RED RIDING
Red Riding consists of three films for television which are interconnected but can be seen as stand-alone films. Tony Grissoni adapted novels by David Peace (author of The Damned United) which treat corruption in Yorkshire during the 1970s and 1980s. The three films have titles: In the Year of Our Lord: 1974, 1980, 1983.
Each of the films has a separate director. The first was directed by Julian Jarrold (Being Jane, Brideshead Revisited). The second was directed by James Marsh (The King and the Oscar-winning Man on Wire). The third was directed by Anand Tucker (Hilary and Jackie, Shopgirl).
Each of the three films focuses on one central character but the other characters appear in and out of all the other films. In 1974, it is the young journalist played by Andrew Garfield (Lions for Lambs, Boy A) who begins to investigate a series of abductions of young girls. He comes up against the power of the police, against a developer played by Sean Bean, and becomes involved with the mother of one of the girls who disappeared (Rebecca Hall). The police are played by Warren Clark, David Morrisey, Neil Lewis. The film is grim, complex.
The 1980 film focuses on a police inspector, played by Paddy Considine (lead in many of Shane Meadows’ films), who is asked to lead the investigation into the Yorkshire Ripper. In fact, the background of the Yorkshire Ripper is kept somewhat in the background until Peter Sutcliffe is arrested (played by Joseph Mawle, who previously had played Jesus in the BBC film of The Passion). However, it is the picture of the police, their brutality, their cover-ups, their management of vice in the north which is at the centre of attention.
In the first two films, both of the central characters die giving a grim perspective to the possibilities for justice or redemption.
There are two centres of attention in 1983. The first is Mark Addy as a lawyer who is asked to take on the defence of the young man (Daniel Mays) who was imprisoned for the abductions but was not guilty. He was the victim of a police conspiracy. The police again appear, Warren Clark, Neil Lewis, as well as Jim Carter who was introduced in the second film. They form a band of brothers who want to control vice and have the motto that in the north they can do anything. However, another focus of attention is David Morrisey, who was part of the conspiracy, but had warned the young journalist in 1974 of what was happening and who has remorse. He was involved in torture – but is set on some kind of redemption and helping the young man who was accused as well as his friend who was also accused and then committed suicide in prison.
The films are particularly dark – and a number of commentators felt that the corruption in the Yorkshire police was exaggerated. However, a comparison from Australia, the Liberal government and the premier of New South Wales in the 60s and 70s headed up a similar kind of conspiracy of police corruption.
The films are an interesting addition to a look at society, history, social situations – as well as the role of the police.
RED RIDING: 1974
UK, 2009, 97 minutes, Colour.
Andrew Garfield, Anthony Flanagan, Sean Bean, Rebecca Hall, Sean Harris, Eddie Marsan, Daniel Mays, David Morrissey, Warren Clarke.
Directed by Julian Jarrold.
1.British history in the 70s and 80s? Life in Yorkshire?
2.The bleak perspective of the film, police and social corruption, developments and landowners? The credibility of police and death squads? The role of the media? Complicity?
3.The first of a trilogy, the focus on the media, police, social welfare, the law? The interconnectedness of the stories, each as a stand-alone story? Characters in the various stories, overlap of events?
4.The title, Yorkshire, Riding? The fairy tales – the innocent, the little girl wearing the red hood, the pack of wolves in Yorkshire?
5.1974 in the United Kingdom, government, the police, accountability?
6.The style of photography, dark, the locations, the press rooms, police precincts, homes, clubs, nursing home, mansion? The open roads, the underpasses, the gypsy site, the hills? The building sites? Realistic?
7.The violence of the period: murders, the abduction of children, Barry’s death, Eddie being bashed, the police bullies, killings, police torturing Eddie and throwing him out of the van? The violent ending and Eddie shooting Dawson?
8.The abductions, the press conference, the grieving parents, the other girls being murdered, their parents? The emblem of the swans during the opening credits, the episode of the mutilation of the swans, the wings of the little girl? The swans in Dawson’s cupboard? The body found on the supermarket development site? The graphic photos? Mrs Dawson's comments about her husband being careful, the bodies under the carpets? The young man accused of their abduction, slow-witted, in the court? Dawson admitting the truth, saying that he was no angel just before he was shot? His knowing Paula all her life, killing her daughter?
