Kes/ Reel Spirituality

Kes by Ken(neth) Loach

Some points and questions that came to light as a result of the screening and discussion of Kes, as part of the Reel Spirituality series on “the outsider”.

Did the film stand up to scrutiny after nearly 40 years? Because of its age do we judge it more harshly, or do we give it sympathy points?

It’s a very character driven film, and still holds up well when compared with other similar “northern/ socio-realistic films, like Billy Elliot, Brassed Off and The Full Monty.

Some themes:

Childhood obsession – Billy’s utter focus on the bird to the exclusion of most other things, exemplified by his only show of school enthusiasm being his talk on the kestrel

Direct approach – Billy wants to know more about birds, so steals a book on birds when he can’t borrow one, and takes a bird to train

Link between Kes and Billy – Both locked in a cage, both at their best when free and outdoors

Indoors/outdoors – All the good things that happen to Billy are outside, while all the bad things happen inside

Hopes and dreams – Billy survives by satisfying his immediate needs, but are his hopes and dreams projected onto the bird, wishing the bird to do well rather than himself? The interest of his English teacher carries Billy’s enthusiasm into adulthood, almost as a validation

And the big question - what happens to Billy after the end of the film?...


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