Comrades **** (1986, Keith Allen, Dave Atkins, Stephen Bateman) – Classic Movie Review 10,965

Director Bill Douglas’s 1986 British historical drama Comrades is a humane and spectacular epic account of the Tolpuddle Martyrs, the six Dorset agricultural workers who were transported to Australia in 1834 for trying to found a trade union in their search for fair wages. The Martyrs go from a wretched life in England to an appallingly harsh life in Australia.

There is remarkable acting from the unknown stars, bolstered by the performances from many famous names.

Comrades is beautifully made and incisively written, with a good grasp of the history, the politics and the development of trade unionism, and a helpful dash of humour. It is an important story, very well told. Running an epic 183 minutes, this is a lengthy but highly intelligent and moving film.

The main cast are Dave Atkins, Stephen Bateman, Katy Behean, Shane Briant, Mark Brown, Michael Clark, Vanessa Redgrave, Lynette Curran, Joanna David, Arthur Dignam, Patrick Field, Jeremy Flynn, James Fox, Freddie Jones, Robert Stephens, Michael Hordern, Robin Soans, Alex Norton, William Gaminara, Philip Davis, Imelda Staunton, Amber Wilkinson, Barbara Windsor, Malcolm Terris, Sandra Voe, Valerie Whittington and Keith Allen.

Comrades is directed by Bill Douglas, runs 183 minutes, is made by National Film Finance Corporation, Skreba Films and Film Four, is released by Curzon Film Distributors (1987) (UK), is written by Bill Douglas, is shot by Gale Tattersall, is produced by Simon Relph, is scored by Hans Werner Henze and David Graham, and is designed by Michael Pickwoad.

It is released by BFI Video (2009) (UK) (DVD).

It proved the last film of Bill Douglas (born on April 17, 1934 and died on June 18, 1991), known for his autobiographical trilogy dedicated to his own youth: My Childhood (1972), My Ain Folk (1973) and My Way Home (1978). He later taught at Britain’s National Film and Television School.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 10,965

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