Ken Loach

17.06.1936, Nuneaton, Warwickshire

 

Director
Loach studied law at St. Peter’s College in Oxford, but soon dropped out because he became interested in acting. For a short time, he acted and directed in a theatre group in Birmingham, and in 1936, began to work at BBC. In collaboration with the producer Tony Garnett, he directed several respectable dramas such as Up the Junction (1965), Coming Out Party (1965), Cathy Come Home (1966), and developed his specific documentary style. After his first feature film, Poor cow (1967) with Tony Garnett, he founded the independent producing company Kestrel films and directed his films Kes (1969), Family Life (1971), A Misfortune (1973), Days of Hope (1975), The Gamekeeper (1980), Looks and Smiles (1981). During the 1980s he parted his ways with Garnett and started making documentaries about the working class, such as A Question of Leadership (1981), Questions of Leadership (1983) and Which Side Are You On? (1984). However, he often had problems with censorship. During 1990s, he returned to feature films and achieves his biggest successes with Hidden Agenda (1990), Riff-Raff (1990), Raining Stones (1993), Ladybird Ladybird (1994), Carla’s Song (1996), My Name Is Joe (1998), Bread and Roses (2000), Sweet Sixteen (2002), A Fond Kiss (2004).

Filmography

-Z Cars (1962) (TV series)
-The Diary of a Young Man (1964) (TV)
-Tap on the Shoulder (1965) (TV)
-Three Clear Sundays (1965) (TV)
-Up the Junction (1965) (TV)
-The End of Arthur's Marriage (1965) (TV)
-The Coming Out Party (1965) (TV)
-Cathy Come Home (1966) (TV)
-In Two Minds (1967) (TV)-Poor Cow (1967)
-The Golden Vision (1968) (TV)
-The Big Flame (1969) (TV)
-Kes (1969)
-The Rank and File (1971) (TV)
-Family Life (1971)
-The Save the Children Fund Film (1971)
-After a Lifetime (1971) (TV)
-A Misfortune (1973) (TV)
-Days of Hope (1976) (mini TV series)
-The Price of Coal (1976) (TV)
-Black Jack (1979)
- The Gamekeeper (1980)
-Auditions (1980) (TV)
- A Question of Leadership (1981) (TV)
- Looks and Smiles (1981)
-The Red and the Blue (1983) (TV)
- Questions of Leadership (1983) (TV)
- Which Side Are You On? (1984)
-Fatherland (1986)
-The View from the Woodpile (1988) (TV)
- Hidden Agenda (1990)
-Riff Raff (1990)
-Raining Stones (1993)
Ladybird, Ladybird (1994)
- Land and Freedom (1995)
-A Contemporary Case for Common Ownership (1995)
-Carla’s Song (1996)
-The Flickering Flame (1997)
- My Name is Joe (1998)
- Bread and Roses (2000)
-The Navigators (2001)
- Sweet Sixteen (2002)
-11’09”01 - September 11 (segment “United Kingdom”, 2002)
-A Fond Kiss (2004)


Related texts

Ken Loach - sentimentally refined leftist

Films by this director

Cathy Come Home

(1966)

Directed by: Ken Loach
PHOTOGRAPHY: Tony Imi
Synopsis:

This is the story of Cathy, a magnet for disasters. First, she loses her house, then her husband, and finally her child. The film is a feature length documentary, and strikes the viewer as a powerful critique of the harsh and heartless social system of 1960s England. After its first showing on BBC, this film helped initiate public discussion about homeless people’s rights. Ultimately, laws were changed in favor of the homeless.

b/w, 75 minuta

Kes

(UK, 1969)

Directed by: Ken Loach
PHOTOGRAPHY: Chris Menges
Synopsis:

Billy is a neglected boy who does not manage well in school, ignored by his family and beaten by his older brother. One day he saves an injured falcon and decides to take care of him. In his new friend, Billy finds comfort and a chance to escape cruel reality.

color, 111'

The Gamekeeper

(1980)

Directed by: Ken Loach
PHOTOGRAPHY: Chris Menges, Charles Stewart
Synopsis:

In this adaptation of Barry Hines’ novel, we follow the life of a gamekeeper, George. He spends his days in the forest, only occasionally meeting people. At the year’s end, the annual hunt is takes place and George finally has a chance to see more people…

color, 84 minute

A Question of Leadership

(1980)

Directed by: Ken Loach
PHOTOGRAPHY: Chris Menges, John Davey
Synopsis:

This documentary deals with the British working class of the Margaret Thatcher Era.

