Restless Natives stood out from other Scottish-based comedies of the 80’s for its maverick take on Scottish life, and also the fact that it wasn’t directed by Bill Forsyth who dominated the genre throughout the decade. There is a Forsyth-connection though, with line producer Paddy Higson having previously worked on several of the director’s films. Ultimately, Restless Natives stands up as a classic in its own right, with its heartfelt and hilarious plot and the beautiful Scottish Highlands as its backdrop.
Here’s a look back at those Scottish comedy classics of the 80’s that captured the essence of the country and the hearts of cinema goers all over the UK and beyond.
Restless Natives (1985)
This charming comedy follows the exploits of Ronnie and Will, two under-employed Scots living on an Edinburgh housing estate who turn to crime to ease their boredom. The pair hit upon the idea of robbing coachloads of tourists as a way of achieving wealth and notoriety.
Donning a wolf and a clown mask and armed with a puffer gun loaded with homemade mace, they politely hold up coachloads of tourists travelling through the Highlands. The duo soon become a hit with the tourists and the public alike, becoming a bigger tourist attraction than the Loch Ness Monster, much to the annoyance of the inept local police.
Starring Vincent Friell (Will) and Joe Mullaney (Ronnie) and directed by Michael Hoffman (The Last Station, One Fine Day) from a script by Ninian Dunnett, this much-loved film proved a worthy addition to the 80’s wave of Scottish comedies that helped shape the country and its people in the minds of cinematic audiences worldwide.
Comfort & Joy (1984)
Things get nasty between competitive ice cream venders in this Forsyth comedy starring Glasgow-born, Bill Paterson. Paterson plays radio DJ, Alan Bird, who, after witnessing an attack on an ice-cream van by an angry mob, becomes embroiled in the war between two Italian families fighting for territory on the streets of Glasgow.
The movie failed to attract the same critical acclaim or box office success of Gregory’s Girl or Local Hero, although it was nominated for a BAFTA for Best Original Screenplay. The plot was inspired by Glasgow’s real ice-cream wars, which were actually more about drug turf than frozen desserts.
Local Hero (1983)
The international success of Gregory’s Girl helped harness the star pulling power of Hollywood legend Burt Lancaster for Forsyth’s next cinematic release, helping garner Forsyth, and Scotland, further global attention. Lancaster plays Felix Happer, head of a Texas-based oil company. Happer sends hot-shot executive, Mac Macintyre (Peter Riegert) to the Scottish Highlands to acquire the village of Ferness in order to make way for a refinery. After several weeks of living amongst the endearingly eccentric villagers, Mac becomes increasingly conflicted about his mission. Unknown to him, the villagers are secretly looking for an escape from the daily grind, and happy to profit from any deal he manages to broker. The movie features a host of Scottish talent, including Fulton Mackay, of sit-com Porridge fame, and future Tardis incumbent, Peter Capaldi.
Gregory’s Girl (1980)
This simple coming-of-age comedy follows the attempts of awkward teenager, Gregory Underwood (John Gordon Sinclair) to win the affections of football-loving school mate, Dorothy (Dee Hepburn). Once again, the cast featured numerous members of the Glasgow Youth Theatre. The tight budget also meant many actors supplied their own clothes — Hepburn is even rumoured to have borrowed her white football shorts from her sister. Despite these restrictions, Gregory’s Girl received critical acclaim both in Britain and the U.S. — although the soundtrack was once again dubbed with more anglicised accents for the American audience.
The film went on to win the BAFTA for Best Original Screenplay in 1982, as well as receiving a host of BAFTA nominations, including Best Newcomer for John Gordon Sinclair and Best Film for Forsyth.
That Sinking Feeling (1979)
Just nudging into our 80’s retrospective, this Glasgow-based tale of disenchanted youth and kitchen sinks was Bill Forsyth’s directorial debut. With a limited budget, Forsyth decided to approach teenagers from the Glasgow Youth Theatre, offering them roles in exchange for a share of profits. Many of these acting novices went on to appear in Forsyth’s seminal Scottish comedy, Gregory’s Girl, including Gregory himself, John Gordon Sinclair.
The movie was filmed entirely in Glasgow, with scenes shot at locations including Kelvingrove Park, Bishopbriggs Railway Station and the residential district of Dennistoun. These settings offered an authentic backdrop to a plot that involved a group of Glaswegian teens concocting a plan to steal stainless steel sinks from a warehouse and sell them. When the film was released four years later in the U.S., following the success of Gregory’s Girl, some of this authenticity was lost with the actors’ real voices dubbed in favour of more mainstream Edinburgh accents.
RESTLESS NATIVES is available to buy on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital now.
