Scotland At The Movies

20 March 2009, 14:57

Set in and around Glasgow in the early 1980s, Bill Forsyth’s comedy, Comfort and Joy, provides a great snapshot of a city which would soon see massive change.

The sharp tongued comedy followed radio presenter Dickie Bird (Bill Paterson) around the city as he became embroiled in an increasingly bizarre ice-cream turf war. This in itself was quite unfortunate since, as the greater public would soon become aware, there was a real and murderous ice-cream van turf war playing out in the city at the same time.

The film though, was light hearted, taking in some well loved Glasgow city landmarks. The opening scene sees Dickie’s wife Maddy (Eleanor David) shopping for Christmas presents in the sparkling pinnacle of 80s style that was The House of Fraser, very typical of the city’s shopping heritage.

The scenes on the city’s famous River Clyde perhaps best illustrate the changes the city has gone through. In the late 80s the area was transformed for the Glasgow Garden Festival in an injection of culture into an area only even known for shipbuilding. At the time this was a significant statement of intent from a city determined to embrace the changing nature of the industry within the country.

The temporary festival area then gave way to luxury flats before attracting some of the city’s newest developments in the shape of the Science Centre and the Media Quarter, where much of Scotland’s digital output is now produced.

The radio station from Comfort and Joy was set-up in a city centre office, giving the producers the chance to relate the fictional show to the audience at the heart of the city. The centre has since been sand-blasted to remove the soot and reveal the glorious architecture of the buildings.

Taking in the Campsie Hills to the north of Glasgow, the cast exited the city briefly to shoot the negotiation scene in the car park of the Milk Bar in Drymen.

Comfort and Joy is on STV on April 12.

Last updated: 26 March 2009, 12:57