THE OLD OAK

UK, 2023, 113 minutes, Colour.

Dave Turner, Ebla Mari, Claire Rogerson, Jen Morrison, Trevor Fox.

Directed by Ken Loach.

Director,  Ken Loach, has been the foremost UK filmmaker on social issues. His first feature film, Cathy Come Home, appeared in 1967. The Old Oak at a screening at the Cannes Film Festival, 2023, just before Loach turned 87. So, in all probability, this is his last film, 55 years of exploring and promoting justice issues. In fact, he is the film director who was won most awards from Catholic Officers and Ecumenical juries.

He is in the north of England, Durham County. It is 2016. This is the year of the Brexit referendum vote, though it is not mentioned, but the criticism of its policies are very clear. It is also the period with a large number of refugees fleeing the Middle East, especially Syria, and decisions being made by European governments. This is not a film that would get the support of Nigel Farage and his followers.

As with so many of his films, Loach uses locals, many non-actors, for his authentic-looking-and-sounding cast. In the leaders Dave Turner (who did appear in I, Daniel Blake and Sorry, We Missed You, Loach’s previous two films). He is TJ, the owner of the local pub, The Old Oak, with its back room full of photos from the mining strike days, frequented by some of the old locals, rather depressed with his wife and child leaving. However, he helps out with some of the local charities.

And, we see him with a Syrian refugee family arriving in the town, the daughter, Yara (Ebla Mari in her first film), who has learned English and speaks it will, does the translations, a photographer – and, immediately one of the harassing locals takes her camera from her bag, fools around with it, breaks it. Yara later goes to TJ for some help and advice about her broken camera. This begins a strong friendship.

On the one hand, there are the old boys from way back, always at the pub, yarning together, hostile to the newcomers, wanting a meeting to discuss the issues – TJ refusing to let out the room. However, he does allow for local charities into the room, cleaning up, establishing a kitchen, providing meals for locals in need, especially of the refugees. He is helped by the very earnest, Laura.

Because the Cathedral at Durham is contributing to the charity, TJ and Yara visit the Cathedral, her first glimpse of something of the Christian tradition in architecture and worship, listening to a choir practice. (Since 1996, Ken Loach’s constant screenwriter is Paul Laverty, for some time in a seminary and the Scots College in Rome, who has brought a sense of spirit, spirituality and the transcendent to Loach’s films.)

Commentators have noted that there is more sentiment in this film than in many of the previous Loach films, and, indeed, despite all the problems and the antagonisms, a final sequence of everyone coming together, a huge banner and, during the final credits, a continuing protest/affirmation procession through the town.

A tribute to Ken Loach and his 55 year cinema career – and the issues he has espoused.

1. Final work of Ken Loach? Over half a century of social concern, forthright on issues?
2. The north of England, County Durham, the history of the mines, the closure of the mines, the consequences? The people of the village, long lives there? Migrants, hostile attitudes, racist attitudes?
3. The town setting, streets and houses, shops, the vistas of lines of similar houses, interiors, the musical score?
4. The title, the pub, the bar, the customers, the back room, disorder, cleaning it, using it for charity? The symbolism of The Old Oak?
5. 2016, Syrian migrants, all over Europe? The plight in Syria, violence, bombings, deaths of civilians, the migrant treks, the response in other countries of Europe? England?
6. Introduction to the family arriving, TJ and his help, the jeering onlookers, taking Yara’s camera, fooling around, breaking it, her reaction, tears? The Syrian background, language? Going into the house?
7. TJ and his story, his age, running the pub, the regular customers, going to school with Charlie, Charlie and his invalid wife, the chatter in the pub? Maggie as his assistant? His personal story, his wife leaving him, his son not speaking to him? The flashback to his attempted suicide, the arrival of the dog, fond of the dog, the walks, the threat of the big dogs and the boys, the dog racing into the woods, mauled to death, TJ and his grief, burying the dog on the seashore?
8. Yara, the visit to TJ, help with the camera, his taking her into the old room, the range of photos from mining times, solidarity, protests, those who eat together stay together…? Admiration? Yara, her age, story, learning English, speaking well, translating? Her place in her family, the absent father and the photos, the mother, the younger children, the boys at school, the bullying of the boy at school, its being on social media? Their life at home, managing? Other Syrian families in the town?
9. The scene with the children and the relay race, Linda and her collapse, Yara helping her, taking her home, in the kitchen, her mother arriving, severe response, ousting her? Her later coming to apologise, bonding, getting Yara to the hair salon to take the photos, the mothers’ later support, Linda and the flowers at the end?
10. Laura, charity work, friendship with TJ, delivering the parcels, people grateful? The help from the Church in Durham? Laura, discussions with TJ, the decision to redo the room? The resentment of the men in the pub, wanting to use it for a meeting about the migrant issues? TJ refusing because of repair and insurance? The exuberance of the renovation, the electricity, the kitchen, the crowds coming, the meals, the range of people, children? The collapse, the water and the flooding – and the young man revealing that the pub drinkers were responsible, TJ going to confront Charlie? And Charlie with his wife appearing at the end in support of the migrants?
11. The photos, Yara and her skills, the exhibition, the crowd, the musical accompaniment?
12. The visit to Durham Cathedral, Yara and the explanation of the Cathedral, the building, her visit, the choir practice, and TJ sitting in the Cathedral?
13. The Solidarity banner, huge? The promotion?
14. TJ, the collapse of the roof, the flooding, his exasperation, despair, going to the water, Laura rescuing him?
15. The finale, the celebration of the death of the father, the photos, the flowers, the tribute, the crowd?
16. The final credits, the flag and banner, the procession, Ken Loach’s final film and final images of hope?