Two 11-year-old friends – the manipulative Leo (Richard Thomas) and the manipulated Mike (Peter Clark) have a plan to get some police attention. Using a bag of stolen stage blood from the school drama department the two lads will have a ‘mock’ knife fight outside Southend football ground and pretend Leo has been stabbed.
Except, in the heat of the scuffle, Leo really does get accidentally stabbed by Mike – and Mike goes on the run, while Leo gets rushed to hospital for some minor treatment.
Mike is befriended by a local gang of punks led by a nihilistic character called Ken (ex-Auf Wiedersehen Pet man Gary Holton) who takes him around the streets of Southend – including the shopping centre, a bad disco with Mel Smith on the door, and a Chinese restaurant – but eventually, Mike gets tired of running and heads to the hospital to sort things out.
Richard Beckinsale was originally cast to play Detective Ritchie in the film. Tragically, he died during filming and his character was re-cast and the scenes re-shot – although he can still be occasionally glimpsed in long-shot according to director Stephen Frears.
Leo Turner
Richard Thomas Mike Simmonds
Peter Clark Detective Ritchie
Derrick O’Connor Ken
Gary Holton Jan, Ken’s Girlfriend
Gwyneth Strong Ken’s Gang
Nula Conwell
Madeline Church
Peter Wilson
Gary Olsen
Jesse Birdsall Susan, Leo’s Sister
Caroline Embling Disco Doorman
Mel Smith Hospital Doctor
Roger Lloyd-Pack
Director
Stephen Frears
Related Posts
Jazz Singer, The (1980) Neil Diamond made his 'acting' debut as cantor's son Yussel Rabinovitch who just wants to sing. Although outwardly following in…
Alone in the Dark (1982) Four dangerous and delusional psychopaths escape from ‘The Haven’ - a maximum-security psychiatric hospital - when the electric doors fail…
Working Girl (1988) Tess (Melanie Griffith) is an ambitious and capable secretary from the wrong side of town - she commutes from Staten…
Blue Lagoon, The (1980) In 1949 Jean Simmons and David Houston starred in The Blue Lagoon as the victims of a shipwreck who grow up…
Blind Rage (1978) The US government is sending $15 million to Southeast Asia for relief work and five blind friends decide to stage…
Bad Taste (1987) An Alien Investigation and Defence team are dispatched to hunt down some extra-terrestrial aliens who have depopulated a small town,…
Class Of 1984 (1982) Perry King stars as Andy Norris, the new music teacher at run-down Abraham Lincoln High School who takes the law…
F/X (1986) F/X offers a different twist on the run-of-the-mill homicide movie as special effects are the key ingredient of the plot.…
Except, in the heat of the scuffle, Leo really does get accidentally stabbed by Mike – and Mike goes on the run, while Leo gets rushed to hospital for some minor treatment.
Leo Turner
Jan, Ken’s Girlfriend