60 minuta

Looks and Smiles

(1981)

Directed by: Ken Loach
PHOTOGRAPHY: Chris Menges
Synopsis:

This is a story about three young people, all of whom are members of the working class in Sheffield. Mick wants to become a mechanic, but his inexperience, lack of luck and bad economic situation hinder him. One night in a club, he meets Karen, an accountant, whose future also does not look bright. Alan, Mick’s friend who applies for the army, completes the social circle.

b/w, 104 minute

Which Side Are You On?/Miners’ Art

(1984)

Directed by: Ken Loach
PHOTOGRAPHY: Chris Menges
Synopsis:

This is documentary, made for the TV show The South Bank Show, was never shown due to the scenes of police brutality that Loach included in the film. The central theme is the coalminers’ strike and songs that depict their experiences.

color, 52 minute

Hidden Agenda

(1990)

Directed by: Ken Loach
PHOTOGRAPHY: Clive Tickner
Synopsis:

This is a criminal drama set in Ireland and depicts the clash between Catholics and Protestants. After an American lawyer is murdered, his girlfriend and an Irish police detective investigate the case.

color, 108 minuta

The Flickering Flame

(1996)

Directed by: Ken Loach
Synopsis:

This is a documentary about workers in the Liverpool harbor and their struggle for rights. This is a classic Loach film about the working class and its problems.

b/w, 55 minuta

I, Daniel Blake

(Great Britain, France, Belgium, 2016)

Directed by: Ken Loach
PHOTOGRAPHY: Robbie Ryan
Synopsis:

Pedesetdevetogodišnji Daniel Blake većinu života proveo je u Newcastleu radeći kao stolar. Nakon što je doživio srčani udar i gotovo pao sa skele, prvi put u životu treba pomoć države. Put mu se križa s onim samohrane majke Katie i njezino dvoje djece, Daisy i Dylan. Za Katie, jedina šansa da izbjegne jednosobni smještaj u londonskom hostelu za beskućnike bila je prihvaćanje stana u Newcastleu, gradu udaljenom 450 kilometara o kojem ne zna ništa. Daniel i Katie...

color, digital, 100 min

Sorry We Missed You

(UK, France, Belgium, 2019)

Directed by: Ken Loach
PHOTOGRAPHY: Robbie Ryan
Synopsis:

Kao i ostali mještani grada Newcastlea, nekad jake industrijske sredine na sjeveru Engleske koja prolazi kroz teško razdoblje tranzicije, i četveročlana obitelj Turner proživljava tešku sudbinu pripadnika radničke klase kojima se nudi nedovoljan broj poslova, osobito za ljude starije od 40 godina. Suprug i otac Ricky Turner požrtvovan je čovjek prisiljen na obavljanje niza manjih i slabo plaćenih poslova, sve kako bi prehranio svoje najbliže, osobito starijeg buntovnog sina,...

color, 101'

Poor Cow

(UK, 1967)

Directed by: Ken Loach
PHOTOGRAPHY: Brian Probyn
Synopsis:

Mlada Joy naivna je 18-godišnja djevojka iz radničke obitelji koja tijekom ´ludih šezdesetih´ mašta o lagodnom životu u ´swinging´ Londonu. Stoga sa svojim dečkom Tomom pobjegne od kuće i ubrzo se za njega uda, da bi se uskoro ispostavilo da je Tom sitni kriminalac. No on je i agresivan tip koji psihofizički zlostavlja Joy, a kad ubrzo završi iza rešetaka, ona će ostati sama s malim djetetom. To će ju nagnati najprije da se preseli kod t...

color, 101'

The Old Oak

(Great Britain, 2023 | Mjesto prikazivanja filma: Kino Forum (SD Stjepan Radić, Jarunska ul. 2))

Directed by: Ken Loach
PHOTOGRAPHY: Robbie Ryan
Synopsis:

Tommy Joe Ballantyne, koristeći dršku metle, iznova i iznova ogorčeno pokušava namjestiti ‘K’, zadnje slovo naslova svog puba koje se neumoljivo klati na pročelju. Ono se zadrži nekoliko sekundi, a potom opet sklizne u stranu – kao i njegova trošna birtija. Ti pokušaji tek su privremeni popravak temeljito trule situacije... Stari hrast posljednji je preostali pub u turobnom selu dokrajčenom zatvaranjem rudnika u 80-ima, od kada je bro...

color, 113'
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