The Damned United

...the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat

by Bob Foster

One of the most exciting sporting events I've ever attended was a UEFA Cup qualifying soccer match between Amsterdam Ajax and Bochum in 1997 held in Amsterdam's home stadium. The max 70,000 crowd was like one living being, moving together, screeching together, breathing together. The final score was Ajax 6 to Bochum's 4, a high scoring game, that moved the home crowd to even greater heights of excitement. The atmosphere is difficult to imagine if one has never been to a crucial European soccer match.

The film Damned United takes the excitement of European soccer and brings it into the realm of Shakespearian tragedy while at the same time illustrating the old TV Sports adage of "the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat".

The story, based on a creative non-fiction “novel”, is essentially about real life Brian Clough http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Clough , one of the greatest soccer coaches ever in England and how after bringing Derby County from the bottom of second division to the top of the first division in the 60s/70s he took over Leeds United from Don Revie (of anything-to-win renown http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Revie ) who then became manager of the England national team. Brian's 44 days with Leeds was his "agony of defeat" hiatus that taught him how to deal with life more like an adult (and less like a “braggart out of his depth”) and the importance of excellent friends and help which he had in Peter Taylor - and which makes up the keen yet chaste “bromance” that underlies the whole story. Clough had a big mouth which got him into trouble and apparently he didn’t lose the lip (there is a clip of boxer Mohammad Ali talking about him) but learned how to use it more wisely, perhaps with some help from Taylor. The relationship with Taylor is contrasted against Clough’s rocky relationship with Revie and Derby chairman Longson.

Clough is played by Michael Sheen (David Frost in FROST/NIXON, Tony Blair in THE QUEEN). Taylor is played by Timothy Spall (SECRETS AND LIES and more recently HARRY POTTER). Don Revie is played by look-alike Colm Meaney, with Jim Broadbent (TOPSY TURVY amongst many other superb films) as the Derby chairman Sam Longson.

The title Damned United can refer to the damned period Clough spent with Leeds United but also how the pair of Clough/Taylor were temporarily damned then united then re-united after Clough worked his way through some pettiness to see the bigger picture that life as an adult has to offer. Apparently, there were still some ups and downs to come between the two but they aren’t mentioned in the film.

I liked the prudent and always clear flashbacks used to show how Clough got to his Leeds “damned” disaster and then a final flash forward to show just how much he really did learn.

I highly recommend the film for both soccer/”foootball” aficionados who like “guy” sports flicks though the game shots are few, but more for those who thoroughly appreciate a character study that shows how man can overcome tragic faults and finally become a human hero.

For a wealth of other reviews of the film see http://www.mrqe.com/movies/m100071909 and for cast/crew particulars see http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1226271/

****

...and here's J. Paul Higgins' take of the same film...

...enjoyable, but not quite a triumph

by j. paul higgins

On the surface The Damned United is a sports movie, a dramatization of the real-life career of English football manager Brian Clough from 1968 through 1974. Luckily for those with no real knowledge or interest in soccer, the film focuses on a more universal theme: a man struggling with success and failure in a rapidly evolving society at the dawn of the multi-media age. There are soccer sequences but surprisingly few.

The film starts as Brian Clough - the most successful young football manager in England - arrives to take a new job as the manager of the Leeds United, the top team in the top division. The team has dominated the game for years under the long-time management of Don Revie, who has moved on to lead the national team. On the way to his first day on the job Mr. Clough stops and gives a television interview. He scoffs at the idea that he will have any trouble filling Don Revie's shoes. He also brazenly states that the team may be winners but are also thugs and cheats and not worthy of being called real champions. The players and board of directors have heard about the interview by the time he arrives at work and not surprisingly Mr. Clough's first day on the job does not go very well.

Director Tom Hooper flips back and forth between Mr. Clough's struggles to succeed at Leeds and his earlier remarkable success in bringing Derby, a feeble second division squad from no hopers to the top of their division and then to the top of the first division. The flash backs are illuminating as we see how Mr. Clough's arrogance and ferocious ambition develop but are moderated by assistant manager Peter Taylor, Clough's long-time friend, partner and collaborator. Importantly Taylor did not follow Clough to Leeds and we learn that many people see this a big problem. Also in the flashbacks we see how the rivalry between Clough and Don Revie developed and turned into a personal feud.

The cast is excellent. Clough is portrayed by Michael Sheen (David Frost in Frost/Nixon, Tony Blair in The Queen). Colm Meaney (The Snapper, Gene Hunt in the original version of Life On Mars) plays Don Revie. Peter Taylor is portrayed by Timothy Spall (Beadle in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street). The cast also includes several excellent British character actors.

The movie is very good at evoking the mood of Britain in the late-60s and and early 70s, divided by class and regional bickering but beginning to open to the outside world. Clough as portrayed by Michael Sheen is a fascinating and strangely sympathetic character despite his screaming fits, pettiness and overwhelming arrogance. The plot is intriguing and interesting enough to be enjoyable. And yet ...

In the end I was left with the feeling of a near miss. I think the director was very ambitious, trying to explore the complexity of Clough's personality, the symbiotic relationship between Clough and Taylor and the evolving business of professional sports all without driving away the non-sports fan. For me the Clough and Taylor relationship somehow did not ring true, leaving a nagging hole at the centre of the film. An enjoyable film but not quite a triumph.

j. paul higgins


Damned United (1:40) : is opening at the AMC this Friday: 12:10, 2:45, 5:15, 7:45, 10:10