 1970s too. I recall that Leeds side really well (I could have named them without much problem) and the film captures them all very well (even if Johnny Giles is a bit too tall!) but it is more than just the footi that rings true. The film is brilliant on the fashion, the language, the cars and the fact that football was a bit of a tuppenny-happenny sport then compared to now (there is a great scene of Cloughie preparing the dressing room where each player just gets a mangy looking towel, an orange and….an ashtray). It is as far away from Man United and their masseuses and chefs as well, Billy Davies’ Forest is from the European Cup which Cloughie won twice.

If your nostalgic for the 70s, love football, love Cloughie and hate Leeds (but can’t remember why!) then this is the movie for you.

Go see.

[saminblack]

.....yes, I know this should be under the Last Movie watched bit but I thought it was worth a debate on its own as it is about footi and a lost era as well as Ol' Big Ead himself.

[Black Leather Jacket]

Yeah I'm looking forward to this one.Can we please stop calling films movies though!

[cerdan6899]

I'm gonna get myself along to see this. Wether you loved him or hated him he surely was a man who said what he thought. A memory thats sticks in my mind is of him slapping fans who'd ran onto the pitch at Forest. Wonder what he'd have to say about these overpaid pussies that are running around today ( my team included )

[Bobinblack]

Seen it and reviewed it for a Leeds mag (which I also reviewed the book for 2 years ago).

Sam, I'm a bit hurt that you think everyone has always hated Leeds and that the film will help them remember 'why' !

The book is fantastic in my opinion, but the film doesn't do it justice. The acting is fab and I can't think of many more fascinating and appealing characters in sport than Brian Clough, but this film, an adaptation of a near classic book I reckon, isn't that special. It's a pantomime on celluloid, albeit a pantomime on celluloid with some bloody great acting in it.

I've told people to go see it but to be aware that it's not a serious drama and that the anti Leeds and anti Don Revie slants are way over the top. Even Jonathan Ross said he found the Clough hates Revie angle hard to swallow. The film is cheaply made with too many inaccuracies in it and does not do the acting or the book or even the screenwriter justice.

I met Brian Clough once when he was LU manager, I was waiting patiently at the players' changing room door to get autographs, his especially. I asked him politely but he was clearly in a hurry and so said no, but I excused him even then because he did genuinely apologise. He might even have called me 'young man' but I can't be sure! It would have taken him less time to sign my book than to say sorry, but I'm glad he did

dd you see the 'Clough' documentary last week on ITV then? Now I thought THAT was more like it, and I understood more afterwards why his family and John Giles and a few others were so against the book.

Film's not a patch on the book, in my umble opinion, but worth watching.

[saminblack]

Seen it and reviewed it for a Leeds mag (which I also reviewed the book for 2 years ago).

Sam, I'm a bit hurt that you think everyone has always hated Leeds and that the film will help them remember 'why' !

The book is fantastic in my opinion, but the film doesn't do it justice. The acting is fab and I can't think of many more fascinating and appealing characters in sport than Brian Clough, but this film, an adaptation of a near classic book I reckon, isn't that special. It's a pantomime on celluloid, albeit a pantomime on celluloid with some bloody great acting in it.

I've told people to go see it but to be aware that it's not a serious drama and that the anti Leeds and anti Don Revie slants are way over the top. Even Jonathan Ross said he found the Clough hates Revie angle hard to swallow. The film is cheaply made with too many inaccuracies in it and does not do the acting or the book or even the screenwriter justice.

I met Brian Clough once when he was LU manager, I was waiting patiently at the players' changing room door to get autographs, his especially. I asked him politely but he was clearly in a hurry and so said no, but I excused him even then because he did genuinely apologise. He might even have called me 'young man' but I can't be sure! It would have taken him less time to sign my book than to say sorry, but I'm glad he did

dd you see the 'Clough' documentary last week on ITV then? Now I thought THAT was more like it, and I understood more afterwards why his family and John Giles and a few others were so against the book.

Film's not a patch on the book, in my umble opinion, but worth watching.

Good, intelligent views Bob. I think you right the book is better than the film but I find the film far more accessible for a general audience and I loved the Life on Mars style evoaction of a fascinatign pre-punk Britain.

And no I don't actually dislike Leeds but a lot of people of my generation (45) still do even now. I guess it is the Man U syndrome of today - and in a perverse way it is a compliment. It is the 11th commandment that anyone at the top of the table shall be pretty disliked by everyone else and in the mid-70s you were the boys.

Pretty violent times though weren't they Bob? That Charity Shield...sheesh!!!!

[Arthur Streeb-Greebling]

As a fan of 70's Leeds UTD I would like to see this film.
Also Martin Sheen is a brilliant actor, I saw him a few years ago in summat on TV about a guy's breakdown and his downward spiral into Schizophrenia.
He also did a great job playing the part of Kenneth Williams.

[C r a s s !]

As a fan of 70's Leeds UTD I would like to see this film.
Also Martin Sheen is a brilliant actor, I saw him a few years ago in summat on TV about a guy's breakdown and his downward spiral into Schizophrenia.
He also did a great job playing the part of Kenneth Williams.

He also played not just Tony Blair in the Queen - but David Frost in the Frost Nixon didn't he?

[dan-electro]

I saw Archie Gemmill on the TV and he was furious with the book. He said the representation of Brian Clough was so far off the mark it was a joke. He said that the author couldn't have done any research as he said at the time in Cloughie's career he never smoke, drank and very rarely swore. The family are also upset by the book, so it's sounds a pretty botched job of a football legend. I've heard the film is a little bit more true to life but apparently that wouldn't have been difficult compared to the book!! You can't argue with Gemmill as he was with Clough at Derby and Forest for many years.

[Aural Scripture]

I was reminded that Clough was a bully and an ill mannered tosser. That's not up for discussion.

Great manager though which cannot be denied, but then so were Busby, Shankly and Paisley - all considered gentlemen of the game. No doubt Clough got the best out of the players, but Burns, Lloyd, Mackay, Gemmill - hardly ballerinas on a football park. Leeds, like all successful teams, had a mixture of Hardness and Skill and were certainly a top side back then. They also reached the European Cup final the same season they sacked Clough - hardly a step back. In fact, you could argue that since Leeds had their worst start in the league for 15 seasons - Clough would've been sacked because of poor results anyway. Let's not forget also that Clough had a run in with the Derby Board - so it wasn't just confined to Leeds.

What Clough achieved at football backwaters like Derby and Forest was remarkable - but let's not forget the part played by Peter Taylor.

Must admit the film was humorous and enjoyable - but good job it was confined to the Leeds days. Had it covered all of his career, we would've seen the incident where he asked a player if he'd ever been punched in the stomach - then proceeded to punch him. Typical hypocritical Clough and the epitome of a bully. Complaining about Leeds strong-arm tactics yet quite happy to slug young players. Having said that - he'd probably kiss him better.

[Gene Regulation]

Just remember that The Damned United is a work of fiction, based on fact, not a biography.

[pigeon]

Did anyone see the film and documentry last night?. I thought it was a presentation on what clough was like. It goes to show to be a very succsesfull manager you have to be arrogant, set in your ways and not take shit off anyone.

Not a big fan of Leeds united myself, dont really like going there or some of the supporters that much. I dislike supporters who have tattoos of their clubs on them like its some sort of gang mentality. Lacks style i prfer the syleish london way of doing things. Charlton havent got much style but Tottenham are the team that leads the way in how a club should be run in my opinion.