MAN DANCIN'
UK, 2003, 114 minutes, Colour.
Alex Fearns, James Cosmo, Kenneth Cranham.
Directed by Norman Stone.
What begins like a British gangster film of the late 1990s, early 2000s moves into a piece of Christian film-making, an effort to spread the Gospel message by means of popular entertainment, an effort in entertainment-proselytising in a good way. The film has the courage of its convictions.
The original story came from the director, Norman Stone, and was written for the screen by Sergio Casci who wrote the screenplay for another offbeat Scottish gangster comedy-drama, American Cousins. What Stone and Casci have attempted is what might be called a variation on Denys Arcand's Jesus of Montreal, a kind of Jesus of Glasgow.
Eastenders' star, Alex Fearns, does a good job as Jimmy Kerrigan, released from a Northern Ireland jail after nine years for gun-running. He is older and wiser and has a mind to move away from the criminal gang of his youth. We get an inkling of his heroism to come when he offers to take a beating from some young thugs instead of his addicted brother. He shows how to turn the other cheek.
He does not remain long free from his past. He is called by The Chief (James Cosmo) who runs protection, prostitution and other rackets in the city as well as by the corrupt police officer ( Kenneth Cranham) who works in cahoots with The Chief. He stands his ground, tries to get his brother away from the drugs, visits his ailing mother in hospital, befriends Maria, a prostitute who wants to get out of the game and assorted other criminals, club managers and dealers.
But he also gets caught up in the activities of the parish priest, Fr Flynn, to save his parole and having to go to anger management sessions. The parish is putting on a passion play and soon Jimmy is running it, re-writing it and Maria and her friends, his brother and an old blind singer (Tam White who wrote the songs for the film) are all involved. It is clear that there are analogies with the passion of Jesus. Jimmy is brutalised. His brother betrays him... and the audience is left to get the Gospel message, especially as the troupe take to the streets for performances after The Chief has the parish hall burned down. Norman Stone has been able to mix streetwise conventions and a tough world with Gospel basics.
Norman Stone has been responsible for quality Christian television and movies for twenty years. Years before Anthony Hopkins' screen portrayal of C.S. Lewis, Norman Stone had made a film of the life of the great writer and theologian, Shadowlands. Over the years, he has produced many documentaries for the BBC. For the Millennium, he produced a series for Holy Week called, evocatively, Tales from the Madhouse. Eight fourteen minute films offered monologues by men and women who were confined to an institution after their experience of Jesus. They included the Widow of Naim, Barabbas, Pilate's Wife, the Rich Young Man and Judas. They starred some of the best of British stars, Claire Bloom, Eileen Atkins, Jonathan Pryce, Joss Ackland and Blackadder's Tony Robinson as Judas.
It is risky ground, making a tough gangster film with a Christian message. It is not the kind of film the 'converted' usually go to see. If Man Dancin' can bring some Gospel meaning and credibility to the multiplex audience, it will have achieved its aim.
1. The two perspectives on the film: a Scottish gangster film, a passion play with Christian message? How well did the two perspectives blend?
2. The Glasgow settings, the estates, the wealthy homes, the clubs, the church and the church hall? The streets and authentic atmosphere?
3. The title, its meaning, the songs and the contribution of Tam White and his performance as the Johnny Bus Stop, the musician?
4. The impact of the film as a gangster film: thugs, drug-dealing, prostitution in Glasgow, the gangs, the violence, the police corruption and collaboration?
5. The film as a Christian film: the preparation for the passion play, Jimmy as a Christ figure, his changing in jail, taking the bashing for his brother, his release, the encounter with Father Flynn, going to the church, memories of a Catholic past, his skill in performance, the clashes with the writers of the play, Father Flynn letting them go, Jimmy and his writing, performance? His relationship with Maria, she being a Mary Magdalene figure, the other girls? His relationship with his brother, desperation at his drug-taking, his connections? Terry as the Judas figure? The chief, Pancho and the gangsters and authorities condemning him? Brutalising him? His friend from the club, the information about what was happening, Terry and his betrayal, Jimmy and his passion, dying for Terry? Terry and the others putting on the passion play in the streets - and the image of resurrection preaching good news?
6. Jimmy as a character, tough and strong, his experience of nine years in jail? His relationship with Terry and concern about him? His mother and the visits to the hospital? His mother's death? Meeting Maria in the club, her coming to his flat, his letting her go while being attracted to her? His friend at the club, good feelings, the friend supporting him and giving him information? At the parole office, the encounter with Father Flynn, going to the church? Going to visit the chief, the chief and his hold over Jimmy, Jimmy wanting out? The interview with Pancho, Pancho hitting him and explaining the story about being sorry? His growing involvement with the play, the bonds with Maria and the other girls, his mother? Discussions with Father Flynn, the meal and the humiliation of Maria about the gazpacho? Being warned about the attitude of the police, his arranging the press conference, trapping Pancho and presenting him as a hero to the press? The burning of the church? His trying to persuade Father Flynn to go on with the play? Taking it to the streets? His being taken to the chief, injected with heroin, taken back, his escape?
7. The chief, his personality, control, protection rackets in Glasgow, gun-running, prostitution and his glib comments on Maria, his home and affluence, his car and yet bashing it, his relationship with his wife, she being the servant, his battering her? The discussions with Pancho, his burning of the church, his attitude towards being exposed? The confrontation with Jimmy, the drug-taking, the contact with Terry?
8. Pancho, his double game in the police force, his sorry story and his violence towards Jimmy, the phone calls to the chief, intending to arrest Jimmy, the media being present and the campaign to clean up the streets? At the police station, the attitude of authorities, his being trapped in the campaign? The humorous irony of people getting a sense of pride, pushing people to the end of the queue, refusing to give the protection money?
9. Maria, knowing Jimmy in the past, liking him, her life as a prostitute, in the clubs, the clients, going to Jimmy's home, taking off her wig, the change in her, her deciding to be in the play, performance, not so effective with the women, improving their performance? Going to the dinner, her feeling humiliated and leaving? The growing enthusiasm and the performances of the play in the open?
10. Terry, the younger brother, drugs, a weak character, finally seeing his mother, his being paid off by the chief, spying on Jimmy, becoming part of the play, the phone calls as they drove towards Sunderland and the angel? The confrontation with the thugs, Jimmy standing in front of the bullet intended for Terry, Terry's reaction to his brother's death?
11. His friend at the club, falling out with the chief, giving information about the intentions of Pancho?
12. Father Flynn, a genial parish priest, his love for boxing and his sparring in the presbytery? His role in the parish, his work? The play, the two writers and the nature of the play, everybody getting the giggles, the meal, the discussions about theology and the church, the humiliation about the cold gazpacho? Father Flynn and his being forced to decide who would stay, his option for Terry? The burning of the church, his being distraught? Seeing him alone in the presbytery? The play going out on the streets and being a success?
13. The ending, Jimmy dying for others, the people in the play as witnesses to the significance of Jesus' passion and resurrection? How subtle were the parallels with Jimmy? The film as portraying the Christian message - and any proselytising intentions?
