The Damned United is the big-screen adaptation of David Peace's extraordinary novel about Brian Clough's explosive 44-day tenure as manager of Leeds Utd, in 1974. I happened to attend a preview screening of it on my birthday. Nowt remarkable there, until the film's writer, Peter Morgan (The Queen, Frost/Nixon), stood up to make his introductory remarks. Morgan was self-deprecating. He was funny about the pointlessness of trying to explain what the film was about to Americans. He hoped that for those of us brought up here, it would be meaningful. "For anyone over 35," he said, "I hope it brings back fond memories." Just after he said that, I suddenly realised that, for the first time in my life, I was in that category. I was over 35. Only just, but still. I was 36. I was the kind of man who remembered stuff that happened ages ago - who looked back, misty-eyed, on more innocent days, when men were men and football managers were even stranger and more quixotic in their obsessions than they are now. This was a bracing moment. I felt ancient. Then I rallied, because Morgan was a little bit out in his calculations. I was only one year old in 1974. The first football match I remember vividly is the 1981 FA Cup final replay, when Ricky Villa's wonder-winner meant Tottenham beat Man City, 3-2. Not that this spoiled my enjoyment of this terrific movie one bit. I'm under strict instructions not to review what was an unfinished film when I saw it, but I don't think I'm risking the hair-dryer treatment if I say that Morgan, director Tom Hooper and a fabulous cast, with Michael Sheen as Clough, have done David Peace, and Old Big 'Ead, proud. I wouldn't say it's the best film I've seen this month, but it is in the top one.
http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/entertainm ... nited.aspx
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1226271/
The Damned United
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