McVicar ***½ (1980, Roger Daltrey, Adam Faith, Cheryl Campbell, Billy Murray, Georgina Hale, Steven Berkoff, Ian Hendry) – Classic Movie Review 9955

The Britain’s Public Enemy Number One man himself, John McVicar, adapts his own book about his days as a dangerous criminal, his jailbreaks and his rehabilitation.

Director Tom Clegg’s 1980 crime thriller McVicar is a well-made, intelligent film, lucky enough to have on-form performances from two rehabilitated rock stars – Roger Daltrey in the London bad boy tough guy star role and Adam Faith as Walter Probyn, his friend in jail – plus Cheryl Campbell as McVicar’s lover and later wife Sheila.

The film comes six years after McVicar’s non-fiction book McVicar by Himself was published. McVicar co-writes the screenplay with Tom Clegg.

It is Ian Hendry’s last film, playing Hitchens (uncredited). Daltrey sings Without Your Love.

Daltrey’s plan was to make a film that would show that a life of crime is a waste. John McVicar: ‘Being a thief is a terrific life. But the trouble is they put you in jail for it.’

Most of the real-life characters in the film have fictitious names and some events and characters are fictionalised.

McVicar’s sentence was 23 years, increased to 26 years. The jail is Durham Prison. All the prison scenes were filmed in Ireland, in the abandoned Kilmainham Jail, Dublin, the same location used for The Italian Job and Sitting Target.

The real McVicar appears briefly at the bar wearing a green top about 11 mins before the end.

It is third and final film produced by The Who Films, following Quadrophenia (1979) and The Kids Are Alright (1979). Daltrey went on to produce Buddy’s Song (1991). The group’s manager Bill Curbishley produced The Who’s film Tommy, McVicar and also Buddy’s Song, all starring Roger Daltrey, with whom he established the Goldhawke production company for the singer’s solo albums.

Also in the cast are Billy Murray, Georgina Hale, Steven Berkoff, Ian Hendry, Brian Hall, Peter Jonfield, Matthew Scurfield, Leonard Gregory, Joe Turner, Jeremy Blake, Terence Stuart, Anthony Trent, Michael Feast, Ralph Watson, Tony Haygarth, Tony Rohr, Ronald Herdman, Richard Simpson, Stephen Bent, Paul Kember, Anthony May, Ricky Parkinson, Jamie Foreman and Malcolm Terris.

McVicar, is directed by Tom Clegg, runs 112 minutes, is made by Polytel and The Who Films, is released by Brent Walker (1980) (UK) and Crown International Pictures (1981) (US), is written by John McVicar and Tom Clegg, based on the book McVicar by Himself by John McVicar, is shot by Vernon Layton (Eastmancolor), is produced by David M Thompson, Jackie Curbishley, Bill Curbishley, Roy Baird and Roger Daltrey, is scored by Jeff Wayne, Billy Nicholls and Russ Ballard and designed by Fred Carter.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9955

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com