Billy Elliot (2000)

Director:

Stephen Daldry

Writer:

Lee Hall (written by)

Release Date:

29 September 2000 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Music

Tagline:

Inside every one of us is a special talent waiting to come out. The trick is finding it.

Plot:

A talented young boy becomes torn between his unexpected love of dance and the disintegration of his family.

Plot Keywords:

Ballet | Strike | Miner | Boxing | Love

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 49 wins & 54 nominations

Cast

Jamie Bell	...	Billy Elliot
Jean Heywood	...	Grandma
Jamie Draven	...	Tony Elliot
Gary Lewis	...	Dad (Jackie Elliot)
Stuart Wells	...	Michael Caffrey
Mike Elliot	...	George Watson
Billy Fane	...	Mr. Braithwaite
Nicola Blackwell	...	Debbie Wilkinson
Julie Walters	...	Mrs. Wilkinson
Carol McGuigan	...	Librarian
Joe Renton	...	Gary Poulson
Colin MacLachlan	...	Mr. Tom Wilkinson (as Colin Maclachlan)
Janine Birkett	...	Billy's Mum
Trevor Fox	...	PC Jeff Peverly
Charlie Hardwick	...	Sheila Briggs
Denny Ferguson	...	Miner
Dennis Lingard	...	NCB Official
Matthew James Thomas	...	Simon (as Matthew Thomas)
Stephen Mangan	...	Dr. Crane, Ballet Doctor (as Steve Mangan)
Paul Ridley	...	Tutor in Medical
Patrick Malahide	...	Principal
Barbara Leigh-Hunt	...	Vice-Principal
Imogen Claire	...	Tutor 1
Diana Kent	...	Tutor 2
Neil North	...	Tutor 3
Lee Williams	...	Tutor 4
Petra Siniawski	...	Teacher
Merelina Kendall	...	Secretary
Zoe Bell	...	Sandra
Tracey Wilkinson	...	Geography Teacher
Merryn Owen	...	Michael (Aged 25)
Adam Cooper	...	Billy (Aged 25)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Darren J. Fawthrop	...	Dancer in 'Swan Lake' (uncredited)
Adam Galbraith	...	Dancer in 'Swan Lake' (uncredited)
Sharon Percy	...	Jenny Poulson (uncredited)
Ken Richardson	...	Police Officer (uncredited)
Leonard Silver	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Lee Smikle	...	Dancer in 'Swan Lake' (uncredited)
Damian Winter-Higgins	...	Dancer in 'Swan Lake' (uncredited)

Directed by
Stephen Daldry

Writing credits
Lee Hall		(written by)

Produced by
Charles Brand	....	executive producer
Greg Brenman	....	producer
Jonathan Finn	....	producer (as Jon Finn)
Tori Parry	....	line producer
Tessa Ross	....	executive producer
David M. Thompson	....	executive producer
Natascha Wharton	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Stephen Warbeck

Cinematography by
Brian Tufano		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
John Wilson

Casting by
Jina Jay

Production Design by
Maria Djurkovic

Art Direction by
Adam O'Neill

Set Decoration by
Tatiana Lund

Costume Design by
Stewart Meachem		(as Stewart Meacham)

Makeup Department
Ivana Primorac	....	hair designer
Ivana Primorac	....	makeup designer
Nikita Rae	....	hair stylist
Nikita Rae	....	makeup artist
Michael Birtley	....	daily makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Angela Morrison	....	executive in charge of production
Nick Waldron	....	unit manager: Durham
Michelle Wright	....	executive in charge of production: Working Title Films (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alison Banks	....	first assistant director: second unit
Alex Bignell	....	second assistant director: second unit (as Alexander Bignell)
Mike Hanley	....	third assistant director
Martin Harrison	....	first assistant director
Finn McGrath	....	second assistant director
Aurelia Thomas	....	third assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Alan Bailey	....	property master
John Bohan	....	construction manager
Anthony Caron-Delion	....	stand-by art director
Billy Edwards	....	stand-by props
Dave Fisher	....	chargehand/stand-by (as David Fisher)
Stephen Forrest-Smith	....	storyboard artist (as Stephen Forrest Smith)
Ron Higgins	....	dressing props
Goggi Lund	....	signwriter
Cathal MacIlwaine	....	stand-by carpenter
Thomas Martin	....	supervising carpenter
Nick Mollo	....	dresser
Nick Mollo	....	storeman
Edward Pearce	....	stand-by rigger
Stelios Polychronakis	....	art department assistant
Stelios Polychronakis	....	graphics
Ann Taylor	....	assistant buyer
Clive Ward	....	supervising painter
Paul Wescott	....	supervising painter
Ian Williamson	....	stand-by painter
Robert Wishart	....	supervising carpenter

