Best: His Mother's Son

Last updated

Best: His Mother's Son
Genre Comedy drama
Written by Terry Cafolla
Directed byColin Barr
Starring Tom Payne
Michelle Fairley
Lorcan Cranitch
Des McAleer
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerColin Barr
EditorMark Thornton
Running time90 minutes
Original release
Network BBC Two, BBC Northern Ireland
Release26 April 2009 (2009-04-26)

Best: His Mother's Son is a 2009 comedy-drama television film that chronicles the life of the late footballer George Best's mother, Ann, and her battles against alcoholism that would ultimately lead to her death at the age of 54. The film was originally broadcast on BBC Two [1] [2] and BBC Northern Ireland on 26 April 2009, [3] receiving ratings of 2.74 million viewers. [4]

Contents

Best: His Mother's Son was filmed at County Antrim and Belfast in Northern Ireland, the country where George Best was born in 1946. It starred Tom Payne as the title character, with Michelle Fairley playing his mother Ann and Lorcan Cranitch appearing as his father Dickie. Des McAleer was also featured as the Manchester United manager during George's playing career, Matt Busby.

Background

The film looks at the later life of George Best's mother, Ann, who became an alcoholic despite having never touched alcohol before the age of 40. [5] However she became so addicted that it killed her within 10 years. [6] The film focuses upon how much this was influenced by her son's fame and also whether she had an effect on her son, who died in 2005 from organ failure.

Cast and characters

Controversy

The film has been met with controversy, with claims from the Best family that the writers and producers had not been given permission to make the film. George Best's sister gave an interview to the Belfast Telegraph in which she said "Everyone declined to participate in [the filming]. The family was asked but we weren't prepared to give the BBC any information on my mum's alcoholism." Julia told the newspaper that she was also a recovering alcoholic and would have found it very difficult to allow the film to be made. She went on to say "As a recovering alcoholic myself I am totally aware of the need for publicity for this subject, but I totally object to anyone using my family to do it — especially since the three main characters in this drama are dead and can’t defend themselves." [7] Barbara McNarry, the sister of George Best, said that the film's portrayal of alcoholism showed a "simplistic and limited understanding of this complex disease". [8]

There was also controversy over how accurately events are portrayed, despite the fact that real game footage and interviews are used within the film. [7] Tom Payne was quoted in an interview saying "It's meant to be based on real events but there are some parts which are made for TV". [9] He also said that he had done much reading to prepare for the role but "as far as the family are concerned, they were unconnected to the film".

Reception

The film received a mixed response from television critics. [10] Andrew Billen, writing in The Times , gave it 3 stars out of 5 said of Tom Payne's performance "Tom Payne as George surprised early on by emphasising his shyness and naivety but he did not grow sufficiently to convince us that he had the charisma and stature of a fifth Beatle". [11] Sky Television wrote that it was a "much hyped drama, but one thing is for sure that the compelling story of the boy from Belfast who went on to become a world class footy player - will always be in the nation's hearts." [7] The Daily Telegraph's Damian Thompson wrote that it was a "gloomy drama" in terms of the material it was dealing with but "the recreation of late-Sixties Belfast was accurate and...intelligently subdued" and described Michelle Fairley's portrayal of Ann Best as "magnificent, pulling off the difficult trick of conveying the hidden drunkenness of the respectable woman alcoholic." [12] Tom Sutcliffe, writing in The Independent , drew comparisons with Five Minutes of Heaven , a recent drama that was also set in Northern Ireland. He said that the film "remained penned in by biographical fidelity" and "it somehow seemed smaller than the tale it was telling...it consciously offered the back-story to a larger and better-known melodrama...it never seemed entirely sure what to do with the material it had." [6]

The Belfast Telegraph was extremely critical of the film, calling it "an intrusive film that failed to tell the full story". [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenneth Branagh</span> British actor and filmmaker (born 1960)

Sir Kenneth Charles Branagh is a British actor and filmmaker. Born in Belfast and raised primarily in Reading, Berkshire, Branagh trained at RADA in London and served as its president from 2015 to 2024. His accolades include an Academy Award, four BAFTAs, two Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Olivier Award. He was appointed a Knight Bachelor in the 2012 Birthday Honours, and was given Freedom of the City in his native Belfast in 2018. In 2020, he was ranked in 20th place on The Irish Times' list of Ireland's greatest film actors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Pegg</span> English actor (born 1970)