9.The police and the administration, no accountability, the burning of the gypsy settlement? The warnings to Eddie, breaking his hand? His interview with Barlow? Barry and his contacts, information, the drink, Barry’s challenge to him about being a decent man? His being bashed, tortured? Finally Maurice Jobson burning the evidence that Barry had collected?
10.Media, Ed and his time down south, returning to the paper, his interest in Dawson? John and his being a veteran, his experience, Eddie’s attack on him, his calling him Scoop? Eddie accusing him of being hand-in-glove with Dawson? The editor, his role, his comments about language, his giving information to Eddie, controlling him? The paper’s staff?
11.Barry, his conspiracy theories, liking Eddie, the information about Mrs Dawson, collecting the evidence, drinking with Eddie, his aphorisms about the lack of energy by one good man? His death, the accident, the shattered glass? The police at the death scene? Crawford and the discussion with Eddie? The funeral and the panegyric? P.J., his love for Barry, giving Eddie the documents? Crawford giving the documents to Jobson, his burning them – and the image of Barlow watching in the window?
12.The focus on Eddie, young, down south, the return, with his family, the press conference, the suggestion about linking the abductions, his research? The body being found, his going to interview the boy who found it, being taken to the site, the boy being under suspicion, his mother’s reaction? The minister present? Barry pointing out the role of ignorance, the police bashing of Eddie’s hand? His going to visit Paula, her bad reaction? Seeing her in the pub, her speaking to the police via Dawson? Going to her home, the affair? Barry’s death, the encounter with Dawson, the talk and Dawson’s threats? His moving out of home? Barry’s room and all the evidence, getting the bag of evidence from P.J? Paula, talking, following Paula to Dawson’s house, her disappearance? The explanation, his proposing that they go south, to the sun? His going to Mrs Dawson, pretending to be her nephew, getting the information but not understanding it? Going to Dawson’s party, shouting for Paula? His being picked up by the police, the grim torture, his getting the gun, going to shoot Dawson? Finally crashing into the police?
13.Paula, as a mother, her dead husband and his suicide, Eddie visiting her and her resentment, the pub, her reliance on Dawson all her life, the relationship with him? The affair with Eddie, preparing to leave, going to Dawson’s house, her death, Eddie seeing her body in the morgue?
14.Dawson, the developer, his financial trusts, the supermarket, the bigotry in his language, his discussions with Eddie, the warning, talking about his relationship with Barry and feeding him information? At home? The swans? The social, Eddie searching for Paula? At the club, the suddenness of his death?
15.The scapegoating of Michael Myshkin, in photography, his room, evidence, slow-witted, his not being the abductor and murderer?
16.Bob Craven and the other police, the ugliness of their behaviour, law unto themselves, the gruesome torture, playing jokes, throwing Eddie out of the van?
17.The nihilistic view of the film, with Eddie’s death, the seeming inability to uproot corruption?
RED RIDING: 1980
UK, 2009, 95 minutes, Colour.
Paddy Considine, Maxine Peake, Warren Clarke, Julia Ford, Kelly Freemantle, Joseph Mawle, David Morrissey, Peter Mullan, Lesley Sharp, Robert Sheehan.
Directed by James Marsh.
1.British history in the 70s and 80s? Life in Yorkshire?
2.The bleak perspective of the film, police and social corruption, developments and landowners? The credibility of police and death squads? The role of the media? Complicity?
3.The first of a trilogy, the focus on the media, police, social welfare, the law? The interconnectedness of the stories, each as a stand-alone story? Characters in the various stories, overlap of events?
4.The title, Yorkshire, Riding? The fairy tales – the innocent, the little girl wearing the red hood, the pack of wolves in Yorkshire?
5.1974 in the United Kingdom, government, the police, accountability?
6.The photography, the police precincts, offices, press conferences, clubs? The atmosphere of the Yorkshire Ripper? The interrogation room? Authentic? The score?
7.The Yorkshire Ripper focus? Peter Hunter and his being handed the task of heading the inquiry by the authorities, the interviews? Called in because of expertise, his setting up his team? Having Helen Marshall on the team? Bob Craven and the others? The nature of their investigations, research, documents? The interactions with the local authorities? Cooperative or not? Discovering the cover-ups? The various leads? The arrest and the interrogation of Peter Sutcliffe?
8.The public and their reaction to the Yorkshire Ripper, the television interviews, the people on the street, their concern?
