The Big Man

The Big Man (US title: Crossing the Line) is a 1990 feature film. It stars Liam Neeson, Joanne Whalley and Billy Connolly.[2] The film's score was composed by Ennio Morricone.[3] It is based on the novel of the same name by William McIlvanney.[4]

The Big Man
Promotional release poster
Directed by	David Leland
Produced by	Don MacPherson
Starring	Liam Neeson Joanne Whalley-Kilmer Ian Bannen Billy Connolly
Music by	Ennio Morricone
Distributed by	Miramax Films
Release date	31 August 1990
Running time	93 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Box office	£268,000[1]

Plot

A Scottish miner (Liam Neeson) becomes unemployed during a union strike. He is unable to support his family and cannot resolve his bitterness about his situation. Desperate for money, he accepts an offer made by a Glasgow gangster to fight in an illegal bare-knuckle boxing match. A long and brutal fight follows.

Production

Filmed at locations in Coalburn, Glasgow and Spain.[5][6]

Cast

• Liam Neeson as Danny Scoular
• Joanne Whalley-Kilmer as Beth Scoular
• Billy Connolly as Frankie
• Ian Bannen as Matt Mason
• Juliet Cadzow as Margaret Mason
• Tom Watson as Tommy Brogan
• Hugh Grant as Gordon
• Kenny Ireland as Tony
• George Rossi as Eddie
• Julie Graham as Melanie
• Johnny Beattie as Beth's father
• Amanda Walker as Beth's mother
• Peter Mullan as Vince
• Pat Roach as Billy
• Maurice Roeves as Cam Colvin

Critical reception

The Radio Times wrote "the script turns cartwheels to gain resonance from Mrs Thatcher's duel with the miners, but to little avail: the picture is "pumped-up" yet irredeemably dull."[7] whereas Time Out described the film as "one of Britain's finest existential thrillers in ages...There are minor flaws, but as a portrait of one man's desperate struggle to survive against all odds, the film is tough, taut and intelligently critical of the man's world it depicts."[8]

References

1. "Back to the Future: The Fall and Rise of the British Film Industry in the 1980s - An Information Briefing" (PDF). British Film Institute. 2005. p. 19.
2. "Explore film & TV > Films, TV and people > The Big Man (1990)". British Film Institute. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
3. "Crossing the Line (1991) - David Leland | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie" – via www.allmovie.com.
4. Wright, Bert. "William McIlvanney: Flower of Scotland and a Big Man in every sense". The Irish Times.
5. "Filming of The Big Man, 1990 in Coalburn". www.coalburnheritage.org.uk.
6. "The Big Man Filming Locations". British Film Locations.
7. "The Big Man – review | cast and crew, movie star rating and where to watch film on TV and online". Radio Times.
8. "The Big Man". Time Out Worldwide.

External links

• The Big Man at IMDb
• The Big Man at Rotten Tomatoes