LIAM

UK, 2000, 88 minutes, Colour.
Ian Hart, Claire Hackett, Anthony Borrowes, Megan Byrnes, David Hart, Anne Reid, Russell Dixon.
Directed by Stephen Frears.

Liam is a 90-minute BBC film directed in a plain and straightforward style by Stephen Frears more like his films My Beautiful Laundrette, The Van, Snapper rather than his more profile films like Dangerous Liaisons or High Fidelity.

The film was written by Jimmy Mc Govern (Cracker, The Lakes, Priest). He has written the film from his own experience in Liverpool in the '50s, his growing up as a Catholic, his experience of clashes with Protestants and with anti-Semitism. He also experienced a stammer when he was young, just like the boy in the film. Liam shows us a poor family in the Liverpool of the '30s, the father put out of work at the docks, blaming the Jewish businessman who owns the company (while his young daughter in fact works as a maid in his house). However, everything is seen through the eyes of young Liam, a seven-year-old, preparing for his first confession and communion. We see the community joy of the Irish in the Liverpool suburb, the harshness of scraping enough money to survive. The preparation for the first communion and confession, with severe classes on the suffering and pain of Jesus, the intensity of hellfire and its being everlasting, the nature of sacrilege, seem a touch caricatured, but are the vivid memories to be retained by the young boy. The church is presented as severe, as is the parish priest, and yet the church also collects money for the needy during the Depression and the priest shows some pastoral common sense in dealing with the stammering Liam's scruples.

Ian Hart is excellent as the father, as is Claire Hackett as the mother. Megan Byrnes won a special award at the Venice Film Festival for her role as Teresa. Jimmy McGovern's screenplay includes many themes which serve as a reminder of Liverpool's past, of the Britain of the early '30s, of families, of unemployment and struggle, of anti-Semitic and anti-Irish prejudice, of the church and the sacraments and how so much has changed since then.

1. The work of Jimmy Mc Govern, autobiographical, memories, insights? As dramatised by the non-Christian, non-religious, Stephen Frears? A creative collaboration?

2. A perspective on British history, Liverpool, the '30s, the Depression, Jewish ascendency in Liverpool, the temptation towards fascism?

3. Insights into the Irish in England, the migrations, labouring on the wharves, the poor wages? The Catholic church, the priest and his role, in the Catholic family? Parish life, at church, the fund for those out of work, at school, the emphasis on preparation for the sacraments and the severity of the tone, the hymns and the liturgy?

4. Liam as the focus of the film, characters and situations seen through his eyes? The parallel story of the father, his disillusionment, bitterness and joining the fascists and active violence? The story of Teresa between them? The range of perspectives?

5. BBC film, design for straightforward presentation and eventually television presentation? The direct and naturalistic style of film-making, the cutting and the editing, the score?

6. The opening with the presentation of the family, Dad shaving and smiling, Mother and the children and their roles within the house? The growing portrait of Dad, his going to work, his being sacked, his resentment, drinking, reaction in the house, looking for work, sitting around? His love for his children, the clashes with Con, especially as he was earning the money? Seeking work, bribing the official with the drink, spitting in his face when refused? His growing bitterness, anger at the priest, anger at the landlord and going after him in the street? His being humiliated? Looking for the cigarette stubs?(**butts?) The growing anger, going to listen to the fascists, getting the black shirt? Going on the job, encountering Liam at the house, the petrol bomb thrown and the effect on Teresa? His coming back at the end, going upstairs, not saying anything, Teresa's apology to him, his leaving? His future?

7. The portrait of the mother: in herself, the manager in the house, putting the money to the various accounts, not wanting charity from the Jewish family concerning the meat, not knowing about her husband getting the sack, the meals, the clothes? The clash with Aggie when she hit Liam, the fight in the street, the half-crown and Teresa giving it to her? Her love for her husband, his coming home, the sexual encounter between them and the smile? Going to Mass, communion? Ashamed of her husband and his outburst? Going to the pawnbroker? Glimpsing her at the end and her simply telling her husband that Teresa was upstairs? The portrait of the suburban and strong earth-mother?