9.Peter Hunter in himself, his abilities, previous work? Relationship with his wife? The affair with Helen in the past? The tension in their work, their discussions, talking about the past, beginning the affair again? His relying on her? The authorities, using this against him? His dismissal? His research into the Ripper’s victims? The issue of Clare Strachan?
10.The various victims of the Yorkshire Ripper? Over the years? The grief of relatives? Identifying the bodies? Clare Strachan as not fitting the pattern?
11.Clare Strachan, her work in the club, B.J. and friendship? The witnessing of the killings? Knowing that Craven was a criminal policeman? The differences, the questions? B.J. and Laws putting him forward? Discussions with Hunter? The further investigation, the link with John Dawson? The connections with the police? Craven and his brutality?
12.The relationship between Peter and his wife, tension, his love for her? The scenes at home? The burning of his home?
13.The officials, the commission for the inquiry? The press conference? The local authorities standing back?
14.The discussion with the local authorities, going out for the meal, the limits of the inquiry, collaboration, documentation?
15.The police, the leadership, the personalities, Molloy? Corrupt? The cover-up, the investigations?
16.The build-up to Peter Hunter being unwelcome, his investigations – his being shot?
17.The bleakness of the perspective of the film? The destruction of the Crusaders for Truth?
RED RIDING: 1983
UK, 2009, 97 minutes, Colour.
Mark Addy, David Morrissey, Jim Carter, Warren Clarke, Sean Bean, Sean Harris.
Directed by Anand Tucker.
1.The place of this third film in the trilogy? The links? Its capacity for a stand-alone film?
2.The focus on 1983, the continued murders, the role of the police, corruption? The links with 1974, the abductions, the characters in the earlier film, their reappearance, a different interpretation of action?
3.The locations in Yorkshire, the cities, the police precincts, the homes, the countryside? The musical score?
4.The background of 1974: the abductions, the images of swans’ wings, the cruelty? The police investigation, the cover-ups for John Dawson? Audiences’ assumptions that Dawson was the murderer? 1983 and another killing?
5.The focus on John Piggott, a failure, large, his father, returning to the city? His work? The friends of Michael Myshkin, their appeal to him? His going to prison, discussions with Michael? With his mother and other friends? His deciding that Myshkin was innocent? His investigations, his going to interview the other suspect? Interrogations? His suicide? The discussions with Maurice Jobson? What he uncovered? His vindication?
6.The contrast with Maurice Jobson, his presence in the other films, part of the corrupt police group? His relationship with Bill Molloy and Harold Angus? In the past, his investigations for the abductions of the girls, the links with John Dawson? The revelation that he had tipped off the young journalist? His growing remorse? The imprisonment of Michael Myshkin, his interrogating him, framing him? His trying to undo what he had done? The reaction of Angus and Molloy? Their threats? The contact with Martin Laws? The discussions? The role of Mandy Wymer, as a medium, the discussions with her, her giving the clues, authentic? The reaction of the other police? His relationship with her? His growing remorse, discussions with Piggott? The resolving of the mystery and his action?
7.Mandy Wymer, her role in the investigations, as a medium, her accuracy? Her relationship with Maurice Jobson?
8.Martin Laws, as a minister? His appearance in the previous films? Contributing? Supporting Eddie in his investigations? The revelation that he was in contact with Dawson? The revelation that he was the man behind the abductions and murders? The shock for audiences? The revelation of hypocrisy?
9.Leonard Cole, finding one of the bodies, as a suspect, interrogated, tortured, his family supporting him? Interviewed by Jobson? His killing himself?
10.Michael Myshkin, simple, the sex background? His arrest, his forced confession, the threats to him? His years in prison? The interview with Piggott, his not being in his right mind, Jobson coming to visit him? His relationship with Leonard Cole and shock at his death?
11.BJ, his role in the previous films, as a witness? His being in prison? Let out, discovering the truth, coming to confront Martin Laws? His not being able to kill him? The pathos of his life, seductions, behaviour in prison, the flashbacks to him as a child?
12.The revelations about characters in the earlier films, what actually happened, their lives, deaths? The introduction of flashbacks with John Dawson and a reminder of his role in 1974?
13.The cumulative effect of these three films? About society, police, laws unto themselves, corruption and greed, the condoning of violence, the brutal police methods? The overall pessimistic tone – especially when those who campaign to do good are defeated or killed?
