“Brassed Off” Pete Postlethwaite's historic performance appeals to the present day

The fight to protect human dignity

Director Mark Herman had this to say about the film:

"What I want to emphasize is that this film is a universal story that is shared around the world, and is a microcosm of communities all over the world, not just Yorkshire. Similar things are happening in mining towns all over the United States. The impact that mine closures have on people is a globally known fact. Layoffs exist anywhere, anytime." (From the theater pamphlet released in 1997)

What comes to my mind here is " Nomadland " (2020), which won three awards at this year's Academy Awards. What happens when a community that was once a solid base of life collapses? The protagonist, played by Frances McDormand, continues her journey alone, carrying with her memories of a town that once existed.

The town depicted in "Brassed Off" could have easily met a similar fate. But in their case, they stayed united even after the mine closed. Or perhaps it would be better to say that they miraculously "didn't give up."

"Brassed Off”(c)Photofest / Getty Images

As a result, the Grimethorpe Colliery Band, which was the model for this story, attracted a lot of attention due to the explosive success of the movie. Although there was a time in the 2010s when sponsors withdrew and there was uncertainty about their future, it seems that they are still continuing to work as a community and a source of music in 2021.

However, Brassed Off is not a film that focuses on such rare successes or miracles, and so the climax of the film ends with the band, with no future in sight, winning the British Championships, without any follow-up story.

And the biggest highlight was, undoubtedly, the acceptance speech on stage.

Pete Postlethwaite appeals to his audiences to see how the deception of development has caused many to not only lose their jobs, but also their footholds in their communities, their will to fight, and even the will and hope to live.

This is the moment when the emotion "Brassed Off" as the original title suggests is confronted to the audience, the government, and society as a whole. From these assertions, it is clear that this film is a work that tries its best to depict "what is human dignity" by embracing the pain of many ruined cities and scattered people, not just the city where the film is set.

Postlethwaite, the core of the masterpiece