Sound Department
Peter Eusebe	....	sound maintenance
Anthony Faust	....	foley editor
Richard Finney	....	sound maintenance
Matthew Gough	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
Zane Hayward	....	supervising sound editor
Stewart Henderson	....	adr editor
Stewart Henderson	....	dialogue editor
Mark Holding	....	production sound mixer
Hugh Johnson	....	foley recordist
Darren McQuade	....	adr recordist
Mike Prestwood Smith	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ted Swanscott	....	adr recordist
Ted Swanscott	....	foley recordist
Michael Yallop	....	sound trainee
Peter Eusebe	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Stuart Murdoch	....	special effects supervisor
Daniel Wright	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Richard Briscoe	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Pete Hanson	....	studio manager: Double Negative (uncredited)
Rudi Holzapfel	....	digital effects supervisor: Double Negative (uncredited)
Steve MacPherson	....	technical operations manager: Double Negative (uncredited)

Stunts
Richard Bradshaw	....	stunts
Neil Finnighan	....	stunts
Steve Griffin	....	stunts (as Steve Street Griffin)
Richard Hammatt	....	stunts
Paul Heasman	....	stunts
Nick Hobbs	....	stunts
Rob Inch	....	stunts
Andrew Lambert	....	stunts
Derek Lea	....	stunts
Ray Nicholas	....	stunts (as Ray L. Nicholas)
Seon Rogers	....	stunts
Lee Sheward	....	stunt coordinator
C.C. Smiff	....	stunts (as CC Smiff)
Mark Southworth	....	stunts
Alan Stuart	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Fabbri	....	director of photography: second unit
Hayley Ann Farr	....	camera trainee
Ed Jones	....	clapper loader
Giles Keyte	....	still photographer
Joanne Lee	....	camera trainee
David Maund	....	camera grip
Liam McGill	....	gaffer
Brian Mcgivern	....	generator operator (as Brian McGivern)
Gary Nolan	....	electrician
Clive Pittman	....	clapper loader
Bob Shipsey	....	additional photographer (as Robert Shipsey)
Bob Shipsey	....	focus puller (as Robert Shipsey)
Martyn Welland	....	electrician (as Martin Welland)
Iwan Williams	....	best boy electric
Jon Euesden	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Shaheen Baig	....	casting associate
Chloe Emmerson	....	casting associate
Pippa Hall	....	casting associate
Brendan Donnison	....	adr voice casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ali Goss	....	costume supervisor (as Alison Goss)
Melissa Layton	....	costume assistant
Carla Pope	....	costume assistant
Marcus Love-McGuirk	....	set costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Mark Eckersley	....	first assistant editor
Peter Ferrari	....	color grader
Emily Grant	....	second assistant editor
Will MacNeil	....	second assistant editor
Emma Zee	....	post-production coordinator
Steve Farman	....	negative cutter (uncredited)
Steve Harrow	....	post-production consultant (uncredited)

Music Department
Nick Angel	....	music supervisor
Chris Dibble	....	music mixer
Chris Dibble	....	music recordist
Andrew Green	....	assistant to composer
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestral contractor
Dave Hartley	....	musician: piano
Nick Ingman	....	conductor
John Parricelli	....	musician: guitars
Andy Pask	....	musician: bass
Anthony Pleeth	....	musician: cello solo
Graham Read	....	music copyist
Graham Read	....	music preparation
Ian Thomas	....	musician: drums
Stephen Warbeck	....	orchestrator
Rolf Wilson	....	orchestra leader
Paul Kegg	....	musician: cello (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Paul Brosnan	....	dining bus driver
Daniel Brown	....	driver: wardrobe truck/makeup truck
John Cornelius	....	stand-by construction driver
Brett Curran	....	unit driver
Sonny Donato	....	unit driver
Barry Gibbs	....	driver: construction department
Jeff Oldman	....	unit driver
Terry Reece	....	unit driver
Tony Russell	....	unit driver
Stewart Thompson	....	unit driver
Vick Todd	....	driver: stand-by props
David Walls	....	unit driver
Keith West	....	driver: property runaround
Dale Wilson	....	driver: camera truck

