A Sense of Freedom
1981 British film
- 17 February 1981 (1981-02-17) (UK)
- 18 October 1985 (1985-10-18) (US)
Running time
A Sense of Freedom is a 1981 Scottish crime film directed by John Mackenzie for Scottish Television.[1] The film stars David Hayman and featured Jake D'Arcy, Sean Scanlan, Hector Nicol, Alex Norton and Fulton Mackay.[2] It is based on the autobiography of Glasgow gangster Jimmy Boyle, who was reputed to be Scotland's most violent man.[3] Due to non-co-operation by the Scottish Prison Service in allowing a film crew access to their property, Hayman's scenes in prison were filmed in Dublin's Kilmainham Jail.[4]
A harrowing tale of a habitual and brutal criminal. Boyle repeatedly resisted attempts by the Prison Service to dampen his temper. He was brutally assaulted many times by Prison Officers.[5] He also assaulted many staff including a brutal attack causing an officer to lose his eye.[6]
The film received a BAFTA nomination for Best Single Play.[7]
The music is by Frankie Miller and Rory Gallagher.[8]
Cast
- Jimmy Boyle - David Hayman
- Rab - Jake D'Arcy
- Jada - Sean Scanlan
- Malkie - Alex Norton
- Piper - John Murtagh
- Chief officer - Roy Hanlon
- Inspector Davidson - Fulton Mackay
- Bobbie Dougan - Martin Black
- Uncle Jodie - Hector Nicol
- Barman - Frank Welshman
- Boyle's mother - Katy Gardiner
- Archie - Billy Jeffrey
- Judge - David Steuart
- Prison officer - Ken Drury
- Prison governor - Gerry Slevin
- Prison governor - Ron Paterson
- Prison governor - Hugh Martin
- Special unit officer - Jackie Farrell
References
- ^ "A Sense of Freedom (1981)". BFI. Archived from the original on 2 November 2017.
- ^ "A Sense of Freedom (1985) - John Mackenzie | Cast and Crew | AllMovie" – via www.allmovie.com.
- ^ "STV Player". STV Player.
- ^ Balkind, Nicola (19 October 2013). World Film Locations: Glasgow. Intellect Books. ISBN 9781841507194 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Glasgow gangster turned writer Jimmy Boyle: 'I would be dead now without books'". the Guardian. 20 May 2016.
- ^ "How Jimmy Boyle went from violent gangster to leading artist". The Scotsman.
- ^ "BAFTA Awards". awards.bafta.org.
- ^ Matthews, Simon (28 January 2021). Looking for a New England: Action, Time, Vision: Music, Film and TV 1975 - 1986. Oldcastle Books. ISBN 9780857304124 – via Google Books.
External links
- A Sense of Freedom at IMDb
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Films directed by John Mackenzie
- One Brief Summer (1970)
- Unman, Wittering and Zigo (1971)
- Made (1972)
- The Cheviot, the Stag, and the Black Black Oil (1973)
- Just Another Saturday (1975)
- Double Dare (1976)
- Apaches (1977)
- Just a Boys' Game (1979)
- The Long Good Friday (1980)
- A Sense of Freedom (1981)
- The Honorary Consul (1983)
- The Innocent (1985)
- Act of Vengeance (1986)
- The Fourth Protocol (1987)
- The Last of the Finest (1990)
- Ruby (1992)
- Voyage (1993)
- The Infiltrator (1995)
- Deadly Voyage (1996)
- Looking After Jo Jo (1998)
- When the Sky Falls (2000)
- Quicksand (2003)
