The sports drama ‘The Damned United’ tells the story of the bitter rivalry between the two English football managers Brian Clough (Michael Sheen) and Don Revie (Colm Meaney) in the time from 1968 to 1974. The film starts by introducing Don Revie, the former Leeds United manager, as he takes over the English national football team after it could not qualify for the World Championship. Next the viewer gets a six-year-throwback: Brian Clough, manager of the second division team Derby County, is hosting with his assistant Peter Taylor (Timothy Spall) in an FA Cup match Revies’ Leeds United’s star team. In order to present his team of its best side, Clough wants to welcome guest manager Revie, but in turn he completely ignores Brian after the victory of Leeds United. So the rivalry of the two football managers starts. In 1968/69 Derby County qualifies for the first division and Leeds United wins the championship. Don Revie receives the Manager of the Year Award. The champions of the 1971/72 season are then Derby County so that Clough’s and Taylor’s team are allowed to play in the European Championship 1972/73. Although Derby needs every player to play in the semi-final rematch against Juventus Turin, Clough risks the health of his best players as he nominates them for an English cup-game against Leeds. However, it comes as it HAD to come: A couple of Derby’s starter are hurt against Leeds, the following match against Juventus Turin is lost 1:3, Clough’s relationship to County’s president breaks off and Brian retires from Derby . Although Clough has not informed his assistant coach and friend Peter Taylor about his retirement, he can barely anticipate a conflict. After one season as coach for third division team Brighton & Hove Albion, Clough receives an offer from Leeds United in 1974 as Don Revie becomes manager of the English national football team. But unlike Brian, Taylor does not sign the offer so Clough has to separate from his former assistant. If you want to know whether Clough now works successfully at Leeds or not and what happens with Don Revie, you should watch the film. The camera settings match perfectly to the story line. Brian Clough is always shown in front of his assistant Peter Taylor, e.g. when Brian swears to beat Don Revie with his Leeds United team one day. This underlines how seriously and personally Clough takes his plan. Or when Brian speaks to his team in the locker room before matches: In order to show his role as an assistant, Taylor stands in the background of Clough. The producers also did a great job in how they arranged the use of the lights. E.g., when Don Revie speaks to the media right at the beginning of the film, they put the lights on him and the reporters in the shadow in order to emphasize the remarkableness of his decision. The same when Brian Clough makes a statement after Derby County has lost against Juventus Turin in the
European Championship: The lights on him show his responsibility for the loss, especially because his starters were hurt in the game against Leeds before. All in all, I liked the film ‘The Damned United’ a lot. Exactly the love for detail fascinated me: Whether it were the away supporters’ songs in the stadium or Brian Clough’s intensive preparation of the guest cabins when Derby welcomes Leeds in the FA Cup or the semi-original video scenes – it is great to watch. I just did not like the persistently changing scenes between Clough’s time in Derby and Leeds, in my opinion it would have been better chronologically. So ‘The Damned United’ receives 8 out of 10 points. (621 words)
In my opinion you summed up the story of the film very well and clear. I totally agree with you in the point that “The Damned Unted“ is an great movie which has his ups and downs. The selection of actors is well chosen with Micheal Sheen, as football manager who reaches all his aims, and Colm Meaney, Clough‘s eternally rival, who fit perfect together in this film. The film shows the rivalry between two coaches, in which Clough risks the friendship with his assistant, and also best friend, only to get seccess and acclaim. All in all this is an great film. I would rate it 9 of 10 points and I also would recommend it to everybody who likes sports and dramas.
You did a good job in reviewing this film. I really appreciate that it referred to a true story. That makes it more believable and emotional.
One message of this film wants us to know, that it is a lot harder to achieve something alone. You saw it when Clough lead Leeds. They actually did not obey to him. After all he had to finish after just 44 days. This lead to huge disappointment, almost depression. Another important message is to know one's mistakes and apologize for these.
In my opinion the moment when Cough and Taylor reunited at Taylor’s home was the most emotional moment. Here, you could see new confidence and hope which conferred when they took over Nottingham Forest and sent them to First Division.
