THAT DAY WE SANG

UK, 2014, 90 minutes, Colour.
Michael Ball, Imelda Staunton, Jessica Gunning, Daniel Rigby, Malcolm Sinclair, Conleth Hill, Sophie Thompson, Harvey Chaisty, Ian Lavender.
Directed by Victoria Wood.

This is a delightful film made for television, which will charm older audiences especially.

It is a project by Victoria Wood, a tribute to Manchester and its history, especially the recording by a children’s choir of the city in 1929 of Henry Purcell’s Nymphs and Shepherd’s. Victoria Wood has written the screenplay as well as directed the film. Very Victoria Wood characters from her plays, television series, very domestic – but, in terms of human nature and experience, transcending the domestic.

The film is a musical and Victoria Wood has composed the music as well as written the lyrics – which are very much in the vein of her practical poetry with its touches of earthiness and niceness of sentiment.

The film takes place in two time zones, in 1969 with the television program celebrating the 40 years of the recording and the bringing together of two middle-age people who were part of the children’s choir. They arrive to give interviews for the making of the television program, go to the house of the pompous host for a screening, go to a dinner at the invitation of the host and his petty and snobbish wife, feel put down (as they are) and together have a cup of tea to reflect on what has happened.

He is Tubby, played with great geniality and the best of niceness by stage star of music theatre, Michael Ball. She is Enid, played by veteran actress in Imelda Staunton (Vera Drake) who has also appeared in musical theatre in the UK. They work exceedingly well together.

In the flashbacks to 1929, Tubby is a thin little boy, Jimmy Baker, played by Harvey Chaisty, his father has left, his mother is embittered, who succeeds in the audition, befriends one of the teachers, Mr Kirkby (Daniel Rigby), a victim of a sniper in World War I, whom Jimmy helps with his walking, their becoming friends, Mr Kirkby then doing his best for Jimmy, despite his mother’s not wanting him to go to the making of the recording.

Tubby appears often in Jimmy’s life, even to helping him to get to the recording.

And there are the songs. Tubby has several for himself, as does Enid. And they have duets (as do Tubby and Jimmy) – one is very imaginative, ‘Life is like a movie’ with Rogers-Astaire? homage. And Enid has a homage to the movies with song and dance routines.

The plot does have some complications, Tubby and his mundane life, his mother just dead. Enid is a secretary in a relationship with her boss. This does lead to some soul-searching, honesty – and love.

A very nice film in the best sense.

1. The tone of the title? Memories, the event, nostalgia, memories of childhood, later regrets, the transition to middle age?

2. The work of Victoria Wood, her writing, direction, songs and her poetry in the lyrics, the music?

3. The success of the film as musical, the real story, 1929, 1969, the children of Manchester, the choir, singing Purcell, Nymphs and Shepherds? The songs for Tubby, for Enid? For Jimmy? The range of duets? The older Tubby with his younger self? Frank and his wife and the restaurant song? The dancing, Tubby and Enid, Enid and her range of routines? Happiness Street? The insertion of the songs – and the revelation of characters and feelings?

4. And the film moving to and fro in time, the effect? And the older Tubby inserted into the past story of his childhood?

5. The opening, 40 years memorial, the television program, due and his reminiscences, weeping? Enid saying it was joyful? Frank, hosting, the invitation to the screening?

6. The party at his house, his wife eating all the biscuits? Anger about the show and his being cut? His wife, and, resignation? The invitation to Tubby and Enid to dinner, the lavish restaurant, the waiters, the stylised aspects, the menu, the variety of courses and their being removed? The irony of Frank and his wife singing and their snobbery about their way of life? Tubby and Enid walking out?

7. Michael Ball as Tubby, his name, appearance, aged 50, genial? Going back to his as a little boy, small and thin, aged 10, his relationship with his mother, at home, his father leaving and his mother’s anger, the man with his gift of the gramophone and the mother’s reaction? Wanting to be in the choir, arriving late for the audition, his being accepted? Enjoying being in the choir? The woman in charge and conducting, her standards? Mr Kirkby, the First World War veteran, Vimy Hill and the sniper, his quoting the Scriptures? Jimmy’s offer to help him, his bad leg, leaning, walking slowly, Jimmy and his cheerfulness? Gift of cake, Jimmy giving it to his mother? Mr Kirkby bringing him home after the concert, asking her to let Jimmy go for the recording? The neighbour and gossip about Mr Kirkby’s visit, Jimmy’s mother’s reaction and her forbidding him to get? Jimmy and the visit from Tubby, singing, open window, Jimmy getting out, his running, going to the side, the balcony, dropping down, Mr Kirkby teaching him, explaining to the conductor sometimes had shellshock and could not remember?

8. The doorman, helping Tubby the ladder, Tubby recognising him? Helping Enid with his name, and her joy in realising who Jimmy was?

9. Tubby working in insurance, his mother’s, not liking music, her death, loneliness, Roger setting the table, his meals? The pleasure of encountering Enid? The invitation to come to the office, meet Pauline and the boss and his snub? Pauline urging on Enid, the discussions, lunch in the square, tentative conversation, the imaginative song, if Life were a Movie…, Costumes, Rogers and Astaire, the dancing? The discussions, the yoghurt? Enid explaining she was seeing someone? Pauline intervening, the pasty and chat? Enid deciding to tell Tubby the truth, Tubby’s reaction, the issue of deception, responsibility, the children?

10. Enid coming to the house, getting the address from Frank? Plain spoken? Not expecting more from Tubby? His relenting, apology, going to see the boss, with the gift of the cactus? The boss in a meeting, Pauline and the intercom, Tubby and his challenging the boss, the boss and his insulting Enid, everything heard about him through the intercom and about his affair?

11. Tubby and his reaction, leaving, Enid deciding to leave despite the boss’s plea? The gift for Pauline?

12. Enid, her life, her sister, work, Pauline and solidarity, even in diet? The affair, her boss, his using her, never going to leave his wife? Telling Tubby, hurt by him, her decision to leave?

13. Pauline, nice, married, fat, the diets, secretary, liking Tubby, urging Enid, the final gift?

14. Mr Kirkby, World War I, the sniper, his injury, stern, quoting scripture, discipline? His being touched by Jimmy’s friendship, walking home, relying on him, encouraging him, the gift of the cake, discussions with his mother?

15. The choir, the children, the exhilaration, the teacher and her instructions? The conductor, his prestige, announcing the record, conducting – and his memories of World War I?

16. A Manchester story, tribute – and a story of British joyfulness?