RAINING STONES

UK, 1993, 90 minutes, Colour.
Bruce Jones, Julie Brown, Ricky Tomlinson, Tom Hickey,
Directed by Ken Loach.

Raining Stones is one of Ken Loach’s most typical films and very characteristic of his interest in ordinary people and the working class.

Loach made a great impression in the 1960s with his television dramas, including Cathy Come Home, as well has his early venture into cinema with Kes. For more than 50 years, Loach has produced numerous films, features and documentaries, and has contributed to the social consciousness of United Kingdom and beyond. It is interesting to note that Loach has received more awards than any other director from Ecumenical and SIGNIS juries.

From the early 1990s, Loach has made many films, with a ride range of social concerns.

This film is set in Manchester, highlighting poverty, unemployment, rogue behaviour by men out of work (stealing whatever they can, including sheep, selling the meat in the pubs). The film also highlights family, trying to cope with financial difficulties and the education of their young daughter. The Catholic church also features strongly in the film, the central character a devout Catholic, friends with the local priest. The local priest is certainly a very interesting character, participating in the training of the children for First Communion, chatting with his friend, giving him advice about not spending money on an elaborate First Communion dress, and receiving him with kindness when the loan shark dies in an underground parking lot.

There is a lot of humour in the film, especially in the family conversation discussing the nature of what happened in the Last Supper. And Ricky Tomlinson who appeared in Loach’s Riff Raff and went on to television fame in the royal family The Royle Family, has a lot of humorous moments.

But, the difficulties in employment, the dependence on loan sharks and their ruthlessness and threats to physical violence for families, means that there is a lot to take seriously in the film.

The screenplay was one of the last written Jim Allen who srote a number of Loach films, including the Spanish Civil War film, Land and Freedom, who has a strong sense of social justice and a strong sense of the life of the Catholic Church.

With his succeeding films, Loach relied on screenplays by former seminarian, Scots writer, Paul Laverty, starting with Carla’s Song in 1996.

1. A Ken Loach film? His career, social concerns over almost half a century? Slices of life?

2. The 1990s, social issues, employment and unemployment? Families?

3. The religious dimensions of the film, the Catholic church, Bob and his wife as devout, going to church, concerned about their daughter, the First Communion, wanting the best? Bob and his relationship with Fr Barry?

4. The locations, atmosphere of the mountains and the stealing of the sheep, contrasting with life in the town, the butcher, the neighbours, building sites, pubs, homes? The musical score?

5. The opening and Bob and Tommy with the sheep, the comedy, the introduction to stealing and the needs of the poor? Bob unable to kill the sheep? Taking it to the butcher? Mutton, the killing, Bob and Tom going round the pubs and cafes trying to sell the meat? Bob’s truck, it’s being stolen, Tommy leaving the keys in the truck?

6. Colleen, in the church, reading aloud about First Communion, her mother of the of the parents, the children, Fr Barry and his praise for Colleen? The details of preparation for Communion, not spoiling her love for Jesus, no drinking for one hour, listening carefully to the priest? The priest and his talk about Mother Church, age of reason, preparing for Communion, the parents preparing and teaching, a beautiful friendship with Christ? The initial picture of Fr Barry?

7. Bob at home, Anne and her being upset about the van stolen? The discussions about the Communion dress, the shoes, the amount of money?

8. Needing the truck, scaffolding jobs? Cleaning the drains? The collage of people turning him down, Fr Barry, the drain done for free, Bob and his being covered in shift, Fr Barry and clothes, the cup of tea, talking confidentially? Advising him not to buy the Communion dress, offering one from the parish, Bob and his pride, comparisons with the wealthy, wanting Colleen to have the dress for a most important day? Fr Barry saying that every man had a right to work?

9. Bob and his love for Anne, their arguments, the difficulties, the scene in the bedroom, Anne on the pill and her feeling she had committed a sin?

10. Bob going to the office, the discussion with his brother-in-law? The help? The contrast with Tommy and the helicopter, and his yelling out for a revolution?

11. Tommy, at home, his boys and their uniforms, playing soccer, his daughter and the loud music, that chat, his wife, the money issues? The irony of the club, the daughter and her drugs, Bob encountering her?

12. Going to the shop, the decision to buy the full outfit after looking at everything, not thinking about it? The follow-up with the scene at the meal, Bob trying to teach Colleen, the night before Jesus was crucified, the meal with his mates, a big tea, Jesus going to die? Colleen asking how did he know.? Because he was Christ! The wife starting to teach, Bob explaining the bread, holding it up, giving it to mates, this is me, then taking the cup – and asking Anne what was next? The discussion about this is my blood, not real blood, the cup of wine and being both blood and wine? Bob asking Colleen if she understood? Her saying no? His discussion about heaven, saying you couldn’t get in if you didn’t have Communion? Colleen still saying she didn’t understand? Bloody hell!

13. The application for the security job, the uniforms and their stinking, the jokes with the group, the conditions, going to the club, the dancing, Tommy’s daughter, the fight, his being sacked? The next job – and the stealing of lawn pieces from the Conservative Club?

14. The brother-in-law, saying religion was mumbo-jumbo, a few Hail Mary’s not fixing everything, saying Bob was walking around with guilt? His decrying the situation: no work, no hope, despair, drugs?

15. Buying the new van, the money deal, beginning again? The thugs bashing and Bob intervening? The women talking?

16. The loan sharks, the violence, and the intrusion into the house, the verbal violence towards Anne and the threats towards Colleen? The personality of the loanshark, his viciousness?

17. Anne trying the sewing job, her not being good at it?

18. Bob, his anger, getting the spanner, the attack on Tansy at the club, the fight in the car park, Tansy getting away and crashing? Bob taking his black book with the names and debts?

19. His going to Fr Barry, Fr Barry’s welcome, with coat and no collar, an ordinary man and priest? Asking what happened, sitting down in the kitchen, the explanation of the accident, Fr Barry hearing about Tansy and his loans? Fr Barry saying he thought Bob had more sense? Giving him the drink, Bob giving the book to Fr Barry and his burning it? Bob declaring he was a good Catholic, belief, going to church, but unable to put food on the table? Fr Barry’s advice, keeping the information to themselves, not telling Anne, not going to the police? why sacrifice of life for a worthless soul? Inviting Bob to confession, in the kitchen, in the name of Christ the bread of life? The verdict that Tansy was drunk on drugs and would have crashed the car by himself?

20. The church, Mass, the consecration, lay ministers, the distribution of Communion, the first Communion?

21. The photos, the group, Bob anxious, the police passing? The irony that his van had been found?

22. A detailed slice of life in the English cities of the 1990s?