Film of the week: The Damned United (15)

Damon Smith • Published 3 Apr 2009 10:30 0 Comments

The beautiful game is full of larger than life characters; men of boundless desire, on and off the pitch, who inspire lifelong devotion from the fans.

Key to any team's success is the manager: the architect of every hard-fought battle between the goal posts, who must weather the storm when players fail to perform.

In the annals of modern British football, Brian Clough remains one of the most charismatic, bullish and successful figures.

He is still the only domestic manager to win back-to-back European cups.

In August 2006, David Peace published his controversial book, The Damned United, about a tempestuous period in Clough's professional life during the 1974 season.

Friends and family reacted angrily to the depiction of Old Big ‘Ead as bullying and selfish.

Those same loved ones have predictably refused to watch Tom Hooper's film, adapted for the screen by Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon, The Queen).

They need not worry.

Steeped in nostalgia and blessed with an endearing performance from Michael Sheen as the so-called ‘greatest England manager we never had', this valentine to the former darling of Nottingham Forest shoots and scores on many levels.

The film opens in July 1974 with Brian and his two boys, Simon and Nigel, travelling to West Yorkshire to succeed Don Revie (Colm Meaney) as manager of Division 1 champions, Leeds United.

An impromptu interview with Granada TV, in which Brian openly criticises Revie's tactics, declares war against senior squad members including Billy Bremner (Stephen Graham), Johnny Giles (Peter McDonald) and Norman Hunter (Mark Cameron).

"I don't have to justify myself to you," Brian tells Johnny sternly after a disastrous start to the campaign.

"No, but come Saturday, there will be 40,000 people here who you do have to justify yourself to," retorts the player cockily.

Flashbacks to six years earlier reveal the seeds of Brian's dislike of Revie as he, and loyal assistant Peter Taylor (Timothy Spall), take Derby from the foot of Division 2 to the dizzy heights of Division 1.

The Damned United is an enthralling and largely affectionate tribute to a man who wears egotistical bravado like a comfortable, old jumper.

"I certainly wouldn't say I'm the best manager in the business, but I'm in the top one," he tells an interviewer boldly, concealing the fears we glimpse when he is alone, powerfully conveyed by Hooper during a rematch between the two clubs.

The Derby manager cannot bear to watch from the stands and emerges from the office convinced his team has lost; a wry smile spreading across Peter's face says otherwise.

Morgan's script elegantly navigates the timeframes, providing us with background to the rivalry that drives Brian to the brink of self-destruction.

Sheen's rapport with Spall galvanises the picture, with an amusing emotional payoff in the closing minutes when Brian has to grovel for Peter's forgiveness after a spat.

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This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 02 Apr 09

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