- published: 05 Jul 2013
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Kes /kɛs/ is a 1969 drama film directed by Ken Loach and produced by Tony Garnett. The film is based on the 1968 novel A Kestrel for a Knave, written by the Barnsley-born author Barry Hines. The film is ranked seventh in the British Film Institute's Top Ten (British) Films and among the top ten in its list of the 50 films you should see by the age of 14.
The film focuses on 15-year-old Billy Casper, who has little hope in life and is bullied, both at home by his physically and verbally abusive older half-brother, Jud, and at school. He is constantly held to account for some prior run-ins with the police, although he insists that his mischief is behind him. Yet we see evidence of his mischievous side as he carries out his morning newspaper delivery, stealing eggs and milk from milk floats. He has difficulty paying attention in school and is often provoked into tussles with classmates. Billy comes across as an emotionally neglected boy with little self-respect. Billy's father has left the family some time ago, and his mother refers to him in the film as a "hopeless case."
Bullied at school and ignored and abused at home by his indifferent mother and older brother, Billy Casper ('David Bradley (II)' (qv)), a 15-year-old working-class Yorkshire boy, tames and trains his pet kestrel falcon whom he names Kes. Helped and encouraged by his English teacher Mr. Farthing ('Colin Welland' (qv)) and his fellow students, Billy finally finds a positive purpose to his unhappy existence, until tragedy strikes.
Keywords: animal, bare-butt, based-on-novel, beating-with-a-cane, bird, boy, bully, child-abuse, child-nudity, children
Billy: [training his falcon] C'mon Kes! [whistling] C'mon Kes!
im gonna strike while the irons hot tonight
you got somrthing you wanna talk about
well i got something i cant live without
here comes your night in shining armor again
and thats me baby
yes i know
im just like all the rest
and you know
ill never pass that test
yes i know
im just like all the rest
no-no-nobodys perfect ma-ma-mabe i come awfuly close
no-no-nobodys perfect
mabey its time to take off your clothes
take em off babe
go ahead
flip a coin is it heads or tails tonight
you cant bring this boy to his knees
i guess im guilty baby if you please
if im goin down in flames
baby im goin in style
oh yeah
yes i know
you hope were not all the same
and you know
im just playin the game
yes i know
im just like all the rest
no-no-nobodys perfect
ma-ma-mabey i come awfuly close
no-no-nobodys perfect