Other crew
Andy Bailey	....	head chef
Eileen Bell	....	chaperone: Jamie Bell
Roanna Benn	....	script editor
Amanda Boyle	....	company coordinator: WT²
Cate Brockbank	....	unit nurse
Rachel Burgess	....	stand-in
Ann Cattrall	....	floor runner
Kayin Cheng	....	additional help (as Kayin Cheung)
Peter Darling	....	choreographer
Amanda Davis	....	development executive: Tiger Aspect
Francesca Dowd	....	production coordinator
Jake Edmonds	....	advisor: health and safety
John Ensby	....	laboratory contact
Cyril Gibbons	....	advisor: health and safety (as Cyril Gibbens)
Sean Gobbi	....	head chef
Tarn Harper	....	post-production accountant
Matt Harvey	....	caterer
Ann Hetherington	....	tutor
Rachel Holroyd	....	representative: Working Title
Katherine Hook	....	tutor
Ashley Horner	....	location runner
Joseph Jayawardena	....	location manager
Elsie Koerner	....	stand-in
Jenny Lalor	....	business affairs: Tiger Aspect
Christine Llewellyn Reeve	....	location manager (as Christine Llewellyn-Reeve)
Grainne Marmion	....	production executive: BBC
Audrey Matfin	....	chaperone: Jamie Bell
Jill McCullough	....	dialect coach
David Medlycott	....	assistant location manager
Zoe Morgan	....	script supervisor (as Zoë Morgan)
Cath Nevin	....	unit nurse
Gary Nixon	....	production accountant
Mick Norfolk	....	caterer
Paddy O'Connor	....	additional help
Matthew O'Toole	....	assistant accountant
Lynne Page	....	associate choreographer
Nevette Previd	....	unit publicist: Freud Communications
Darren Price	....	production runner
Rachael Prior	....	assistant: Natascha Wharton
Sue Quinn	....	location finder
Sarah Rule	....	additional help
Julie Scott	....	financial controller: BBC
Nick Simmons	....	floor runner: second unit
Robyn Smith	....	special license: Mr. Fred Astaire's appearance (as Mrs. Fred Astaire)
Dylan Southern	....	production office trainee
Marieke Spencer	....	assistant: Stephen Daldry
Julian Tomlin	....	business affairs: Working Title
Katie Waters	....	assistant: Greg Brenman
Michael Whitcomb	....	stand-in
Deborah Willey	....	production assistant
Gus Williamson	....	caterer
John Wood	....	caterer
Çigdem Worthington	....	business affairs: Working Title
Melanie Claus	....	production coordinator: re-shoot (uncredited)
Cynthia De Souza	....	assistant: Greg Brenman (uncredited)

Thanks
Lisa Bailey	....	special thanks
Joanie Blaikie	....	special thanks
Matthew Bourne	....	acknowledgment: "Swan Lake" appears courtesy of
Gretta Finer	....	special thanks
Gerry Gore	....	special thanks
Kevin O'Shea	....	special thanks
Janet Plater	....	special thanks
Patsy Pollock	....	special thanks
Ian Ritchie	....	dedicatee
Ted Rogers	....	dedicatee
Nicole Uprichard	....	special thanks
Thomas A. White	....	special thanks
David Wilder	....	special thanks
Graham Wynn	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Arts Council of England (in association with) (presents)
• BBC Films (presents)
• Studio Canal (A Canal+ Company)
• Tiger Aspect Productions (as A Tiger Aspect Pictures Production)
• WT2 Productions (in association with) (as WT²)
• Working Title Films (presents)

Distributors

• Mars Distribution (2000-2001) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2001) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2000-2001) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2000) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2001) (Spain) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2001) (Finland) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2001) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Universal Focus (2000) (USA) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• Egmont Entertainment (2001) (Finland) (DVD)
• Egmont Entertainment (2001) (Finland) (VHS)
• Herald Film Company (Japan)
• Nelonen (2004) (Finland) (TV)
• Universal Home Video (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Home Video (Brazil) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures Video (2001) (Netherlands) (video)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2001) (USA) (video)

Special Effects

• Double Negative (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Hyperactive Broadcast  editing equipment
• Shepperton Studios  movie studio
• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance services supplied by
• ARRI Media  camera equipment provided by
• Action Vehicles  action vehicles
• Adventures in Motion Pictures  "Swan Lake" appears courtesy of
• Airborne Express Inc.  rushes courier services
• Angels & Bermans  costumes
• Archibalds Builders Merchants  special thanks
• Atlantic Post Production  sound editing equipment
• BBC Costume Store  costumes
• Brehon & Co. Solicitors  special thanks
• British Coal Council  special thanks
• Byrons Casting  special thanks
• Cine Image Film Opticals  titles and opticals
• Coal Authority  special thanks
• Coastal Productions  special thanks
• De Lane Lea Sound Centre  adr recording studio
• De Lane Lea Sound Centre  post-production facilities
• Durham Constabulary  special thanks
• Durham County Council  special thanks: arts, library and museum department
• Easington District Council  special thanks
• Film Finance  completion bond
• Freud Communications  unit publicity
• GT Caterers  catering
• Ice Films  camera equipment provided by
• Krackers Kids  special thanks
• Lansdown Recording Studios  music recorded and mixed at
• Lee Lighting  electrical equipment
• Magmasters Sound Studios  adr recording studio
• Marriott Harrison  legal services
• Middlesborough Council  special thanks
• Newcastle Upon Tyne City Council  special thanks
• Northern Screen Commission  special thanks
• Northfield School  special thanks
• Northumbria Police  special thanks
• On Set Location Services  facilities supplied by
• On Set Location Services  transportation
• Paris Helen School of Dance  special thanks
• Pinewood Stills  stills processing
• Polydor  soundtrack
• Professional Negative Cutting  negative cutting
• Ray Marston Wig Studio  costumes
• Royal Opera House, The  theater
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script by
• Seaham Town Council  special thanks
• Stagecoach Theatre Arts School Salisbury  special thanks
• Steeple Post Production Services  post-production consultant
• Studio and Costumes  costumes
• Studios CTS  music recorded and mixed at
• Timber Tops  horses supplied by
• Turner Entertainment  "Top Hat" clip courtesy of
• Videosonics Cinema Sound  adr recording studio
• West London School of Dance  special thanks
• Wood Hall Catering  catering

