Yet another
pleasant surprise of the cinematic variety dear readers! I had seen this film
before, on DVD shelves and the like multiple times. I never, ever thought I
would like it. The main reason for that is the fact that I know pretty much
nothing about football. I mean I know, I should know by now that sports films
“dumb down” the sports element considerably (with some notable exceptions like
Moneyball for example , half of which I did not get at all due to a lack of
baseball knowledge. I enjoyed the film a
lot mind you – but that’s another story). I only ended up picking it up because
(as you know) I have a bit of a soft spot for true stories. I’m glad I did. I
really, really am.
Brian
Clough (portrayed here rather superbly by Michael Sheen) is the manager of Derby at the beginning of
our story. He and his long-suffering assistant Peter Taylor (Timothy Spall)
have had a track record of being a bit of a “wonder treatment” for teams.
Taking seemingly ailing teams, they seem to think nothing of boosting them all
the way up to the top of the first division. However, successful they may be, a
picture of harmony, they most certainly are not. Brian Clough was a brilliant
footballer in his day, one of the top scorers Britain has ever seen, however he
is a very difficult man to work with. Headstrong, extremely outspoken and at
times almost completely consumed by ambition, it is all the long suffering Peter
Taylor can do to rein him in. And then there is, of course, the matter of his
deeply personal vendetta, bordering on obsession, with Dom Revie, the legendary
manager of Leeds United. It is partly this obsession that pushed Clough to
unceremoniously drop all other engagements when he is offered Revie’s job.
There is, however, one problem. Peter Taylor is refusing to go with him. I will
not attempt to hide the historical fact that Brian Clough’s appointment to the
position lasted a mere 44 days, one of the shortest of its kind. But how did
this come about? Hold onto your hats guys and dolls, this is going to be a very
bumpy ride indeed…
I really
admire Michael Sheen in this role. He very successfully manages to put across
two very contradictory emotions. On the one hand, you want to openly strangle
Clough for his lack of manners alone, much less the way he treads on Peter
Taylor’s toes and treats his players. But yet again, as we get to know him a
bit better, alongside this will to strangle, as it were, you also desperately
want him to succeed. Even though you know in your heart of hearts, he is well
and truly doing it ALL wrong. It is rather sad that despite the upbeat end to
the film, the two men ended up having another massive fight and not talking
again until Taylor’s sudden death in the 1980’s. The film itself is, however, a
rather wonderful reminder that although ambition , grand gestures and
headstrongly following your own fate are all admirable things, they cannot get
you as far as you may have hoped without the hand of temperance to guide you.
The film
itself does not follow a linear storyline as such, but then again it is very
easy to follow. There is not much lingering on the football side of the film so
even the complete football novice (me for example) can follow the action with
joy and ease. I also found it quite endearing that the film was often mixed
with actual archive footage of the matches – and of course the characters.
The Damned
United will frustrate you. It will have you yelling at the screen and tearing
out your hair. But, in a rather perverse sort of way, I can almost guarantee
that you will love it. And if that doesn’t make sense, well, you’re just going
to have to watch the darn thing and see what I mean.
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