No Surrender **** (1985, Michael Angelis, Avis Bunnage, James Ellis, Ray McAnally, Tom Georgeson, Bernard Hill, Joanne Whalley) – Classic Movie Review 9848

Director Peter K Smith’s 1985 film No Surrender is a tough, dark-shaded comedy from writer Alan Bleasdale, who is after a metaphor for the Irish troubles in his tale of a murky Liverpool nightclub where Irish Protestants and Irish Catholics clash on New Year’s Eve after both groups having reserved the same bar due to a scheduling mix-up.

The clever script grips and involves, though it slightly overreaches itself, while the cast commands close attention and great praise, particularly Michael Angelis (as Mike) and Bernard Hill (as Bernard) from Bleasdale’s TV hit Boys from the Blackstuff, as well as the late, lamented Ray McAnally, who chills as an IRA hitman, Billy McCracken.

No Surrender is the film debut of Linus Roache, aged 21.

The main cast are Michael Angelis, Avis Bunnage, James Ellis, Ray McAnally, Tom Georgeson, Bernard Hill, Joanne Whalley, Michael Ripper, Elvis Costello, Mark Mulholland, J G Devlin, Vince Earl, Ken Jones, Marjorie Sudell, Joan Turner, Ian Hart, Joe McGann, Mark McGann, Linus Roache and Andrew Schofield.

Michael Angelis (as Mike).

RIP Michael Angelis, who died on May 30, 2020 in England, age 68.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9848

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