''Among Giants'' is a 1998 British film directed by
Sam Miller
Sam Miller (born 28 September 1962) is a British television director and former actor from Saxmundham, England. As an actor, he is known for his role as Sgt. John Maitland in the ITV (TV network), ITV police procedural drama ''The Bill'' from 1 ...
and written by
Simon Beaufoy
Simon Beaufoy (; born 26 December 1966) is a British screenwriter. Born in Keighley, West Riding of Yorkshire, he was educated at Malsis School in Glusburn, Ermysted's Grammar School and Sedbergh School, he read English at St Peter's College ...
. It is set in
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ) is an area of Northern England which was History of Yorkshire, historically a county. Despite no longer being used for administration, Yorkshire retains a strong regional identity. The county was named after its county town, the ...
, and stars
Pete Postlethwaite,
Rachel Griffiths
Rachel Anne Griffiths (born 1968) is an Australian actress. List of awards and nominations received by Rachel Griffiths, Her accolades include a Golden Globe Award, three AACTA Awards, and nominations for an Academy Award and four Primetime Em ...
and
James Thornton. The plot came about after Beaufoy was refused permission to make a documentary on
electricity pylon
A transmission tower (also electricity pylon, hydro tower, or pylon) is a tall structure, usually a lattice tower made of steel that is used to support an overhead power line. In electrical grids, transmission towers carry high voltage, high-volt ...
painters in
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and otherwise by the sea. Haverfordwest is the largest town and ...
, and changed to fiction.
The script predates that of ''The Full Monty'', but only found a producer in the wake of the earlier film's success.
The practicalities of shooting on electricity pylons, not to mention insurance difficulties, meant that a safer mock-up pylon was made for the actors. This proved unconvincing: Postlethwaite remarked that "I don't believe we are up there, and if you don't sell that shot you don't sell the rest of the pylons," and so some material was re-shot on real pylons after training from Electricity Board climbing experts.
Around the time of the film's release, the
Bedford
Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population was 106,940. Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire and seat of the Borough of Bedford local government district.
Bedford was founded at a ford (crossin ...
van converted for use as a camper van—dubbed "the shagging wagon" in the film—was stolen and burnt out in Sheffield.
Plot
Ray (played by
Pete Postlethwaite) is a middle-aged Sheffield father of two, down on his luck. Separated from his wife, his life revolves around his close friendship with his much younger flatmate Steve (
James Thornton) and a passion for climbing.
One summer, the pair and their loose gang of workers gain illicit, cash-in-hand employment painting the
electricity pylon
A transmission tower (also electricity pylon, hydro tower, or pylon) is a tall structure, usually a lattice tower made of steel that is used to support an overhead power line. In electrical grids, transmission towers carry high voltage, high-volt ...
s of the
Yorkshire Moors. Their deadline is tight and their terms of employment precarious, but both are grateful for money and the opportunity to climb daily.
The pattern of life is interrupted by the arrival of footloose Australian backpacker Gerry (
Rachel Griffiths
Rachel Anne Griffiths (born 1968) is an Australian actress. List of awards and nominations received by Rachel Griffiths, Her accolades include a Golden Globe Award, three AACTA Awards, and nominations for an Academy Award and four Primetime Em ...
). Attractive, and a talented climber, she and Ray fall in love and become a couple despite Steve's apparent interest. This becomes more evident when Ray and Gerry leave Steve to walk back home after drinking at the bar, while the couple share a romantic moment frolicking naked under a wet cooling tower.
Ray harbours some reluctance at Gerry's wild ways, but manages to overcome these to propose marriage. Gerry too is doubtful that her wandering days are over, and wonders if she can live the staid existence on offer, despite her love for Ray. Things come to a head when she and Steve, both clearly affected by the backpacking bug, are caught drinking vodka atop a tall pylon.
Abseiling recklessly to face an angry Ray, she and Steve are fired on the spot.
In a confrontation, Gerry tells Ray that she cannot commit to the relationship, nor be tied down. Meanwhile, Ray's friendship with an increasingly jealous Steve is also in trouble, and the younger man moves out of the flat, planning his own travels to
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. He and Gerry have a brief sexual encounter, but back out when they recognise the wrongs of their actions.
Gerry waits on Ray's doorstep, hoping for some form of reconciliation, but is rejected. Upset, and undertaking a solo rock climb, she falls and is hospitalised with serious injuries. As Ray is being told this by an emotional Steve, the pylons are electrified as Ray's gang are still at work, and the crew are lucky to escape without electrocution.
This heralds the end of the summer's work, and their elusive paymaster Derek, the electricity company official, arrives on the scene. He is apologetic at the mistake, but cannot say when the workers will receive their pay.
The film ends on an uncertain note, with Steve departing for India, a recovered Gerry deciding to return to Australia, and Ray left standing on the Moors contemplating his scant options.
Cast
*
Pete Postlethwaite as Ray
*
Rachel Griffiths
Rachel Anne Griffiths (born 1968) is an Australian actress. List of awards and nominations received by Rachel Griffiths, Her accolades include a Golden Globe Award, three AACTA Awards, and nominations for an Academy Award and four Primetime Em ...
as Gerry
*
James Thornton as Steve
*
Lennie James as Shovel
*
Andy Serkis
Andrew Clement Serkis (born 20 April 1964) is an English actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his motion capture roles comprising motion capture acting, animation and voice work for computer-generated characters such as Gollum in ''The Lo ...
as Bob
*
Rob Jarvis
Robert S Jarvis (born 1965) is an English television and film actor. He is best known for his roles as Eddie in ''Hustle'' the long-running BBC series, Graham Shand in ''Luther'' and as Russell Posner in ''Emmerdale''. He currently plays the part ...
as Weasel
*Alan Williams as Frank
*Amanda Burns as line dancer
Reception
Film critic
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert ( ; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American Film criticism, film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter and author. He wrote for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. Eber ...
praised the film with a positive review and three stars, particularly pleased by the performances of Postlethwaite and Griffiths—"when you look at them, you always know how their characters are feeling"—and writing that the film was "thick with atmosphere."
David Stratton
David James Stratton (born 1939) is an English-Australian film critic and historian. He has also worked as a journalist, interviewer, educator, television personality, and producer. His career as a film critic, writer, and educator in Austral ...
of ''
Variety'' was less complimentary, writing that the film was not "in the same league" as ''The Full Monty'', was predictable, and despite the efforts of the cast, suffered from "less attractive characters, and a rather dull plot."
References
External links
*
*
''Among Giants''at the
British Film Institute
The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...
{{Sam Miller
1998 films
1998 drama films
British drama films
Films set in Sheffield
Fox Searchlight Pictures films
Films with screenplays by Simon Beaufoy
1998 directorial debut films
Films directed by Sam Miller
1990s English-language films
1990s British films
English-language drama films