Keep your enemies close but your family closer…
You can choose your friends but you’re born with your
family. I felt a bit nervous watching this one given my Dad was a policeman in
Liverpool but then again there was Uncle Les and whilst I knew he was a wrong
‘un, nobody ever told me why. Michael Head’s a Bermondsey boy and he’s
previously included details of his fascinating family background in his
theatrical work, specifically the excellent Time (2020), they drive him
forward and as he says in the introduction, he wouldn’t have it any other way;
how can you not?
This new film, his first full feature, is loosely based
on real events mixed no doubt with family legend from his grandad’s generation
and inventions all his own. Throughout its twisting and innovative narrative,
there are surprises and delights in equal measure whilst it’s also as funny and
it is heartfelt. If you’ve ever wondered how The Sopranos would play out
in South London, Bermondsey Tales is your answer and Michael even throws
in a bunch of Roman references to add Italian flavour.
These tales from the underground are from an age of
criminal chivalry and a code of conduct that rationalised the violent side of
their work as the only means of protecting the good people in their lives;
family and friends, from men like themselves. Michael grew up listening to
these stories in the pubs and clubs of SE16 and as much as they were based on
actual criminal activity, the best ones were always the funniest ones even if
the humour was dark.
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| Michael Head at a car boot sale |
The Code meant that they would only ever battle their own
and that innocents would never be harmed even if they were relieved of some
excess wealth as happens when one Rosemary Hatfield (Vicki Michelle) is given a
lift to her grand abode by a friendly cabbie who calls on one of the gang,
Skats (Alan Ford, a man who’s been in everything with a CV stretching
back to Truffaut’s Fahrenheit 451 (1966)!) who pops round dressed as a
policeman to relieve her of her biggest jewels and even make her a cup of tea…
The cast is sprinkled with such talent and I was a little
stage struck at the premier in the O2 multiplex; Linda Robson – an actor I’ve
pretty much grown up with from CFF films, Survivors and Pauline’s Quirks
onwards - was set on the couch next to mine! She plays Kath (very loosely based on
Michael’s late grandmother) whose husband Mick Roman is played by Gary Webster,
the head of the family firm and carrying the gravitas as well as the quick wit
to flavour the comedy. This is a gritty film but not in a Guy Richie way, it’s
warmer and the humour comes from people laughing at themselves and the “there
but for the grace of God…” moments of chance that can make the difference from
a stretch inside or a long break on the beach.
The stories are linked together by the power struggle
over the future of the firm, two brothers nicknamed by the smarter of the two,
Henry (Michael Head) who is the self-styled Romulus to his step-brother Jimmy’s
Remus (Charlie Clapham), the latter all Brutus-force to the former’s ability to
play the fiddle whilst everything burns. Henry was adopted as his child by his
uncle after his father George (Frank Harper) was the victim of a professional
killing in their home – nobody knows hy who or for what reason but all my
become clear. We see George in flashback in a jewel robbery in which he gets on
rather well with the young shop assistant (Jade Bovington) – I suppose workplace
romances can take place on the job too.
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| John Hannah tries to make a point |
Everyone delivers of their best and there’s such spirit
in even in the cameos and smaller roles. As Michael says in an interview,
“there’s film you write, the film you shoot and the film you edit…” and the
script and story evolved around certain performers with, for example, John
Hannah’s manic Postman episode one such example of allowing the madness to flow
around this character’s paranoid energy as he calls in the lads to help protect
him from being spied upon by parties unknown. Hannah riffs superbly off Charlotte Kirk as his wife Olivia who gives as good as she gets; direction here
allowing the team to improvise and ramp up the ridiculous in the most natural and chaotic of ways.
The excellent David Schaal – who was also in Time
– plays Charlie, Mick’s elder brother and father to the scheming Chloe, played
by Eastenders and Strictly star, Maisie Smith who delivers the
glam and guile – do not get on the wrong side of this woman. It’s, literally,
in the family though as Henry’s plans are slowly revealed after an opening
segment in which it looks like he won’t last five minutes let alone the whole
film. Like I said, the narrative is twisty and keeps you guessing as every
story provides more foundation for the breathless finale.
There’s superb support from Vas Blackwood wearing a most unconvincing syrup as well as Eddie Boxshall as Hippy Bill – the clue is in the name – Rohit Nathaniel, and Daniel O’Reilly (also in the Time play) who tells a great tale of a drunk and improbable evening of thwarted romance which, as those of us who’ve drunk and dabbled will know, is far from the hungover truth.
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| Messrs Nathaniel, O'Neill, Clapham, Head, Blackwood and Ford |
There are plenty of laughs and a furious pace that allows
the characters and the conversations to breath but, this being the nature of
the business, they’re be plenty to worry about come the Ides of March or in this case, May.
It’s great to see an independent film with this level of
ambition and it was a privilege to mix with the cast and crew for a packed out
premier south of the river at the O2. At a time when the arts in Britain are
dominated by middle class voices it’s also good to see this kind of authentic
contribution from a culture most of us recognise whichever side of the line our
forebears trod. Whatever the bloody Guardian says, this one's from the heart!
I look forward to more but remember, Rome wasn’t built in
a day, it took weeks.
Bermondsey Tales is out now and on digital platforms from 10th
June and you can check out details of screenings on the Seraphim Film’s website here and
a trailer on the old YouTube here.
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| Cast and crew at the O2 premier. |
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| David Schaal |
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| Frank Harper |
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| Maisie Smith and Linda Robson |
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