The Happy Lands
The Happy Lands is a 2012 British film written by Peter Cox and Robert Rae about a coal-mining community in Fife, Scotland, during the long strike of 1926. The film was released on 17 February 2012. Much of the film's dialogue is in the Scots language.
The Happy Lands | |
---|---|
Directed by | Robert Rae[1] |
Produced by | Greg McManus Helen Trew |
Written by | Peter Cox Robert Rae |
Starring | Kevin Clarke Jokie Wallace Aaron Jones Kevin Adair Farah Ahmed Stevie Allan Jez Arrow Michael Barney Madeline Berry Josh Brown Cllr Willie Clarke Craig Clarke Kristen Clarke Patricia Colville Fiona Combe[2] |
Music by | James Ross |
Cinematography | Scott Ward |
Edited by | Florian Nonnenmacher |
Release date |
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Running time | 108 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English, Scots |
The film begins with a miner suffering a back injury at a colliery in the fictional village of Carhill. When confronted about working conditions, the mine owner responds by saying that the workers are locked out until they accept a settlement that involves longer working hours and lower wages. The rest of the film shows the various stages of the eight-month strike by coal miners across Britain, including the general strike launched by the Trade Union Congress in support of the miners. The film makes several references to the First World War, in which many of the striking miners fought and were rewarded for their bravery.
Cast
- Kevin Clarke as Michael Brogan[3]
- Jokie Wallace as Dan Guthrie
- Aaron Jones as Wee Baxie
- Kevin Adair as Davey King
- Farah Ahmed as Mary Miller
- Stevie Allan as Pug Henderson
- Jez Arrow as Economic League
- Michael Barney as Special Constable
- Madeline Berry as Granny King
- Josh Brown as Pat Brogan
- Cllr Willie Clarke as Regional Union Official
- Craig Clarke as Andy Jenkins
- Kristen Clarke as Billy Jenkins
- Patricia Colville as Jenny Saville
- Fiona Combe as Lily Wilson
- Allan Stewart as Harry Lauder
- Megan Taylor as Susie Smith
References
- "Behind the scenes on The Happy Lands". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
- "The Happy Lands (2012) Film Review". eyeforfilm.co.uk. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
- "The Happy Lands (2012)". filmweb.pl. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
External links
- Official website
- UNISON Scotland's webpage on the film
- BBC's webpage on the film
- The Happy Lands at the Internet Movie Database
- Relatives pay tribute to mining heroes of 1926 general strike in new film The Happy Lands
- Fife man keen to mine his newly-found acting talent