The Damned United

The Damned United is based on a book more controversial than Old Big 'Ead Brian Clough himself.

Author David Peace’s fictionalised account of Clough’s infamous 44-day spell as manager of Leeds United gained much acclaim upon its release but was criticised for blurring the lines between real historical events and creative writing.

Johnny Giles, one of the former Leeds players deemed to be unfairly and inaccurately depicted, subsequently sued both Peace and the book’s publisher, and Clough’s family voiced their disapproval of the novel.

Given such ill feeling, legal wrangling and heated debate, it is perhaps no surprise that in adapting the book to the big screen, the filmmakers decided to take a much more good-natured look at this brief spell in Clough’s long and triumphant career.

Michael Sheen takes on the huge task of playing the larger-than-life Clough, and delivers on all levels. Not only does he both look and sound similar to the man, but he manages to successfully represent his unique combination of arrogance and likeability.

With a screenplay written by Peter Morgan, who has received praise in recent years for The Queen and Frost/Nixon, and direction from Tom Hooper of John Adams fame, the film overlooks Clough’s alcoholism and decline and instead chooses to juxtapose his accomplishments with Derby County with his failure to succeed at Leeds.

Key amongst these highs and lows are his relationships with two men – his assistant and best friend Peter Taylor (Timothy Spall), and managerial rival and nemesis Don Revie (Colm Meaney).

The partnership between Clough and Taylor reaped many rewards during their spell together at Derby (and would later go on to do so again with Nottingham Forest), but Taylor refused to join his old friend at Leeds, and the film shows them as a loving couple prone to the occasional serious disagreement over their combined actions and the nature of their professional relationship.

At the start of proceedings Revie is all that Clough wants to be – an idolised manager with the best team in the land – but his failure to pay the lower-league Derby manager any respect during a F.A. Cup tie, including neglecting to shake his hand at the end of the game, leaves Clough bitter and incensed, determined not only to match the successful Leeds supremo but to better him in every way.

Such convictions ultimately take the young manager to the top of the footballing tree, but also lead to him frequently pushing the self-destruct button in his sheer stubbornness and desire to win.

When Revie becomes England manager, Clough’s appointment at the helm of Leeds becomes a match made in hell, with he determined to eradicate his predecessor’s methods from the club and ‘Don’s boys’ staying loyal to their former leader.

Unsurprisingly for a film dealing with Clough, the dialogue is often quick-witted and amusing. The dreaded problem of recreating the action on the pitch is well handled through the use of brief, close-up shots, subtle devices to keep the focus off the field of play, or simply by using archive footage of the actual matches.

As an accurate portrayal of reality the film is lacking – there clearly being as much fiction on display as fact – but in terms of entertainment value this affectionate, light-hearted piece of 1970s sporting nostalgia is highly effective and sure to win the late, great manager a whole host of new fans.

Rating – 4/5

Review by Mark Swift

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