FEVER PITCH
UK, 1996, 98 minutes, Colour.
Colin Firth, Ruth Gemmell, Neil Pearson, Mark Strong, Ken Stott, Stephen Rea.
Directed by David Evans.
In London, the topic is football. Nick Hornby has adapted his autobiography as an Arsenal fan (fanatic), Fever Pitch, for the screen and provided a further small budget success, showing us life in the London suburbs, at the local school and, especially, the ardour and torment of watching matches.
Colin Firth, a long way from Mr Darcy, is the teacher and coach whose life is governed by seasons rather than years. Ruth Gemmell is the somewhat prim teacher who is attracted to him but not to the football. Many audiences, no matter what their code, are going to identify with this portrait of a sporting life. The film moves between the fan's childhood and his learning to love the game and the 1989 high point when Arsenal comes close to winning the cup and ... Fans and fanatics. The film was remade a decade later, transferred to the US and baseball, called The Perfect Catch, a star vehicle for Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon.
1.The popularity of Nick Hornby's autobiography? His adapting it for the screen? Instead of speaking straight to the audience, his constructing a narrative, the portrait of Paul Ashworth, his teaching, his relationship with Sarah, his devotion to Arsenal? The contrast between his love for the game (as well as that of his friends) and Sarah's lack of interest? Communicating the spirit of the fanatic in the printed page onto the screen via a story? How effectively did Hornby communicate his devotion to Arsenal and the repercussions of his life?
2.The London settings? The neighbourhood near the Arsenal stadium? Houses and streets, the school? The contrast between the '70s and the late '80s? Costumes and decor (and the changing times)? The musical background, the selection of songs from each era giving an atmosphere of the times?
3.The particularly English tone of the film? The focus on football? Fans, fanaticism? The competition? Within England? The popularity of soccer in Europe?
4.The fans and their knowledge of the game, their support, going to matches, their barracking? The moods when winning, when losing? The effect of supporting the football team throughout the week, throughout the season? Paul and his measuring time in terms of seasons rather than years?
5. Paul, his character, Colin Firth and his style, his life, unmarried, relationship with girls, the dominance of football? The meeting with Sarah, falling in love, the possibilities of a future, their life together, her work, how accommodating him, finding it difficult, the crises, her pulling out, his self-sacrifice, her responding, love for each other?
6. Sarah, her background, work, family? Her friends? The different world from football? The encounter with Paul? What they had in common? Living with that? The progress through the season? Her finding it difficult to cope, trying to let go, the final tests? Her realisation of love for Paul, prepared to sacrifice herself? The compromise for the future?
7. A pleasant romance, an entertaining sport story, Britain and the fanaticism about soccer?
