Figure 1.--> One particularly poignent scene with Stephen Archibald as Jaimie is seen here It's shows Jaimie on the steps of his granny's house after he's run away from the children's home. His torn jersey and having no jacket show the drear conditions they were kept in.

The first part of The Bill Douglas Trilogy, "My Childhood" (1971) is of greatest interest to HBC. The two boys with the lead roles are not professional actors. The main character, Jamie, is wonderfully played by Stephen Archibald. Douglas found Stephen and his brother (cast as Tommy) when the two boys approached him for cigarettes in an Edinburgh bus station. Jamie is growing up in a mining village during the 1940s. There is little money, food, are affection. Jamie lives in squalor with his half-brother Tommy and elderly grandmother, a true Dickensian figure. There are some perty gritty scenes. Tommy’s father brings home a rare gift--a canary. When the cat eats the canary, Tommy beats the cat to death. The Douglas production has sparse dialogue, using visual images to make his point. A reviewer describes " ... haunting and often dreamlike expressions of a harsh emotional landscape".

The Bill Douglas Trilogy

The first part of The Bill Douglas Trilogy, "My Childhood" (1971) is of greatest interest to HBC. Bill Douglas (1934-91) is Scotland's most aclaimed film maker. His autobiographical trilogy is a seminal work in the Scottish cinema. There are few really classic Scottish works to compare with it. Douglas was born in Newcraighall, a depressed miming village near Edinburgh. His boyhood experiences are starkly depicted in his film. The trilogy deals with his youth from 8-18 years of age. The first part of the trilogy, "My Childhood" (1971) is of greatest interest to HBC. The two boys with the lead roles are not porofessional actors. The main character, Jamie, is wonderfully played by Stephen Archibald. Douglas found Stephen and his brother (cast as Tommy) when the two boys approached him for cigarettes in an Edinburgh bus station. Jamie is growing up in a mining village during the 1940s. There is little money, food, are affection. Jamie lives in squalor with his half-brother Tommy and elderly grandmother, a true Dickensian figure. There are some perty gritty scenes. Tommy’s father brings home a rare gift--a canary. When the cat eats the canary, Tommy beats the cat to death. The Douglas production has sparse dialogue, using visual images to make his point. A reviewer describes " ... haunting and often dreamlike expressions of a harsh emotional landscape". The other two films in the trilogy are "My Ain Folk" (1973) and "My Way Home" (1978). In "My Ain Folk" Tommy is taken into care by welfare workers. Jamie escapes but leads a stark existence until he is also taken into care.

Filmology

Cast

The two boys with the lead roles are not professional actors. The main character, Jamie, is wonderfully played by Stephen Archibald. Douglas found Stephen and his brother (cast as Tommy) when the two boys approached him for cigarettes in an Edinburgh bus station.

Plot

Jamie is growing up in a mining village during the 1940s. There is little money, food, are affection. Jamie lives in squalor with his half-brother Tommy and elderly grandmother, a true Dickensian figure. There are some perty gritty scenes. Tommy’s father brings home a rare gift--a canary. When the cat eats the canary, Tommy beats the cat to death.

Notable Scene

One particularly poignent scene with Stephen Archibald as Jaimie is seen here (figure 1). It's shows Jaimie on the steps of his granny's house after he's run away from the children's home. His torn jersey and having no jacket show the drear conditions they were kept in. I remember this scene as being very powerful - even though nothing happens.!.The camera lingers on the boy sitting stock still in silence except for the gusts of wind in the street.This scene lasts for about two minutes - which is a long time in the cinema with no "action".When I saw it it made the audience very uncomfortable,even more so than the violent scenes.Shot through the railings,which invoke prison bars,it shows how the boy is trapped in his situation as many were in Scotland at the time.He only escapes when he is called up to do his National Service some 4 years later.

Assessment

The Douglas production has sparse dialogue, using visual images to make his point. A reviewer describes " ... haunting and often dreamlike expressions of a harsh emotional landscape".

Created: January 24, 2004
Last updated: January 24, 2004