Scrubbers (1983)

Director:

Mai Zetterling

Writers:

Susannah Buxton (writer)
Roy Minton (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

16 March 1983 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

IT'S A CRIME WHAT PRISON CAN DO TO A GIRL!

Plot:

Two girls escape from an open borstal for two very different reasons; Annetta to attempt to visit her baby daughter...

Plot Keywords:

Girl | Lesbian | Prison | Reform School | Suicide

Cast

Amanda York	...	Carol Howden
Chrissie Cotterill	...	Annetta Brady
Elizabeth Edmonds	...	Kathleen
Kate Ingram	...	Eddie
Amanda Symonds	...	Mac
Kathy Burke	...	Glennis
Debby Bishop	...	Doreen (as Debbie Bishop)
Eva Mottley	...	Pam
Imogen Bain	...	Sandy
Honey Bane	...	Molly
Camille Davis	...	Sharon
Rachel Weaver	...	Gwen (as Rachael Weaver)
Dawn Archibald	...	Mary
Faith Tingle	...	Hilary
Lilian Rostkowska	...	Phyllis
Anna Mackeown	...	Eva
Dana Gillespie	...	Budd
Pauline Melville	...	Crow
Pam St. Clement	...	Strapper
Miriam Margolyes	...	Jones
Jacqueline Holborough	...	Daly (as Jackie Holborough)
Caroline Needs	...	Shaw
Olwen Griffiths	...	Mrs. Paddy
Carol Gillies	...	Miss Holly
Richard Butler	...	Governor
Brian Croucher	...	Leo
Timothy Kightley	...	Dr. Siles (as Tim Kightley)
Robbie Coltrane	...	Puff Guts
Jane Freeman	...	Sister
Steve Alder	...	Terry
Ken Shorter	...	Rex
Bradley Hardiman	...	Gary
Gemma Murphy	...	Alice (child)
Valerie Lilley	...	Nun (as Val Lilley)
Finola Keogh	...	Nun
Maggie Wright	...	Open borstal officer
Yvonne D'Alpra	...	Open borstal officer

Directed by
Mai Zetterling

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Susannah Buxton		writer
Roy Minton		writer
Jeremy Watt		writer
Mai Zetterling		writer

Produced by
Don Boyd	....	producer
George Harrison	....	executive producer
Denis O'Brien	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Michael Hurd

Cinematography by
Ernest Vincze

Film Editing by
Rodney Holland

Casting by
Beth Charkham

Art Direction by
Celia Barnett

Costume Design by
Susannah Buxton

Art Department
Adrian Start	....	supervisor painter

Sound Department
Bob Allen	....	sound recordist
Graham Harris	....	sound editor
Brian Paxton	....	dubbing mixer
John Poyner	....	sound editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Billy Merrell	....	electrician (as Bill Merrell)
Martin Testar	....	additional focus puller

Music Department
Ray Cooper	....	music supervisor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Richard Booz	....	transportation captain

Production Companies

• HandMade Films

Distributors

• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• Cannon Screen Entertainment (1987) (UK) (VHS)
• Fabulous Films (1995) (UK) (VHS)
• HandMade Films (1983) (UK) (theatrical)
• Orion Classics (1984) (USA)

Other Companies

• Film Wheels Ltd.  transportation
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:AA (original rating) | Iceland:16 | UK:15 (video rating) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Virginia Water, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

HandMade Films

Quotes:

Mac: [Mac's final song] A Borstal girl came home one day / To find her love had gone away / She asked him why he went astray / He turned to her, and he did say / "Once, you could have been my wife / If you had led a decent life / But you preferred a life of crime / So, back in side, and do your time."

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mayo: (#1.8)" (2006)

Familiar story is heavy handed

This is a film from the much respected Mai Zetterling and to be honest its clearly not one of her better efforts. We have all seen girls in prison/reform school type of films before and while the gritty atmosphere of the film is effective its still very familiar and bleak. I would have appreciated more of an effort to understand these girls instead of just having the characters put in situations and then watching them react. We know very little or nothing at all about most of these girls. I was interested in the two characters Carol and Eddie and I wish they had a script with a little more sharper vision to it. There is one scene that shows two girls fighting and it was in slow motion. Why is that one and only scene in slow motion? No reason for it. It looked very badly staged. English viewers will recognize a lot of the actress's in the film while Americans will probably only recognize Robbie Coltrane in an early effort. Film just didn't have an original angle in the way it was presented. To bad, some really talented people were involved in this production.