Scum (1979)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Alan Clarke

Writer:

Roy Minton (writer)

Release Date:

12 June 1980 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama | Crime

Tagline:

The film they tried to ban! A brutal story of today.

Plot:

This is the hard and shocking story of life in a British Borstal for young offenders. Luckily the regime has changed since this film was made...

Plot Keywords:

No Music | Gay Interest | Male Rape | Rape | Greenhouse

Cast

Ray Winstone	...	Carlin
Mick Ford	...	Archer
Julian Firth	...	Davis
John Blundell	...	Banks
Phil Daniels	...	Richards
John Judd	...	Mr Sands
Philip Jackson	...	Greaves
Peter Howell	...	Governor
John Grillo	...	Goodyear
Ray Burdis	...	Eckersley
Alan Igbon	...	Meakin
John Fowler	...	Woods
Bill Dean	...	Duke
P.H. Moriarty	...	Hunt
Nigel Humphreys	...	Taylor

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Germany:16 (re-rating) (2006) | West Germany:18 (original rating) | Sweden:15 | Australia:R | Finland:K-16 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 (1980) | UK:18 (video rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Company:

Berwick Street Productions

Trivia:

Originally, Carlin was a Glaswegian but was changed to a Cockney when Alan Clarke saw a then unknown Ray Winstone walk in a unique way.

Goofs:

Factual errors: All Borstal inmates were subject to the same mandatory haircut of short back and sides, yet a vast array of hairstyles are shown throughout the film, including afros.

Quotes:

Richards: You can learn a lot in here if you use your loaf.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Little Britain: Biggest House of Cards (#1.5)" (2003)

difficult to watch, but worth seeing once

I've now seen this movie several times, although admittedly watching it can hardly be classed as a 'pleasure'. Alan Clarke made this feature after his TV play from two years earlier was banned, and perhaps had more freedom here to explore the issues.

Carlin (an early, showy appearance from Ray Winstone) is sent to Borstal where he quickly establishes himself as a tough boy with a regime of strength. Typical Winstone performance in many ways. In the prison with him are his shadow Richards (played by Phil Daniels); cynical, bare-footed Archer (Mick Ford, these days more often seen the other side of the law in such dramas as 'Silent Witness'); black inmate Angel (Davidson Knight); and quiet Davis, the boy who gets picked on for being a loner (a quite staggering performance from Julian Firth, who never really lived up to this early promise).

Scum is uncompromising - violent (there's a rape which leaves little to the imagination, a suicide, several fights); scathing in its condemnation of the 'system' (which thankfully is not like this now) - and yet finds time for character development and convincing plot. Without any music it is purely presented in documentary style, matter-of-fact 'this is how it is'.

Not a fun movie, but one which tries to make a point, and, if nothing else, has the power to shock and make you remember certain sections for a long time after viewing. Recommended.