Beautiful Thing (film)
| Beautiful Thing | |
|---|---|
Australian promotional poster for the film
|
|
| Directed by | Hettie MacDonald |
| Produced by |
Tony Garnett Bill Shapter |
| Written by | Jonathan Harvey |
| Starring | |
| Music by | John Altman |
|
Production
company |
|
| Distributed by | Sony Pictures Classics (United States) |
|
Release date
|
|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $3,072,738 |
| Beautiful Thing | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Soundtrack album by Mama Cass and The Mamas & the Papas | |
| Released | 15 October 1996 |
| Genre | Pop |
| Label | MCA Records |
Beautiful Thing is a 1996 British film directed by Hettie MacDonald and released by Channel 4 Films. The screenplay was written by Jonathan Harvey based on his own original play of the same name. Initially, the film was only intended for television broadcast but it was so well-received that it was released in cinemas. The atmosphere of the film is heavily influenced by a soundtrack consisting almost entirely of the work of Mama Cass Elliot.
The story is set and filmed on Thamesmead, a working class area of South East London dominated by post-war council estates.
Jamie (Glen Berry), a teenager who is infatuated with his classmate, Ste, has to deal with his single mother Sandra (Linda Henry), who is pre-occupied with ambitious plans to run her own pub and with an ever-changing string of lovers, the latest of whom is Tony (Ben Daniels), a neo-hippie. Sandra finds herself at odds with Leah (Tameka Empson), a sassy and rude neighbour who has been expelled from school, does several drugs, and constantly listens and sings along to her mother's Cass Elliot records. While Jamie's homosexuality remains concealed, his introvert nature and dislike of football are reason enough for his classmates to bully him at every opportunity.
Ste (Scott Neal), who is living together with his drug-dealing brother and abusive, alcoholic father in the flat next door, is one night beaten by his brother so badly that Sandra takes pity and lets him sleep over. In the absence of a third bed, Ste has to make do with sleeping 'top-to-toe' with Jamie. On the second night they share a bed: after a massage and a minor conversation, the boys soon change sleeping arrangements and Jamie kisses Ste for the first time.
...
Wikipedia