Soft Top Hard Shoulder *** (1992, Peter Capaldi, Elaine Collins, Jeremy Northam, Richard Wilson, Frances Barber, Simon Callow, Catherine Russell, Phyllis Logan) *** Classic Movie Review 10,568

Director Stefan Schwartz’s 1992 comedy Soft Top Hard Shoulder is good middle-brow fun, in the Local Hero style, made with an eagle eye for laughs and arresting images.

Peter Capaldi has done himself an enormous favour by writing a witty slice of Scottish whimsy and a fat star part for himself as Gavin Bellini, a jobless art graduate who drives his 60s car from London home to Glasgow for his dad’s 60th birthday, reluctantly picks up kookie hitcher Yvonne (Collins) and gets into lots of trouble.

This endangered species – a British comedy made for the cinema in widescreen – is quite a quirky charmer, with a fragile but genial script, winning performances and jolly road music from Chris Rea.

Also in the cast are Frances Barber, Catherine Russell, Jeremy Northam, Richard Wilson, Simon Callow, and Phyllis Logan.

Glasgow-born Capaldi and Elaine Collins are husband and wife. They married in June 1991. Capaldi recalled: ‘A girl once came to my beery flat in Kensal Green, opened the blinds and cooked me breakfast. I married her.’

Talk about writing about what you know. Gavin is the artistic son of a Scots Italian ice-cream dynasty who has left Glasgow and moved to London to make his name illustrating children’s books. Capaldi was born in Glasgow, his parents owned an ice cream business, he is of Italian descent from his paternal grandfather, and worked as a graphic designer for BBC Scotland before coming to London to make his name as an actor.

His breakthrough role was in Local Hero (1983).

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,568

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