Simon John Pegg is an English actor, comedian and screenwriter. He came to prominence in the UK as the co-creator of the Channel 4 sitcom Spaced (1999–2001), directed by Edgar Wright. He and Wright co-wrote the films Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), and The World's End (2013), known collectively as the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, all of which saw Wright directing and Pegg starring alongside Nick Frost. Pegg and Frost also wrote and starred in the sci-fi comedy film Paul (2011).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Rea</span> Northern Irish actor (born 1942)

Stephen Rea is an Irish actor of stage and screen. Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, he began his career as a member of Dublin's Focus Theatre, and came to the attention of film audiences as one of the close collaborators of director Neil Jordan. He is an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award and Tony Award nominee, a two-time BAFTA Award winner, and a three-time Irish Film and Television (IFTA) Award winner.

Cold Feet is a British comedy-drama television series produced by Granada Television for the ITV network. The series was created and principally written by Mike Bullen as a follow-up to his 1997 Comedy Premiere special of the same name. The series follows three couples experiencing the ups-and-downs of romance, originally Adam Williams and Rachel Bradley, Pete and Jenny Gifford and Karen and David Marsden. As the original series progressed, the Giffords divorced and Pete married Jo Ellison, whilst Karen and David also separated, forming relationships with Mark Cubitt and Robyn Duff.

Lorcan Cranitch is an Irish actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suranne Jones</span> British actress

Sarah Ann Akers, known professionally as Suranne Jones, is an English actress and producer. Known for her numerous collaborations with screenwriter Sally Wainwright, she rose to prominence playing Karen McDonald on ITV's Coronation Street between 2000 and 2004. Upon leaving, she furthered her television career in drama series such as Vincent (2005–2006), Strictly Confidential (2006), Harley Street (2008), and Unforgiven (2009).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Nesbitt</span> Northern Irish actor (born 1965)

William James Nesbitt is an actor from Northern Ireland. From 1987, Nesbitt spent seven years performing in plays that varied from the musical Up on the Roof to the political drama Paddywack (1994). He made his feature film debut playing talent agent Fintan O'Donnell in Hear My Song (1991). He got his breakthrough television role playing Adam Williams in the romantic comedy-drama series Cold Feet, which won him a British Comedy Award, a Television and Radio Industries Club Award, and a National Television Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarah Lancashire</span> English actress (born 1964)

Sarah-Jane Abigail Lancashire is an English actress. Known for her work in television and theatre, she has received numerous accolades over a career spanning four decades, including three British Academy Television Awards and a nomination for an Olivier Award. She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2017 for services to drama.

Michael Anthony Doyle was an Irish television and film actor. He became widely known in Ireland as a then-radical priest in the popular Irish rural drama The Riordans, which began in 1965. He worked consistently in series, television films, and feature films throughout his life. He died unexpectedly in 2000, at the time playing in another well-known Irish rural drama, Ballykissangel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conleth Hill</span> Irish actor (born 1964)

Conleth Seamus Eoin Croiston Hill is an actor from Northern Ireland. He has performed on stage in productions in the UK, Ireland, Canada and the US. He has won two Laurence Olivier Awards and received two Tony Award nominations. He is best known for his role as Varys in the HBO series Game of Thrones (2011–2019).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Cooke</span> English actor (born 1987)

Christian Louis Cooke is an English actor. He is known for playing Luke Kirkwall in Where the Heart Is, Luke Rutherford in Demons, Dorian Gaudain in Trinity, Freddie Taylor in Cemetery Junction and Len Matthews in the Channel 4 mini series The Promise. Cooke's most recent roles include ex-soldier Graham Connor in Crackle's original drama The Art of More and Mickey Argyll in BBC's three-part adaptation of Agatha Christie novel Ordeal by Innocence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Payne (actor)</span> English actor

Tom Payne is an English actor. He is known for appearing on AMC's The Walking Dead as Paul "Jesus" Rovia, and BBC's Waterloo Road as Brett Aspinall. He portrayed Malcolm Bright on the American television series Prodigal Son from 2019 to 2021. Payne also currently has a recurring role in Law & Order: Organized Crime.

