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The Big Man
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Wikipedia article
'The Big Man' (US title: 'Crossing the Line') is a 1990 feature film. It stars Liam Neeson, Joanne Whalley and Billy Connolly. The film's score was composed by Ennio Morricone. It is based on the 1986 novel of the same name by William McIlvanney.
Plot
A Scottish miner (Liam Neeson) becomes unemployed during a union strike. He is unable to support his family and cannot resolve his bitterness about his situation. Desperate for money, he accepts an offer made by a Glasgow gangster to fight in an illegal bare-knuckle boxing match. A long and brutal fight follows.
Production
Filmed at locations in Coalburn, Glasgow and Spain.
Cast
*Liam Neeson as Danny Scoular
*Joanne Whalley-Kilmer as Beth Scoular
*Billy Connolly as Frankie
*Ian Bannen as Matt Mason
*Juliet Cadzow as Margaret Mason
*Tom Watson as Tommy Brogan
*Hugh Grant as Gordon
*Kenny Ireland as Tony
*George Rossi as Eddie
*Julie Graham as Melanie
*Johnny Beattie as Beth's father
*Amanda Walker as Beth's mother
*Peter Mullan as Vince
*Pat Roach as Billy
*Maurice Roeves as Cam Colvin
Reception
Critical reception
The 'Radio Times' wrote "the script turns cartwheels to gain resonance from Mrs Thatcher's duel with the miners, but to little avail: the picture is "pumped-up" yet irredeemably dull." whereas 'Time Out' described the film as "one of Britain's finest existential thrillers in ages...There are minor flaws, but as a portrait of one man's desperate struggle to survive against all odds, the film is tough, taut and intelligently critical of the man's world it depicts."Box office
The film opened at the Odeon West End and grossed 24,727 in its opening week. It went on to gross 268,000 in the UK.References
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