The Fifteen Streets *** (1989, Owen Teale, Sean Bean, Clare Holman, Ian Bannen, Jane Horrocks, Billie Whitelaw, Frank Windsor, Anny Tobin) – Classic Movie Review 8659

Director David Wheatley’s 1989 historical romantic drama The Fifteen Streets is a very capably directed, incident-filled romance, effectively adapted by Rob Bettinson from a Catherine Cookson novel, with a well-played cast of rich caricatures and a refreshingly gritty look that is darkly atmospheric.

Owen Teale stars as John O’Brien, a docker from a poor, brawling, boozing family, who falls in love with Mary Llewellyn (Clare Holman), the schoolteacher daughter of the shipyard’s rich owner, in a dockyard town in North-east England during 1910.

This often imaginative, briskly paced and entertaining film may be hokum, but it is high-class hokum, and emerges as considerably more than just potboiling TV fodder. It is gritty, lusty entertainment.

The Fifteen Streets: a particularly exciting cast includes Sean Bean.

A particularly exciting cast includes Sean Bean, Ian Bannen, Jane Horrocks, Billie Whitelaw and Frank Windsor, all of whom are on fine form.

Also in the cast are Leslie Schofield, Anny Tobin, Mark Mulholland, Faye Dannell, Gillian Hope, Scott Frazer, Colin Bavidge, Barbara Marten and Madeleine Moffat.

The Fifteen Streets is directed by David Wheatley, runs 106 minutes, is made by World Wide TV, released by Tyne Tees TV, is written by Rob Bettinson, based on a Catherine Cookson novel, is shot by Ken Morgan, is produced by Ray Marshall, is scored by Carl Davis and is designed by Chris Edwards.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8659

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