The Damned United
ReplyDeleteThe sports drama ‘The Damned United’ tells the story of the bitter rivalry between the two English football managers Brian Clough (Michael Sheen) and Don Revie (Colm Meaney) in the time from 1968 to 1974.
The film starts by introducing Don Revie, the former Leeds United manager, as he takes over the English national football team after it could not qualify for the World Championship. Next the viewer gets a six-year-throwback: Brian Clough, manager of the second division team Derby County, is hosting with his assistant Peter Taylor (Timothy Spall) in an FA Cup match Revies’ Leeds United’s star team. In order to present his team of its best side, Clough wants to welcome guest manager Revie, but in turn he completely ignores Brian after the victory of Leeds United. So the rivalry of the two football managers starts. In 1968/69 Derby County qualifies for the first division and Leeds United wins the championship. Don Revie receives the Manager of the Year Award. The champions of the 1971/72 season are then Derby County so that Clough’s and Taylor’s team are allowed to play in the European Championship 1972/73. Although Derby needs every player to play in the semi-final rematch against Juventus Turin, Clough risks the health of his best players as he nominates them for an English cup-game against Leeds. However, it comes as it HAD to come: A couple of Derby’s starter are hurt against Leeds, the following match against Juventus Turin is lost 1:3, Clough’s relationship to County’s president breaks off and Brian retires from Derby . Although Clough has not informed his assistant coach and friend Peter Taylor about his retirement, he can barely anticipate a conflict. After one season as coach for third division team Brighton & Hove Albion, Clough receives an offer from Leeds United in 1974 as Don Revie becomes manager of the English national football team. But unlike Brian, Taylor does not sign the offer so Clough has to separate from his former assistant. If you want to know whether Clough now works successfully at Leeds or not and what happens with Don Revie, you should watch the film.
The camera settings match perfectly to the story line. Brian Clough is always shown in front of his assistant Peter Taylor, e.g. when Brian swears to beat Don Revie with his Leeds United team one day. This underlines how seriously and personally Clough takes his plan. Or when Brian speaks to his team in the locker room before matches: In order to show his role as an assistant, Taylor stands in the background of Clough.
The producers also did a great job in how they arranged the use of the lights. E.g., when Don Revie speaks to the media right at the beginning of the film, they put the lights on him and the reporters in the shadow in order to emphasize the remarkableness of his decision. The same when Brian Clough makes a statement after Derby County has lost against Juventus Turin in the
European Championship: The lights on him show his responsibility for the loss, especially because his starters were hurt in the game against Leeds before.
All in all, I liked the film ‘The Damned United’ a lot. Exactly the love for detail fascinated me: Whether it were the away supporters’ songs in the stadium or Brian Clough’s intensive preparation of the guest cabins when Derby welcomes Leeds in the FA Cup or the semi-original video scenes – it is great to watch. I just did not like the persistently changing scenes between Clough’s time in Derby and Leeds, in my opinion it would have been better chronologically. So ‘The Damned United’ receives 8 out of 10 points.
(621 words)
In my opinion you summed up the story of the film very well and clear.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you in the point that “The Damned Unted“ is an great movie which has his ups and downs. The selection of actors is well chosen with Micheal Sheen, as football manager who reaches all his aims, and Colm Meaney, Clough‘s eternally rival, who fit perfect together in this film.
The film shows the rivalry between two coaches, in which Clough risks the friendship with his assistant, and also best friend, only to get seccess and acclaim.
All in all this is an great film. I would rate it 9 of 10 points and I also would recommend it to everybody who likes sports and dramas.
You did a good job in reviewing this film.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate that it referred to a true story.
That makes it more believable and emotional.
One message of this film wants us to know, that
it is a lot harder to achieve something alone.
You saw it when Clough lead Leeds.
They actually did not obey to him. After all he had to finish after just 44 days.
This lead to huge disappointment, almost depression.
Another important message is to know one's mistakes
and apologize for these.
In my opinion the moment when Cough and Taylor reunited
at Taylor’s home was the most emotional moment.
Here, you could see new confidence and hope which conferred when
they took over Nottingham Forest and sent them to First Division.
I give 9 points out of 10!