<i>Shackleton</i> (2002 TV series) 2002 British television miniseries

Shackleton is a 2002 British television miniseries. It was written and directed by Charles Sturridge and starring Kenneth Branagh as explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. The film tells the true story of Shackleton's 1914 Antarctic expedition on the ship Endurance. The cast includes Kevin McNally, Lorcan Cranitch, Embeth Davidtz, Danny Webb, Matt Day and Phoebe Nicholls as Lady Shackleton. It was filmed in the UK, Iceland and Greenland. The film used first-hand accounts by the men on the expedition to retell the story. Shackleton biographer Roland Huntford was a production advisor.

You, Me and Marley is a BBC2 television drama directed by Richard Spence and starring Marc O'Shea, Bronagh Gallagher, Michael Liebmann, and Michael Gregory. It was first screened in the ScreenPlay series on 30 September 1992.

Bríd Brennan is an Irish actress who is known for her film, TV and theatre work. She originated the role of Agnes in the Brian Friel play Dancing at Lughnasa, for which she won the 1992 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play. She is also a three-time Olivier Award nominee; for Rutherford and Son (1995), The Little Foxes (2002) and The Ferryman (2018).

<i>The Palace</i> UK television series

The Palace is a British drama television series that aired on ITV in 2008. Produced by Company Pictures for the ITV network, it was created by Tom Grieves and follows a fictional British Royal Family in the aftermath of the death of King James III and the succession of his 24-year-old son, King Richard IV, played by Rupert Evans. It also stars Jane Asher and Zoe Telford. The series was filmed in Lithuania in 2007 and broadcast from 14 January to 3 March 2008. Low viewing figures cancelled it after one series.

Aislín McGuckin is a Northern Irish actress. She has appeared in theatre, television, and film roles. Her early film work includes The Nephew and The White Countess. From 2014 to 2015, she starred as Letitia MacKenzie in the Starz series Outlander, and in 2020, played Marianne's mother, Denise, in the BBC One miniseries Normal People.

<i>My Fragile Heart</i> 2000 British TV series or programme

My Fragile Heart is a two-part British television crime drama miniseries, written by Abi Morgan, that first broadcast on ITV on 17 September 2000. The series starred Sarah Lancashire as Trina Lavery, a young woman who returns to her childhood home to look after her terminally ill mother, only to find the man accused of the murder of her best friend several years ago living nearby. The series was directed by Gavin Millar, with Rebecca De Souza acting as producer.

<i>Les Misérables</i> (British TV series) 2018 BBC TV series

Les Misérables is a British television series based on the 1862 French historical novel of the same name by Victor Hugo. Adapted by Andrew Davies and directed by Tom Shankland, it stars Dominic West, David Oyelowo, and Lily Collins.

<i>Bloodlands</i> (TV series) Crime drama series set in Northern Ireland

Bloodlands is a police procedural television series set in Northern Ireland that premiered on BBC One on 21 February 2021. It was created by Chris Brandon and developed by HTM Television, a joint venture between Hat Trick Productions and the producer Jed Mercurio. The show was renewed for a second series on 14 March 2021, with filming commencing in February 2022.

References

  1. ↑ "BBC Two Programmes - Best: His Mother's Son". British Broadcasting Corporation . Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  2. ↑ "BBC Two to air George Best drama". BBC News . British Broadcasting Corporation. 27 November 2008. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  3. ↑ "'Best' drama to screen on BBC NI". Irish Film and Television Network. 23 April 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  4. ↑ "Bafta TV Awards audience down 1.3m". Digital Spy. 26 April 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  5. ↑ Cafolla, Terry (20 April 2009). "Did George Best's mum know that she'd given her son a deadly addiction?". Belfast Telegraph . Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  6. 1 2 Sutcliffe, Tom (27 April 2009). "The Weekend's Television - Best: His Mother's Son". The Independent . London. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  7. 1 2 3 "Best: His Mother's Son - Sky TV review". British Sky Broadcasting. Archived from the original on 26 April 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  8. ↑ "Best drama 'simplistic' - sister". BBC News . British Broadcasting Corporation. 26 April 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  9. ↑ "Interview - Tom Payne". Digital Spy. 24 April 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  10. ↑ "Mixed reaction to Best drama". BBC News . British Broadcasting Corporation. 27 April 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  11. ↑ Billen, Andrew (27 April 2009). "Best: His Mother's Son - Times review". Times Online. London: The Times. Archived from the original on 9 May 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  12. ↑ Thompson, Damian (24 April 2009). "Best: His Mother's Son - Telegraph review". Telegraph Online. London: The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 30 April 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  13. ↑ "George Best drama: an intrusive film that failed to tell the full story". Belfast Telegraph. 27 April 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.