BILLY ELLIOT

UK, 2000, 107 minutes, Colour.
Jamie Bell, Julie Walters, Gary Lewis, James Draven.
Directed by Stephen Daldry

The original title of this movie was Dancer. A great hit at the Cannes Film Festival, a decision was made that it would do much better avoiding 'dancer' and focussing on the name of the young boy whose story it tells, Billy Elliot. It is a very entertaining movie and should have audiences both laughing and crying.

Lee Hall's screenplay includes all the expected fights with father and brother about sissy dancing as well as discussions about equating dancing with sexual orientations. This gives the film a great deal of bite. The relationship between Billy and his father is well drawn, the working man who has never travelled, whose life is focussed on the mine, his family and his mates and who is challenged to come to terms with a son who has great ability as a dancer.

This is theatre director, Stephen Daldry's first movie, made with great assurance. (He went on to direct The Hours for which Nicole Kidman won her Oscar as Virginia Woolf, as well as the stage adaptation of Billy Elliot as a musical with score by Elton John). Particularly striking are several sequences where Billy dances exuberantly with his teacher (a rather acerbic but generous Julie Walters). He also dances vehemently to vent his anger with his family, to show his father what it all means to him. There is vehemence as well in his audition.

Billy's father sees him dance. Billy wants to show him the energy (and anger) that boils inside him. His father finally acknowledges his son's talent. To pay for Billy's trip to London to the Royal Ballet, he crosses the picket line. The other miners stop him and agree to raise the money for Billy. He and his dad travel to London for the audition where Billy is aggressively outspoken in his responses to the judges but dances powerfully. He is offered a place.

Years later, his father and Tony go to see the adult Billy dancing the lead role in Swan Lake.

Jamie Bell is completely convincing as Billy. When we first see him at home, and with his boxing gloves, he does not seem to be a natural dancer. When we see him finding the lessons so difficult, falling off balance, we really believe he cannot yet dance. Perhaps you have to be a very good dancer to act being unable to dance. This means that his performance rings completely true in terms of both acting and dancing.

1. The impact of the film? Popularity? World-wide appeal?

2. The northern England settings, the town, the mines, the homes, pubs, the hall for the boxing and the ballet? The contrast with London, the parks and gardens, the stately mansion and its interiors?

3. The range of songs, the songs of the 80s, the use to illustrate characters and situations: ‘I Love to Boogie’, ‘Children of the Revolution’ etc? Swan Lake?

4. The importance of choreography, the contemporary dance styles, the classical ballet?

5. The blending of the story of the boy with ambitions and dreams, family difficulties, social difficulties, the clash of expectations?

6. The introduction to Billy, audiences liking him, his age, his leaps during the credits, preparing his grandmother’s breakfast, getting her back after she wandered? Sharing the room with Tony, Tony and their clashes, his playing Tony’s records? His love for his father, the situation of the mines, the strike? His work at school, friendship with Michael?

7. The home environment, poverty, the workers on strike, the room and sharing with Michael, the house, the piano – and having to chop it up for firewood during the strike? The scenes of the street, the little girl on the street, the neighbours? Mrs Wilkinson’s house, the hall, the pub?

8. The background of the 1984 strike, the political implications, Margaret Thatcher’s government? The picket lines, the role of the unions? The verbal abuse to the scabs, the buses? The encounter with the supermarket and the confrontation between the Elliots and the scab friend? The violence, Tony wanting to take the hammer? The police and the chases, Tony running through the houses, the sheets and his being caught? Billy watching the police? The scenes of the police with armour and batons? The father and his going on the bus, his changing sides, looking out on the picket, seeing Tony? Inside the fence, his weeping? The pub at the end, the announcing of the unions climbing down and the end of the strike? The good wishes from the chairman of the ballet board?

9. The picture of Billy, at school, the boxing lessons, curious about the ballet, Mrs Wilkinson and Debbie, the lessons, his being quiet, at home, practising in the mirror, failure to have balance, falling? Scenes at school, his success with the ballet? The ‘I Want to Boogie’ sequence with the collage of the other members of the family? His father seeing him dancing, the surprise, the disgust, the stern reaction? His father confronting Mrs Wilkinson? Mrs Wilkinson and her offering the lessons, praising his talent? His going to her house – and the frank talk with Debbie about her parents’ sexual relationship? His father and his anger, his being forbidden to dance, Tony and his mocking him? The vigorous dance in the street and his kicking and dancing, expressing his feelings through dance? The strike, his having to go to the audition, the phone call and Debbie hanging up, Mrs Wilkinson coming to the house?

10. Michael and his friendship, Billy visiting the house, his wearing the dress, his talk about his father? The discussion about poofs? Michael kissing him, swearing him to silence? Billy’s taking Michael to the hall, the tutu, their talk, the dance, the man getting Billy’s father to see them? His anger with his father, confronting his father through the dance? The memories of his mother, at the refrigerator, the importance of the letter and Mrs Wilkinson reading it aloud? The pain of loss of his mother? The visits to the cemetery, especially with his grandmother?

11. The portrait of Billy’s father, an ordinary man, his memories, his grief at the death of his wife, a miner all his life, never travelling south of Durham, the strike, Tony with him? His arguments against ballet, his expectations? Dealing with his shock? The Christmas celebration and his weeping? Chopping the piano to pieces for firewood?

12. The effect of the change on him, his admiration for Billy’s talent, in the bedroom watching his son with pride? The question of money, his decision to be a scab, the effect on him, the bus ride, his weeping? Planning to get the money, the support of friends, the raffles at the pub? Taking Billy to London in the bus, waiting for him, urging him on?

13. The portrait of Tony, his relationship with his brother, attitudes, anger at the strike, his violence, being pursued by the police, his rudeness to Mrs Wilkinson, his supporting Billy at the end, seeing him off?

14. The audition, Billy as nervous, the examination of his physical health and condition, his wanting to pull out? The dance for the board? His inarticulateness in answering the questions? In the changing room, the friendly boy, punching him? His being sat with his father to be questioned by the board? The head and his comments? The question about how he felt – and his expressing himself in metaphors, light, electricity?

15. The family waiting for the letter, its arrival, sitting in the kitchen, Billy in his room, quietly reading and waiting, his quietly telling them that he had been accepted?

16. The mines, going back to work, Billy’s father and brother resuming their ordinary life? The change for him and his going to the ballet school?

17. The Underground in London, the father and brother, hurrying into the theatre, their seats, meeting Michael, their pride in Billy’s performance? Billy on stage, his dancing?

18. The effect of the film and its message for family, fathers and sons, parental expectations and impositions, a child’s talent and dreams?