Ah, bless the telly, it provided me with another film. Tonight, the late film was Song for a Raggy Boy. Set in 1939, it stars Aidan Quinn as an English teacher, recently returned home to Ireland from fighting (on the wrong side) in the Spanish Civil War. Of course, at the time, schools in Ireland were almost exclusively run by the Catholic Church, which took a dim view of the left-leaning Republicans - and so he finds it rather impossible to get work. The only job he can come up with is in a reform school for boys. What he finds there, however, horrifies him as much as anything he experienced in the war..
Based on a book of the same name, this is apparently based on true events at Daingean Reformatory - and makes for shocking viewing. From the sadism of the corporal punishment meted out by Brother John (Iain Glenn) to sexual abuse, the sheer misery of the boys is horrible. Little education is provided, and it's up to the lay teacher to inject a bit of humanity into their bleak existences. Well, he's used to fighting for what he believes is right. It's infuriating to know that this kind of thing was widespread, for a long time - and this is a timely reshowing of the film, given the recent conviction of a former teacher for child abuse. (I should point out that he's not a member of a religious order, though.) Stirring stuff - and you really feel for the youngsters, who look so small and frail. Oh, and it turns out I had seen it before - but couldn't remember how it turned out, so that was ok.
Tomorrow, Up in the Cheap Seats is watching Angels in America (Part 1 - Millennium Approaches), a National Theatre production. Again, would you believe it, not at a time I can make - they're starting early, but it's very long. Well, this is one you can rent at any time, and watch on demand for three days after - so I've rented it. Hey, it's cheaper than your average NT production.. Curiously, priced at £6.66. Coincidence..?
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