P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang

P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang, also released as Kipperbang, is a British television film first shown on Channel 4 on its second night, 3 November 1982.

P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang
Title card
Directed byMichael Apted
Produced byDavid Puttnam
Chris Griffin
David Bill
Written byJack Rosenthal
StarringJohn Albasiny
Abigail Cruttenden
Maurice Dee
Alison Steadman
Frances Ruffelle
Robert Urquhart
Music byDavid Earl
CinematographyTony Pierce-Roberts
Edited byJohn Shirley
Release date
  • 3 November 1982 (1982-11-03) (UK)
  • 20 April 1984 (1984-04-20) (U.S.)
Running time
80 minutes (UK)
85 minutes (U.S.)
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Written by Jack Rosenthal as part of the 1st Love series, it is a simple coming-of-age film set in a grammar school in the outer London suburbs of the late forties (1948). The film was directed by Michael Apted, known for the UK TV documentary series 7 Up as well as movies such as Gorillas in the Mist and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It is the story of Alan Duckworth (John Albasiny), a young cricket-obsessed boy, and his first kiss with Ann Lawton (Abigail Cruttenden). Alan's thoughts are voiced by real life BBC Radio cricket commentator John Arlott in the style of a match commentary. The title phrase comes from a password used by members of Alan's gang.[1] The film has a reputation as a minor cult classic, and still plays occasionally at the UK's BFI National Film Theatre.

Plot

Alan Duckworth (known as 'Quack Quack' to his friends) is a socially awkward fourteen-year-old who is obsessed with cricket and Ann Lawton, a girl in his class. Alan daydreams throughout his day, showing up late for school and making little academic progress. He becomes friends with the groundsman Tommy (Garry Cooper), whom he sees as some sort of 'war hero'. Alan often follows Tommy around, telling him how Tommy helped to win the war, while making predictions about what the post-war world will be like. Among other things, Alan predicts that there will be no more wars, everyone will speak Esperanto and everyone, regardless of race or creed, will have a Teasmade.

Miss Land (Alison Steadman), meanwhile, is worried she is pregnant with Tommy's baby, something that would result in her having to resign from her job as an English teacher. Tommy, however, is arrested and it is revealed that he deserted the war three weeks into his service, rather than fighting at Dunkirk, El Alamein, the Battle of the Bulge and in Burma, as he claimed.

While his friends are all interested in sex, which Alan refers to as 'the other thing', he is purely focused on kissing Ann Lawton. Ann, however, is not well regarded by Alan's friends, since she is very strait-laced. When Miss Land casts them together in the school play, Alan and Ann have to kiss.

Filming

Filming took place at Wimbledon Chase Primary School and in the surrounding area.

Box office

Goldcrest Films invested £378,000 in the film and received £749,000 earning them a profit of £371,000.[2]

References
  1. Eamonn McCusker (10 September 2007). "P'Tang Yang Kipperbang | DVD Video Review | Film @ The Digital Fix". The Digital Fix. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
  2. Eberts, Jake; Illott, Terry (1990). My indecision is final. Faber and Faber. p. 657.


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