TV Review-BBC 4
Quadrophenia
By William Mills
The Who
This cult drama is a tribute to the passing of the 1970’s. Filmed on location in London and Brighton in 1979, only one scene was shot in a studio. Quadrophenia was produced by The Who music group celebrating their record of that name.
Mods and Rockers
It is set in 1965 depicting the pains of growing up at the time of the Mods and Rockers.
Phil Daniels
Jimmy, played by Phil Daniels, is a tough cockney youth. Living with his parents he yearns for his scooter and nights out with his friends. His addiction to amphetamines is still at the habit stage.
His pals, scooter mounted Mods, take a bank holiday trip to Brighton. The film features a dramatic fight sequence on the beach between the Mods and motor cycle riders the Rockers.
Leslie Ash
The film contrasts the running battle with the Police and Jimmy running off to hide with Steph, played by Leslie Ash, best known for Neil Morrissey’s romantic angle in Men Behaving Badly. She started acting aged 4 in 1964 in the Fairy Liquid ad; Why are your hands so soft?
Sting
After their alleyway passion Jimmy is hauled off by the Police with amongst others his hero, Ace, played by Sting.
Brighton
Returning to London things start to go wrong. Swallowing increasing numbers of amphetamines he quarrels with his Mum then loses his job. Even Steph turns her back on him. When his precious scooter is run over by a Royal Mail van in an accident he catches the train back to Brighton.
The Who take over the soundtrack for the remained of the film during which Jimmy discovers super cool Ace is no more than a bell boy at a posh hotel.
Beachy Head
Stealing Ace’s scooter Jimmy with nowhere left to run heads eastwards, arriving at Beachy Head, famous for its wonderful cliffs and views, infamous as a suicide spot.
The film finishes with the scooter crashing over the cliffs. We can’t see whether Jimmy goes over too. In real life director Frank Roddam filming in a helicopter was nearly hit as the scooter flew.
Ray Winstone
The film also featured a young Ray Winstone.
