Wondrous Oblivion (2003)

Director:

Paul Morrison

Writer:

Paul Morrison (written by)

Release Date:

23 April 2004 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Family | Sport

Tagline:

A wide-eyed boy in a narrow-minded world.

Plot:

Eleven-year-old David Wiseman is mad about cricket but no good at it. He has the entire kit but none of the skill...

Plot Keywords:

Cricket | 1960s | Friendship | Neighbor | Bigotry

Awards:

3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Sam Smith	...	David Wiseman
Leagh Conwell	...	Jessop
Dominic Barklem	...	Pritchard
Jo Stone-Fewings	...	Mr. Pugh
Emily Woof	...	Ruth Wiseman
Yasmin Paige	...	Lilian
Richard Ashton	...	W.G. Grace
Carol MacReady	...	Mrs. Wilson
Stanley Townsend	...	Victor
Osnat Schmool	...	Mrs. Glickstein
Mark Penfold	...	Head Teacher
Tom Roberts	...	James Bryce
Philip Whitchurch	...	Mr. Woodberry
Angela Wynter	...	Grace Wiseman
Petra Letang	...	Loretta Samuel

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic material, some violence, sensuality, language including racial remarks, and brief smoking by minors.

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

France | UK | Germany

Language:

English | Hebrew | Yiddish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG | Australia:PG | Germany:6 | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Hampstead Garden Suburb, London, England, UK

Company:

APT Films

Cricket, Ska and Kosher Jammers

This is a delightful and very entertaining movie. You do not have to be mad on cricket to love it (my partner Janie proves that point) but I suspect it helps.

My own background is quite similar to that of the young lad (not quite so long ago, not quite so poor, not quite so bad at cricket without coaching, not quite so good with coaching......) so my own views on the films charms and resonances are probably unrepresentative. Suffice it to say that the film touched almost all of the right buttons.

There are some lovely, amusing bits. For example, one sequence shows several short shots of the characters playing "yard cricket", including one shot of them trying to practice catching in their sowesters in the pouring rain. Hilarious and delightful.

The racism theme is handled with great sensitivity, but without the complexity that might otherwise make the film profound rather than obvious. The film is sentimental, at the end especially so, to the point of being cheesy. But then quattro formaggio with extra cheese and parmesan on top tastes pretty good.

There are one or two historical anomalies. Most reports of the film I have seen refer to the date as 1960. West Indies toured England with Worrell and Sobers in 1957 & 1963. Worrell was finished by 1966. I think it must therefore be 1963. But there's a lovely scene where the Jewish mother and West Indian father dance to "I'm in a Dancing Mood" by Delroy Wilson - published 1966. In fact most of the Ska (or should I describe some of it as Rock Steady) would have been post 1963 I think. But I suppose I should get a life rather than fret about these things - the music was wonderful. And juxtaposing Ska with "Micky Katz and his Kosher Jammers" and yard cricket worked surprisingly well.

It is a lovely film and well worth the investment of 106 minutes to smile, laugh and be moved.