Lad, A Yorkshire Story

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The correct title of this article is Lad: A Yorkshire Story. The substitution or omission of the colon is due to technical restrictions.

Lad: A Yorkshire Story
Directed byDan Hartley
Written byDan Hartley
Music bySamuel Sim
Release date
2013
Running time
93 minutes
CountryEngland
LanguageEnglish
Budget£65,000

Lad: A Yorkshire Story is a 2011 British film detailing the coming-of age of 13 year-old Tom, who goes off the rails after his father dies. Tom is given community service after getting in trouble with the police, and must help a Yorkshire Dales park ranger repairing paths and building stiles. The film was released in 2013 after being adapted from a short film from 2011 by the same director.

The film was ultimately only given a limited release as its director, Dan Hartley, couldn't find a distributor. However, during the 2020 lockdowns caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, online downloads of the film soared to over 400,000 and film garnered praise from viewers.

Synopsis[]

Tom Proctor is a 13-year old teenager living in the Yorkshire Dales. One day, his father, who is a quarryman, unexpectedly dies, and when the bank get involved, the family fear they will lose their quarry cottage. Tom sprays the local bank with manure, which gets him into trouble and he is made to do community service with Al, a Yorkshire Dales park ranger. At the same time, Tom and his mum worry about each other and Tom's older brother brother joins the army.[1][2]

Cast[]

  • Bretten Lord as Tom Proctor
  • Alan Gibson as Al Thorpe
  • Nancy Clarkson as Sarah Proctor
  • Liam Thomas as David Proctor

Production[]

The film was shot in and around the Yorkshire Dales, (within a 10-mile (16 km) radius of Settle) where Dan Hartley, the writer and director, grew up.[3] It is partly autobiographical, with the character of Tom being based on Dan Hartley, and Al based on a real park ranger who Dan worked with in his teens.[4]

One of the reasons why distributors were reluctant to get onboard with the project, was the lack of a 'name' in the cast. In fact, prior to the filming of Lad, the two main actors had not acted professionally before. Alan Gibson, who played Al, the park ranger, claimed to have been a soldier in the SAS which was completely untrue.[5][6]

Reception[]

Steve Morrissey, writing in the Radio Times gave the film three stars out of five saying that "[Bretten Lord] delivers a charismatic debut performance".[7]

Lad..., won awards for Best Film and Best Feature Narrative Film, at the Mexico International and Anchorage International Film Festival's respectively.[1][8]

The film became a surprise download/streaming success during the 2020 lockdowns. Over 1.5 million people had watched it on YouTube in 2020 and it had amassed over 400,000 in viewing figures on Amazon Prime. Whilst the film was shot on a budget of £65,000, Hartley acknowledges that he won't make any money off of the project.[2][5]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "International award for Dales film 'Lad, A Yorkshire Story'". dalesman.co.uk. 11 December 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Newton, Grace (18 February 2021). "Hit at last; film made in 2011 and set in the Dales is rediscovered in lockdown". The Yorkshire Post. p. 6. ISSN 0963-1496.
  3. ^ "Lad: A Yorkshire Story | Living North". www.livingnorth.com. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  4. ^ "Film Tells True Story Of Boy's Friendship With Park Ranger". Yorkshire Times. 11 September 2013. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b Thorpe, Vanessa (6 February 2021). "Lad: A Yorkshire Story – the slow-burn film setting Amazon alight". The Observer. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  6. ^ "Alan Gibson SAS actor and fifty notes dinner speaker Bloater". The Walter Mitty Hunters Club. 2 March 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  7. ^ "Lad: a Yorkshire Story – review | cast and crew, movie star rating and where to watch film on TV and online". radiotimes.com. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  8. ^ "Lad: A Yorkshire Story wins international film festival awards". Craven Herald. 7 June 2013. Retrieved 18 February 2021.

External links[]

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