Quadrophenia (1979)

Director:

Franc Roddam

Writers:

Dave Humphries (screenplay) and
Martin Stellman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

2 November 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Music

Tagline:

Hell On Wheels!

Plot:

London, 1965: Like many other youths, Jimmy hates the philistine life, especially his parents and his job in a company's mailing division...

Plot Keywords:

Mods | Rocker | Scooter | 1960s | Pill

Cast

Phil Daniels	...	Jimmy
Leslie Ash	...	Steph
Philip Davis	...	Chalky
Mark Wingett	...	Dave
Sting	...	Ace Face
Ray Winstone	...	Kevin (as Raymond Winstone)
Garry Cooper	...	Peter
Gary Shail	...	Spider
Toyah Willcox	...	Monkey
Trevor Laird	...	Ferdy
Kate Williams	...	Mother
Michael Elphick	...	Father
Kim Neve	...	Yvonne
Benjamin Whitrow	...	Mr. Fulford
Daniel Peacock	...	Danny

Also Known As:

Quadrophenia: A Way of Life (UK) (reissue title)

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Ireland:18 (DVD rating) | France:-18 (original rating) | Australia:R | Iceland:12 | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1979) | Singapore:M18 | Australia:MA (DVD rating) | Finland:K-14 (1997) | UK:18 (video rating) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Alley off the west of East Street, Brighton, East Sussex, England, UK

Company:

The Who Films

Trivia:

Amanda Barrie turned down the role of Jimmy's mother.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The Pepsi logo on the Brighton ice cream shop window behind Steph, as Jimmy is carried off to the paddy wagon, was not introduced until 1973.

Quotes:

Mr. Fulford: Mr Cale tells me that you spent the weekend in Brighton, I imagine you were involved some extent in the disturbances there?
Jimmy: Yeah I was there
Mr. Fulford: Weren't arrested or taken or anything like that were you?
Jimmy: No.
Mr. Fulford: I must say I find your attitude incomprehensible. I feel I must warn you Cooper that we can't tolerate this kind of absentism amongst our junior staff. You got a good steady job here Cooper, plenty of young men would give their eye-teeth to be in your shoes.
Jimmy: Oh yeah! Well find one then
Mr. Fulford: I beg your pardon?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Scooterists: A Way of Life (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

Da Doo Ron Ron

Essential

One of the best youth movies ever. DVD review.

A few weeks in the life of Jimmy the mod in 1964.

Great, uplifting, and fascinating movie about the mod cult of the 1960s. This involved listening to soul and beat bands, wearing suits and parkas, driving Italian scooters, taking blue pills, and fighting greasy rockers in Brighton. Future stars appear including singer and TV presenter Toyah, singer Sting (as the top mod who works as a bellboy), Winstone (the biggest movie star of the entire cast - here he plays an army dropout turned rocker), Ash (who is now more famous for her enhanced lips), and the great Phil Daniels as Jimmy (who's now probably best know for appearing on Blur's song Parklife). Jimmy's nagging mum was the nurse in Holiday On The Buses. Movie captures the excitement of being young in the early '60s, but yet feeling out of place. My favourite scene: Daniels watching television miming along to The Who (one of the best bands of all time). When the parade in Brighton starts pause the DVD and read the movies on at the cinema - one is Grease from 1978!

Quadrophenia is essential viewing.