ABOUT THE FILM
 Kes is a bleakly realistic film set in an industrial town, Barnsley,
in the North of England. It tells the story of Billy Casper,
the product of a broken working-class home who has been in trouble
with the law for stealing and who is also the victim of bullying
at school both by the teachers (particularly the gym teacher)
and the other students and at home by his older brother Jud who
is a miner at the local pit. His mother seems more interested
in going to the pub with a boyfriend than in either of her sons.
Billy's only interest in life is reading comic books like the
Dandy, until one day out for a walk near Monastery Farm he finds
a baby kestrel.
Billy becomes determined to raise the bird. He
fails to be admitted to the local library and in spite of his
difficulty with reading steals a book on falconry from the local
second-hand book shop. He learns how to feed and nurture and
train it. Billy is then pressed to talk about the kestrel in
class. One of the children in the class says, 'He never knocks
around with anybody else...he's mad over it.' At first he is
hesitant but as he feels the class's attention and absorption
in his story, he speaks with assurance and eloquence about his
passion. This story catches the attention of one of his more
sympathetic teachers, Mr Farthing who comes to watch him flying
the bird. There is no sense of a future for Billy - his employment
options are limited by lack of status, money or family support
but in his relationship with the bird something powerful happens
to him. However when he fails to put a bet on for his brother
that would have resulted in a win, his brother takes his revenge...
Kes is one amongst many films that deals with the difficulty
of growing-up both physically and psychologically. It is a film
about how some adults can help and others can hinder the process
of growing-up and what some children find for themselves to help
them survive. Kes is a tragic love story about Billy Casper and
the kestrel he finds. It is a film about violence, injustice
and despair but also about human potential. Kes is also critical
of an educational system that tends to uniformity and restriction.
TASKS AND ACTIVITIES
 Describe three of the locations in the film, e.g., home, the classroom,
the field where Billy trains the kestrel, and describe how the film
maker has used them to emphasise, or add to, what is happening to
Billy at a particular moment.
There are several scenes in the film where Billy and the other children
are treated unfairly by adults. Choose three examples and describe
them. Where are they set?
There are several scenes where Billy is bullied. Look at two of
them. How would you have responded? Some schools have a school council
where cases of bullying are looked at and suggestions made. Form
a small council with your classmates and have two people present
one of these incidents from the film, i.e. the bully and the person
being bullied. Listen to and discuss both points of view. Make a
decision together about how both the bully and the victim should
respond and change their behaviour. How could the rest of the class
support these decisions? Write a list of ten points as a class anti-bullying
policy statement.
Imagine yourself as one of Billy's classmates. Write a description
of Billy from his or her point of view - look at his family, his
behaviour at school etc. Write your own story as the classmate -
what is your family like? Where do you go with your friends? What
do you hope to do when you leave school?
The film is critical of the school's education system - give three
examples of this and explain how the film maker conveys his criticism.
Look at and comment on his choice of location, camerawork, casting,
dialogue.
In spite of its sadness the film is positive too. Give an example
of such a scene in the film and how it made you feel.
What do you think the kestrel symbolises in the film?
What do you think of the soundtrack to the film? Choose three scenes
and describe how the music is used. |
