The Wee Man
| The Wee Man | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Ray Burdis |
| Starring |
Patrick Bergin Simon DeSilva Martin Compston John Hannah Steve Daly Alastair Thomson Mills Jim Sweeney |
| Music by | John Beckett |
| Cinematography | Ali Asad |
| Distributed by | Carnaby International |
|
Release date
|
|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $609,607 |
The Wee Man, also released as Gangster, is a 2013 Scottish gangster film directed by Ray Burdis which depicts the true life story of Scottish criminal Paul Ferris. It stars Martin Compston and John Hannah.
The film was deemed so controversial that Strathclyde police refused to help the filmmakers make the film in Glasgow, Ferris's native city. The production team had to film in London instead due to the lack of support from the legal authorities in Glasgow.
In 1990 Glasgow, Paul Ferris (Martin Compston) is incarcerated at Barlinnie Prison in Glasgow. In his cell, he reflects on his childhood.
One night, young Paul's father puts him to bed after he is awoken by an assault in a van outside. He tells young Paul how to survive in the world; To always beware of strangers, to always be loyal, and to be a 'lion' and avoid following others in his actions. The next morning, while walking his dog, Paul witnesses an armed robbery on a local off-license by the Banks brothers, infamous local hooligans of a crime family, who afterwards harass young Paul and murder his dog.
In his teenage years, Paul is making his way to a party, when his father spies him carrying a knife, and convinces him to drop it. Later, the Banks brothers crash the party, threatening Paul and wrecking the house. In a fit of rage, Paul goes back to retrieve the knife, and returns to the house to find two of the Banks brothers sexually assaulting his girlfriend. He stabs both of them (albeit not killing them) and flees to his older sister's house, where she berates him for the violence, as their older brother is serving life in prison for murder. Paul tells her he enjoyed the violence, as it made him feel in control.
In prison, Paul arranges for one of the Banks brothers also in prison to be killed, and fights his associate and friend Bob in order to be both thrown into solitary as an alibi. The prison warden lectures him on his overconfident attitude, and tells him he'll be imprisoned again after he leaves three days later. Paul is released and is taken home by childhood friends Jimmy and Johnny, refusing an invitation to a party for Paul by Glasgow godfather Arthur Thompson. Paul recalls his father telling young Paul to steer clear of Thompson, calling him "The Devil incarnate."
Paul struggles to reconnect with his wife Anne Marie, arguing with him for fear of him being imprisoned or killed. Later, Paul goes to the local pub to meet with Arthur Thompson, and encounters his obnoxious, cocaine addicted son Junior "Fat Boy" Thompson. When Paul meets with Arthur, the godfather praises Paul for the hit in prison, and gives him a job. At this point, Paul recalls his childhood, when he had witnessed Arthur executing a man at gunpoint. Later, young Paul and his friends take the dead man's money from his wallet, which the police eventually confiscate and interview young Paul and his parents about the murder. Later, Paul's father tells him to never tell anyone secrets such as what he had allegedly seen that day.
...
Wikipedia