Brassed Off

"The only reason I get up in the morning is to see if my luck's changed. And it never bloody has."

"This band behind me'll tell you that that trophy means more to me than owt else in the whole world. But they'd be wrong! Truth is, I THOUGHT it mattered. I thought that MUSIC mattered. But does it? Bollocks! Not compared to how people matter. Us winning this trophy won't mean bugger-all to most people. But us refusing it - like what we're going to do now - well, then it becomes news, doesn't it? [flurry of press camera shutters] You see what I mean. That way, I'll not just be talking to myself, will I? Because over the last ten years, this bloody government has systematically destroyed an entire industry. OUR industry. And not just our industry - our communities, our homes, our lives. All in the name of "progress". And for a few lousy bob. I'll tell you something else you might not know, as well. A fortnight ago, this band's pit were closed - another thousand men lost their jobs. And that's not all they lost. Most of them lost the will to win a while ago. A few of them even lost the will to fight. But when it comes to losing the will to live, to breathe, the point is - if this lot were seals or whales, you'd all be up in bloody arms. But they're not, are they, no, no they're not. They're just ordinary common-or-garden honest, decent human beings. And not one of them with an ounce of bloody hope left. Oh aye, they can knock out a bloody good tune. But what the fuck does that matter? [gasps emotionally, close to tears] And now I'm going to take my boys out onto the town. Thank you. [rapturous applause]"

"[as Mr. Chuckles] So God was creating man. And his little assistant came up to him and he said: "Hey, we've got all these bodies left, but we're right out of brains, we're right out of hearts and we're right out of vocal chords." And God said: "Fuck it! Sew 'em up anyway. Smack smiles on the faces and make them talk out of their arses." And lo, God created the Tory Party."

"[as Mr. Chuckles, about God] What's He doing? He can take John Lennon. He can take those three young lads down at Ainsley Pit. He's even thinking of taking my old man. And Margaret bloody Thatcher lives! What's He sodding playing at, eh?"

"Fed up with the system. Ticked off at the establishment. And mad about... each other."

"Ewan McGregor - Andy Barrow"

"Pete Postlethwaite - Danny"

"Tara Fitzgerald - Gloria"

"Stephen Tompkinson - Phil"

"Jim Carter - Harry"

"Philip Jackson - Jim"

"Peter Martin - Ernie"

"Melanie Hill - Sandra"

"Sue Johnston - Vera"

"Mary Healey - Ida"

"Stephen Moore - McKenzie (the colliery manager)"

"Peter Gunn - Simmo"