‘The Damned United’
Brian Clough Biopic Beguiles
Forget football WAGS and Russian billionaires, carbo-diets and player agents. ‘The Damned United‘ is the tale of a young football manager who rose to prominence during the blood and thunder of the 1970s English league.
With grit and determination, Brian Clough guided perennial strugglers Derby County from the bowels of Division 2 to the top of Division 1 before departing for the hot seat at rivals Leeds United. Clough left Leeds after 44 days having unsuccessfully attempted to change their strong-arm tactics and win over the masses following the departure of legendary coach Don Revie to the England national team.
While the story itself is entertaining and historic, Clough remains the only English manager to win back to back European Cups, it is the powerful and convincing performances by Michael Sheen (Clough) and supporting actors Timothy Spall and Jim Broadbent that help confirm ‘The Damned United‘ as one of the best football films produced to date. Like all great biopics, even though you know whats going to happen you still find yourself sucked into another world.
One noticeable criticism of the film would be the running time. At only 97 minutes, the story passes very quickly with most of the film focusing on the relationship between Clough (Sheen) his assistant Peter Taylor (Spall) and Derby Chairman Sam Longson (Broadbent). The film is crying out for scenes exploring Clough’s training methods and relationship with the media and supporters.
During an era when long hair and side burns ruled and smoking and drinking in the players’ lounge was as common as a rainy match day, Brian Clough’s smooth and confident persona and customary chat-back charmed players and fans but alienated chairmen and fellow professionals. While the game’s mullets have vanished and footy shorts loosened, you need only turn to our very own Jose Mourinho to see how Clough would have faired in the modern game.
One Response to “‘The Damned United’”
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Looks like a good film. It’s never coming to America though, so I’ll never get to see it. Sigh.