Scotland At The Movies

20 February 2009, 23:29

Classic Scottish film Comfort and Joy plays at this year’s Glasgow Film Festival as part of the Great Scots strand to celebrate its silver anniversary.

Stars of the film Bill Paterson and Clare Grogan join stv’s the five thirty show to discuss the film and their experiences of making it.

Comfort and Joy was directed by Local Hero’s Bill Forsyth and is considered his most personal and revealing film. Bill Paterson plays Glasgow DJ Alan ‘Dicky’ Bird, a man who longs for a release from the trivial reality of his daily job, when unusual salvation comes from an ice-cream war in the heart of the city.

Looking back on the film, Paterson admits the Glasgow of the film is very different from the city today.

“We shot it in ’83, so you were just at that cusp of Glasgow in its ‘miles better’ phase. There’s one of the scenes in the dockland…and that is utterly unrecognisable,” he said.

Grogan, who had to learn Italian for her role, emphasised the importance director Forsyth placed on the setting.

“We shot very early in the morning and late in the afternoon because the lighting was so lovely and [Forsyth] was really keen on Glasgow looking beautiful,” she said.

Despite the film’s recent praise for being a Scottish classic, Paterson explains it wasn’t always the case.

“Gregory’s Girl and Local Hero were instantly, wonderfully received. Comfort and Joy wasn’t. It sort of touched on darker issues, but it’s kind of grown into its time now,” said the actor.

Last updated: 10 April 2009, 17:49