Kes (film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kes |
|
|---|---|
UK theatrical release poster
|
|
| Directed by | Ken Loach |
| Produced by | Tony Garnett |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Music by | John Cameron |
| Cinematography | Chris Menges |
| Editing by | Roy Watts |
| Studio | Woodfall Film Productions
|
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release date(s) | 14 November 1969 (London) 27 March 1970 (United Kingdom) |
| Running time | 112 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £157,000 |
Kes is a 1969 British drama film. It was directed by Ken Loach and produced by Tony Garnett. The movie is based on the 1968 book A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines.
The film tells the story of Billy Casper, a teenage boy from a working-class family. Billy struggles at school and seems headed for a tough future, perhaps working in the local coal mine like his older brother. But Billy finds a special way to escape his problems. He finds a young kestrel, which is a small bird of prey. He takes the bird from its nest and teaches himself how to train it using a stolen book. This skill is called falconry.
The movie follows Billy during his last weeks of school. Some parts of his story are funny, some are sad. He also talks with one teacher who truly cares about him. However, a mistake by Billy leads to a very sad ending for him and his bird.
Kes has been highly praised, especially for the acting of David Bradley, who played Billy. He had never acted before! People also admire how Ken Loach showed the lives of working-class people. The film points out problems with the British education system at the time. It also shows the limited job choices for young, unskilled workers in certain parts of Britain. Kes was ranked seventh in the British Film Institute's list of Top Ten British Films. It was Ken Loach's second movie released in cinemas.
Contents
The Story of Kes
Billy's Life and Challenges
Billy Casper is a fifteen-year-old boy growing up in the late 1960s. He lives in a poor community in South Yorkshire, England. This area is mostly known for its coal mining industry. Billy doesn't have much hope for his future.
At home, his older half-brother, Jud, who works in the mine, often bullies him. At school, other students and some teachers also pick on him. Billy sometimes steals small things like eggs and milk, even though he says he has stopped his petty crimes. He finds it hard to pay attention in school and often gets into fights with classmates.
Billy's father left the family a while ago. His mother once called Billy a "hopeless case" when talking to her friends about her children's futures. Billy is about to leave school soon, as an "Easter Leaver." This means he will leave without taking any exams or getting any qualifications. Jud expects Billy to join him in the mine, but Billy doesn't want to work there.
Billy and His Kestrel
One day, Billy finds a kestrel in a nest on a farm and takes it. He becomes very interested in learning falconry, which is the art of training birds of prey. To learn more, he steals a book about falconry from a secondhand shop. He can't get a library card because he's too young and can't get an adult to sign for him.
As Billy trains the kestrel, which he names "Kes," their bond grows stronger. Billy's whole outlook on life starts to improve. For the first time in the movie, Billy gets praise from his English teacher. This happens after he gives a talk to his class about how he trains Kes.
A Sad Ending
One day, Jud leaves money for Billy to place a bet on two horses. Billy talks to a bettor who tells him the horses probably won't win. So, Billy decides to spend the money on fish and chips. He also plans to buy meat for Kes, but a butcher kindly gives him some scrap meat for free.
However, the horses Jud bet on actually win! Jud is furious that he lost over £10. To get revenge, he kills Billy's kestrel. Billy is heartbroken. He finds Kes's body in the waste bin. After showing it to Jud and his mother, he buries the bird on a hillside. This hillside overlooks the field where he used to fly Kes.
Cast
- David Bradley as Billy Casper
- Freddie Fletcher as Jud
- Lynne Perrie as Mrs Casper
- Colin Welland as Mr Farthing
- Brian Glover as Mr Sugden
- Bob Bowes as Mr Gryce
- Bernard Atha as Youth employment officer
- Joey Kaye as Pub comedian
- Robert Naylor as MacDowell
- Zoe Sutherland as Librarian
- Eric Bolderson as Farmer
- Joe Miller as Reg, Mother's Friend
- Bill Dean as Fish and Chip Shop Man
- Geoffrey Banks as Mathematics teacher
- Duggie Brown as Milkman
- Trevor Hesketh as Mr Crossley
- Steve Crossland as schoolboy Crossland
- Harry Markham as Newsagent
- David Glover as Tibbutt
- John Pollard as Footballing legend Bremner
- Julie Goodyear as Woman in betting shop
Behind the Scenes
The film Kes and the book it's based on were partly inspired by real life. The author, Barry Hines, used to be a teacher at the school where the story is set. He wanted to show what he thought about the education system back then. His younger brother, Richard, found a new purpose in life by training a kestrel named "Kes." This real bird was the inspiration for the movie. Richard even helped with the film, working as the handler for the birds used in the movie.
Both brothers grew up in the area shown in the film. Their father worked in the local coal mine, just like Billy's father in the story, though he was a kind man. The film and book show what life was like in the mining areas of Yorkshire at that time. The movie was made when the British coal-mining industry was slowing down. Gas and oil were becoming more popular than coal, which led to fewer jobs and mines closing.
Awards
- 1970: Karlovy Vary International Film Festival – Crystal Globe
- 1971: Writers' Guild of Great Britain Award – Best British Screenplay
- 1971: British Academy Film Awards
-
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Colin Welland
- Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles – David Bradley