Also Known As:

Dancer (France) (festival title) (UK) (working title)
Billy Elliot (France)
Билли Эллиот (Russia) [ru]
Billy Elliot (Poland) [pl]
Billy Elliot (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Billy Elliot (Denmark) [da]
Billy Elliot (Finland) [fi]
Billy Elliot (Spain) [es]
Billy Elliot - I Will Dance (Germany) [de]
Billy Elliot: Quiero bailar (Spain) [es]
Gennimenos horeftis (Greece) [el]
Little Dancer (Japan: English title) [en]

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some thematic material. (edited version)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

UK | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Malaysia:U | Finland:K-8 | South Korea:12 | USA:PG-13 (cut video version) | USA:R (theatrical release) | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Canada:PG | Chile:TE | Denmark:7 | France:U | Germany:6 (bw) | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:M | Norway:11 | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Ireland:15 | Singapore:PG | Hong Kong:IIA | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Canary Wharf Underground Station, Canary Wharf, Isle of Dogs, London, England, UK

Company:

Arts Council of England

Trivia:

Jamie Bell is the only one of the four principals to actually come from the area where the film is set.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the mobile library scene, several book spines are clearly visible, revealing titles published well after the 1984 setting of the film: Lisa Appignanesi wrote 'Memory and Desire' in 1991, Barbara Taylor Bradford wrote 'Hold the Dream' in 1985, and Shirlee Busbee wrote 'This Spanish Rose', 1986.

Quotes:

[Billy is dancing while walking]
Dad: Is that absolutely necessary? Walk normal!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Will & Grace: The Finale (#8.23)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

London Calling

A Triumph of Highly Charged Storytelling

Billy Elliot is by far the most honestly told depiction of middle boyhood I've seen in years, if ever. I was in joyful tatters at the end of this story of a boy struggling to stay true to his calling in an anguished northern English mining town circa 1980. Every working class character in this film is written and uncompromisingly played with great love and understanding of both family and class hardship. Personally I view this film as the finest piece of British "intimiste" cinema I've seen since Mike Leigh's "Secrets and Lies". Yet it has epic elements as well. Billy's personal story unfolds while his home town is occupied by uniformed British strike control forces.

This is a tale of inter-masculine struggle in a family and mining town almost devoid of (and yearning for) a balancing feminine presence. Billy's gift is slowly awakened in this stressed and violent male crucible. His relationships with his brother, his father, his genderally confused classmate, and his teacher all grow increasingly charged as the movie develops. For honesty and presence, Jamie Bell as Billy far surpasses Haley Joel Osment's debut in The Sixth Sense. And if that's not enough, Julie Walters, Gary Lewis and Jamie Draven as Billy's teacher, dad and brother are all heartbreakingly portrayed. All are perfectly cast and at the very top of their form.

After all these characters have passed through the warzone of the first and second acts, director Steven Daldry delivers perhaps the most perfectly executed third act I have seen in a family centered drama from England or elsewhere. There are countless insightful decisions Daldry makes in the course of this film that other directors will study for years to come. But they're all brought to touching and masterful closure in the third act segments.

Kudos to scenarist Lee Hall for an excellent script. It should also be noted that many of DP Brian Tufano's beautifully composed shots match those of the great Chinese and Italian cinematographers. The film is brash in its musical style and forthright in its language. It is a film of specifics and the locale is not dressed up. And unlike many other local color films from England since 1985, this film has a strong, eminently compassionate narrative spine. Many audience members in the show I attended were immobilized and overcome in their seats during credits.

Despite frequent profanity, boys 11 and up should be allowed to see Billy Elliot, if only to keep them from abandoning hope. If it helps even one oppressed and confused boy keep an ear to the faint voice within that might just be his true calling, this film will have been worth every dollar spent in its making. A truly uplifting film.