8. Liam and his age, appearance, small? At home, watching everything with Teresa, at the stairs, at the pub window, smiling, playing? At school and ringing the bell? The classes, his reactions, bewilderment? Being late from home and getting the strap? His being puzzled by the talk about mortal sin? Looking at the book, the Dutch nudes, his glimpsing his mother, the pubic hair and his scruple? Going to the pawnbroker and getting more money? The importance of his stammer, its effect on him? Going to the movies? At the Samuels', playing, seeing his father, the petrol bomb? His combing his mother's hair, the end and his combing Teresa's hair?

9. Teresa and her age, her place in the house, looking after Liam? Going for the job, saying she wasn't a Catholic, at work, experience the Samuels family as nice? The mother throwing out the meat and her taking it home? The boyfriend taunting her about stealing? Finding Mrs Samuels kissing and her bringing in the tea? The letter from the boyfriend, concealing it from Mr Samuels? Knowing that Mr Samuels was overhearing his wife's phone call, Teresa warning her? Then weeping? Mrs Samuels giving her the money, the clothes, her friendship with Jane and trying on the dresses? Her not wanting to keep the money but giving it to Aunt Aggie? The clothes going to the pawnbrokers but her mother letting her keep one? Jane and the piano and her listening? The importance of her confession, saying that she had said she was not a Catholic, liking Mrs Samuels better than her own mother? The final visit, the confession to the family? The bomb, the Samuels wrapping her in the blanket and taking her in their car to the hospital?

10. The glimpse of life in the suburbs, the pub, New Year celebration, singing 'Kathleen', the kids watching, ordered to bed, Con vomiting after his drinking, the policeman and the club where there was not supposed to be singing and dancing, saying he had his eye on Liam? The IRA song versus the Orange song (and Liam singing it and his father forbidding it)? The knock on the window to wake up the workers? People going to work, people on the dole, the shipyards, the pink slips, the waiting to be chosen for work, not being chosen, the resentment? Aggie and Tom, Tom getting jobs, Aggie and her sister fighting in the street, Teresa giving the half-crown?

11. The theme of anti-Semitism, Mr Samuels as owner, going past in his limousine? The workers' reaction? The fine house, living in style? The fascist condemnation of the Jews coming in and accepting the 100,000 Irish and so lowering the wages? The linking of anti-Irish and anti-Jewish prejudice, Con attacking his father for this prejudice? The fascist speech and the repercussions on nationalism? The Jewish man in the pawnbroker's shop, bargaining for the money, the burning down of the shop and his grief? The Jewish landlord, collecting the money, the father attacking him and ridiculing him in the street for his religion and his money?

12. The church, the role of the priest, his visit during the meal, collecting the money, talking about the widow's mite? Masses, sermons? His being in class Mrs Abernathy and her explanation of sin, the white soul, becoming filthy, its stench, the need for confession; the priest and his talking about the nails in Jesus' hands (and Liam's later seeing crucifixes and images and hearing the sound of the hammer); the discussion about fire, the hottest fire and Hell, the various scenes of burning off, mending the road and the fire, Teresa and the fire; the discussion about eternity (taken from James Joyce), the nature of forever; the priest and his explanation of sacrilege; white souls and communion; Mrs Abernathy checking on the 9 am mass and communion; the first communion, Liam getting dressed and looking nice, suddenly eating the piece of bread, his mother taking him to the sacristy, his being shamed, allowed to go to communion, but the scene of his trying to swallow the host; his scruple about his mother, seeing the books, the nudity, his mother; not going to communion, the sermon on the gathering of people at the end of the world, Teresa not going to communion; his stammer and Mrs Abernathy saying because he was guilty; the class, with Mrs Abernathy; her urging him to go to confession; his going, saying the formula, then stammering, then singing; the priest and his sensible comment allaying the scruple, Liam with a sense of freedom; Teresa confessing; their mother going in and attacking the priest for whatever was happening; his going to communion, swallowing easily and being happy; going to class and being able to say he went to Mass and communion?

13. An examination of British history, church history, religions? In a humane drama?