There was a packed crowd at the Bradford Film Festival for what was billed as the "reunion screening" of "Kes", Ken Loach's 1969 masterpiece of British cinema.
In a pre-film discussion, the Festival gathered director Loach and many of the key figures involved in the film to talk about its radical message and significance. Loach explained how the film is based around a powerful central metaphor in the character of the young Billy Casper, a working class boy who appears to be useless at everything but becomes highly skilled and talented through a passion for training a kestrel.
Barry Hines, author of the original book went further to explain how the kestrel itself is also a metaphor for working class struggle. "The kestrel can be trained - but not tamed," explained Hines, quoting a key line from the film, and "this is also true of the working class."
The speakers developed a further theme critical of the failure of the education system. Billy spends his time in an oppressive secondary modern school in which there is no future for working class boys like him but training for menial jobs.
The film's star, David Bradley, made a surprise appearance to explain how the reform of the education system was still much overdue and there remained "too many Billy Caspers" in Britain today.
Everyone present understood that Labour's education policy was continuing to create "secondary modern" schools as it fails to take account of working class needs and aspirations.
Actor and writer, Colin Welland, who was the only professional actor in the film but was primarily chosen because he had been a secondary modern teacher, explained the importance of the school settings to the message of the film.
Producer, Tony Garnett explored the difficulties of financing, making and distributing a film with a radical proworking class message in a system dominated by big capitalism. Loach's innovative techniques in making the film were also dissected and explained in a master-class of "realism" in cinema.
A distinctive feature of the Festival event was the assembling of many of the original cast - working class people, many still living in Barnsley where the film was shot - who added their own anecdotes and stories.
Sadly, Lynn Perrie, who plays Billy's mother and was an actress in Coronation Street, was too ill to make the screening and has since died.
Author Simon Golding had made contact with many of the cast in researching his new book about the film, which he described as "wanting to stay true to the radical message of Ken Loach." Anthony Hayward, author of an excellent book about Loach's politics and films, skilfully chaired the discussion.
These books, together with the film and original novel, would make excellent resources for the study of modern literature, film and politics in schools, colleges and universities.
Loach is a Respect activist and member of its national council. He is one of the key figures of the British radical left and the Bradford Film Festival are to be congratulated for providing a showcase for his work. • "Life After Kes", Simon Golding, 2005, GET Publishing • "Which Side Are You On? -Ken Loach and his films", Antony Hayward, 2004, Bloomsbury • "Kes", 1969 (DVD from MGM Home Entertainment) • "A Kestrel for a Knave", 1968, Barry Hines, Penguin Books and his activity in the National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers (NUTGW, now part of the GMB).
Henry was a founder of the Communist Party of Britain in 1991, and at the age of 90 he is still involved with the Bridgewater and Sedgemoor Peace Group.
Dave Chapple is a Communications Workers Union (CWU) activist and secretary of Bridgewater Trades Council. He has enough material for another book on housing. He's planning others including one on his time as a processing rep and senior shop steward at Bridgewater Postal Delivery Office (1989-2003).
As a teenager Henry Suss got involved in local antifascist activity, and joined the Communist Party after the war.
He organised several workplaces and rose to the executive board of the NUTGW. Among the documents reproduced in the book are some of his NUTGW conference speeches (on housing and work. In some areas Trades Councils have become like rest homes tor retired Communists.
As a reflection of the level of class struggle, the Trades Councils Movement is in a gradual decline. A lot could be made of the comparative solidarity organised by trades councils in the last two major Fire Brigades Union (FBU) disputes.
In other areas, trades councils have been reconstituted as the 'unions in the community,' around particular issues.
In the latest issue of the trade union magazine Solidarity, there is an assessment of the Trades Council Movememt. Dave suggests that 're-enfranchisement' is a possibility and key to revitalisation.
Obviously, this would help for example set up local branches of 'Keep Our NHS Public', and organising specific initiatives such as overseas Workers networks.
Anyway, I wholeheartedly recommend this book and look forward to the next one.
page 24 of the scan
PENSIONS - THE GREAT RIP-OFF NHS "REFORMS" BRING CHAOS IRAQ - SLAUGHTER CONTINUES NEW LABOUR APES TORY SLEAZE socialist www.socialistresistance.net
Andrew Wiard No. 34 April 2006