For Queen & Country (1988)

Director:

Martin Stellman

Writers:

Martin Stellman (writer)
Trix Worrell (writer)

Release Date:

19 May 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama

Tagline:

He's older, he's wiser, but times have changed.

Plot:

A retired British soldier struggles to adjust to everyday life, with increasing difficulty.

Plot Keywords:

Falklands War | Interracial Relationship | Prejudice | 1980s | Poverty

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Denzel Washington	...	Reuben James
Dorian Healy	...	Tony aka Fish
Sean Chapman	...	Bob Harper
Graham McTavish	...	Lieutenant
Geff Francis	...	Lynford
Frank Harper	...	Mickey
Craig Fairbrass	...	Challoner
Michael Bray	...	Bryant
George Baker	...	Kilcoyne
Bruce Payne	...	Colin
Stella Gonet	...	Debbie
Colin Thomas	...	Feargal
Tatiana Strauss	...	French Girl #1
Valérie Chassigneux	...	French Girl #2
Brian McDermott	...	Harry
Lisa O'Connor	...	Haley
Anselm Peters	...	Oscar
Amanda Redman	...	Stacey
Carlton Dixon	...	Stylee
Mike Smart	...	Peelhead
Peter McNamara	...	Pete
Chris Pitt	...	Chris
Debbie Killingback	...	Lobby Girl #1
Suzette Llewellyn	...	Lobby Girl #2
Judith Conyers	...	Lobby Girl #3
Paul McKenzie	...	Sean
Jo Martin	...	Pearl
Beverley Michaels	...	Party Girl
Alison Rowley	...	Party Girl
Linda Henry	...	Kim
Charlie Appleby	...	Fairground Stallholder
Dan Armour	...	Drunken Man Pissing in Elevator
Stewart Harwood	...	Cab Office Owner
Ken Stott	...	Civil Servant
Peter Spraggon	...	Landlord
James Warrior	...	L.E.B. Man
Jimmi Harkishin	...	Sadiq (as James Harkishin)
Joginder Singh Lal	...	Sikh Minder
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Linda Stevenson-Khan	...	Party Girl (as Linda Khan)

Directed by
Martin Stellman

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Martin Stellman		writer
Trix Worrell		writer

Produced by
Tim Bevan	....	producer

Original Music by
Michael Kamen

Cinematography by
Richard Greatrex

Film Editing by
Stephen Singleton

Casting by
Leo Davis

Production Design by
Andrew McAlpine

Art Direction by
Charmian Adams

Costume Design by
Sandy Powell

Makeup Department
Heather Jones	....	hair stylist
Morag Ross	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Sarah Cellan-Jones	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Bennett Jr.	....	second assistant director
Peter Bennett	....	first assistant director
Terry Blyther	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Sue Bowcott	....	property buyer
Don Bradburn	....	dressing props
Paul Bradburn	....	stand-by props
Laurence Dorman	....	storyboard artist
Charlie Leon	....	assistant art director
David Reilly	....	property master
Mark Reynolds	....	location property master
Bill Stallion	....	storyboard artist

Sound Department
Kevin Brazier	....	dubbing editor
Simon Fraser	....	sound mixer
Steve Hancock	....	sound camera operator
Martin Jackson	....	sound maintenance
Peter Maxwell	....	dubbing mixer
Andy Stears	....	assistant dubbing editor
Mike Turner	....	location sound recordist

Special Effects by
Arthur Beavis	....	special effects

Stunts
Gareth Milne	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
David Appleby	....	still photographer
Tony Breeze	....	focus puller
Dennis Brock	....	gaffer
Jack Collins	....	electrician
Tommy Finch	....	best boy electric
Terry Goddard	....	electrician
Russell Hopkins	....	assistant camera
John Jordan	....	assistant camera
Nick Ray	....	camera grip
Bob Snoots	....	electrician
Malcolm Vinson	....	camera operator
Richard Wyn-Hughes	....	camera trainee

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Daryl Bristow	....	wardrobe master
Sue Honeybourne	....	wardrobe supervisor
David Whiteing	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Anthony Morris	....	first assistant editor
Mark Sale	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Simon Goldenberg	....	composer: additional music
Simon Goldenberg	....	music mixer
Geoff MacCormack	....	composer: additional music
Geoff MacCormack	....	music mixer
Stephen McLaughlin	....	music mixer
Rob Warr	....	music coordinator

Transportation Department
Adam Goodman	....	action vehicle coordinator

Other crew
Alison Barnett	....	location manager
Bernard Bellew	....	floor runner
John Clements	....	stand-in
Julia Duff	....	production assistant
Tim McDonald	....	location assistant
Richard Morrison	....	title designer
Rob Partridge	....	armorer
Quentin Pierre	....	stand-in
Lissa Ruben	....	script supervisor
Fran Triefus	....	production coordinator
Marc Wolff	....	helicopter pilot

Production Companies

• Working Title Films
• Zenith Entertainment

Distributors

• Atlantic Releasing Corporation
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (video)
• Elephant Films (2002) (France) (all media)
• Kurt Media (2007) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:M | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire, England, UK

Company:

Working Title Films

Trivia:

First cinema film of Ken Stott.

Soundtrack:

A Matter of Time

A Heroes Welcome?

The first time I saw this film was back in the early Nineties, and I hadn't really heard of Denzel Washington either, therefore I presumed I was watching a low budget film about a Falklands Veteran returning to life in Civvy Street.

What I actually got was an eye opener about Life within Her Majesty's Armed Forces versus Life on the outside. Reuben, having been discharged from 2 Para, returns to London after a tour of duty in Northern Ireland and the Falklands, where he was decorated as a war Hero. However, given his vocation to his country, he finds interviews for jobs surprisingly difficult to arrange, even though they were sorted out by his careers officers in the army. Within time, he realises his illustrious army record holds no sway in everyday life.

This film makes you realise how easy it is to fall into the criminal side of life as Reuben becomes a body guard to a drug dealer. The ending is as grim as his life has become, therefore don't expect a smart, streetwise, cocky character to race through the film avoiding trouble. This is a Gritty urban Drama. I felt that as you watch Reuben's hopes for the future fade away, there truly is no justice for the little man.

Washington's British accent is impeccable, you would believe he was born, and lived his life in Milwall or Bermondsey. I read an interview that he learnt the native accent by getting drunk for a fortnight in London.