Remembrance (1982 movie)

**Remembrance** is a drama about Royal Navy ratings of HMS _Raleigh_. They are about to go on a six-month naval exercise. Some well-known British actors had early roles in the film. They include Timothy Spall, Lisa Maxwell and John Altman. It was Gary Oldman's first film.

It was made by Channel Four Films and was shown in the first week of Channel 4 broadcasting. It was also one of the first films in the UK to be shown on television less than three years after its initial cinema release. Before this event, a three-year delay was made by the Cinema Exhibitors' Association.

## Plot

The film follows several naval ratings with the story switching between the characters. The naval ratings prepare for their coming months away at sea. The action takes place around the bars and clubs of the Union Street district of Plymouth. One major event that affects all the characters is the hospitalisation, and eventual death, of Daniel, played by Gary Oldman. This is after a violent assault by a nightclub bouncer.

## Production

Gregg got the idea for the film from his own experiences as a student at Plymouth Art College.
It was shot on location. It includes interior scenes in two Union Street pubs, _The Phoenix_ and _The Two Trees_.

The film was commissioned by Channel 4, before the channel had started broadcasting. It was shown in November 1982, close to Remembrance Sunday. This was in the first week of the new channel

In June 1982, before being shown on TV, the film had been shown in a cinema, the _Screen on the Hill_ in Hampstead.
This was for publicity of the film and the start of Channel 4. It took advantage of the role that the Royal Navy had played in the Falklands War. It was also an important event in the relationship between cinema and television in the UK. In _Independent Television in Britain_ (Volume 6, 2003), Paul Bonner and Lesley Aston note that:

## Cast

- Roger Adamson as Provost driver
- John Altman as Steve
- Dawn Archibald as Jill
- Sean Arnold as Landlord of the Antelope
- Al Ashton as John
- Dicken Ashworth as Frank
- Sheila Ballantine as Marie
- Martin Barrass as Malcolm
- John Barrett as Jimmy
- Derek Benfield as Vincent's father
- Jesse Birdsall as Matelot
- Roger Booth as Mark's father
- Jon Croft as Stan
- Alison Dowling as Student
- Mark Drewry as Harry
- Nick Dunning as Chris
- Peter Ellis as Policeman
- Nick Ellsworth as Naval provost
- Myra Frances as Teacher at party
- Michael Godley as Father at party
- Kenneth Griffith as Joe
- Dave Hill as Paul
- Sally Jane Jackson as Sue
- David John as Mark
- Peter Jonfield as Dave
- Wolf Kahler as Dutch Matelot
- Marjie Lawrence as Mark's mother
- Pete Lee-Wilson as Vincent
- Doel Luscombe as Landlord of the White Swan
- Tony Mathews as Naval surgeon
- Lisa Maxwell as Girl at disco
- Don Munday as Doorman
- Gary Oldman as Daniel
- Eileen Page as Mother at party
- Robert John Pittman as Landlord of the Two Trees
- John Price as Naval officer
- Lawrie Quayle as TV interviewer
- Anna Rees as Girl at disco
- John Rutland as Alf
- Timothy Spall as Douglas
- Ewan Stewart as Sean
- Kim Taylforth as Christine
- Flip Webster as Barmaid at disco
- Michele Winstanley as Gail
- Nicola Wright as Student

## Soundtrack

Background music is from "Aragon" by Brian Eno.

## Reception

Channel 4's regulator, the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), raised concerns about use of swearing in the script.

The film won the Golden Charybdis Award at the 1982 Taormina International Film Festival.

## Other websites

- Remembrance on IMDb
- Remembrance at the BFI

## Infobox (movie)

- **name**: Remembrance
- **director**: Colin Gregg
- **producer**: Colin Gregg
- **writer**: Hugh Stoddart
- **cinematography**: John Metcalfe
- **editing**: Peter Delfgou
- **distributor**: Channel Four Films
- **runtime**: 130 minutes
- **country**: United Kingdom
- **language**: English
- **budget**: £325,000