Danny, the Champion of the World (film)
Encyclopedia
Danny, the Champion of the World is a 1989 film starring British Oscar winning actor Jeremy Irons
, with his son, Samuel Irons, in the title role. It is based on the 1975 novel of the same name
by Roald Dahl
, and tells of a father and son who conspire to thwart a local businessman's plans to buy their land by poaching
his game pheasants
. It was filmed on location in Oxfordshire, mostly at Stonor Park, Henley-on-Thames.
), a widower, lives with his nine-year-old son Danny (Samuel Irons
) in a Vardo
behind the garage where he works.
The land that the garage is built upon is coveted by businessman Victor Hazell (Robbie Coltrane
), who owns the surrounding land and lives in a large mansion several miles away. Hazell attempts to buy the Smiths' land, but William turns him down. Used to getting his own way, Hazell begins a campaign of harassment, trying to force them off their land. Several inspectors from the local council come and assess William's property, and it becomes obvious that Hazell has sent them there by alerting them with false stories.
William decides to poach Hazell's prized game pheasants in retribution, using raisins to lure the birds out, but comes home empty handed; Danny had detected his absence and was relieved to see him return. Afterwards, William reveals that he was out poaching.
A few nights later, he tries again, but falls into a pit and breaks his ankle. Danny wakes during the night, detects his father's absence and decides to go and look for him. He heads for the forest at the wheel of an Austin Seven
that his father had been repairing, but on the way there he passes a police car, which turns round to pursue him. He manages to lose the police by darting through a gap in the roadside hedges and driving along a country lane until he reaches the forest. He then spots two gamekeepers talking to someone in a deep hole in the ground; when they walk off to tell Hazell, Danny goes over and finds that the man in the hole is his father. He manages to help his father out of the hole by using a rope tied to a tree, and they get away in the car just in time to avoid being caught by Hazell and his two armed gamekeepers. The local policeman, Sergeant Enoch Samways, receives a complaint from Hazell that William has been poaching on his (Hazell's) land and Samways goes over to question William. However, he deliberately falsifies the report in order to claim that William is innocent, owing to his dislike of Hazell and the fact that he himself is very much into poaching, despite his position of authority.
Meanwhile, Danny has started a new term at school, with a new schoolmaster: Captain Lancaster (Ronald Pickup
), a strict disciplinarian who practices corporal punishment and detests lateness and cheating. When the headmaster, Mr Snoddy (Lionel Jeffries
), who is secretly rather fond of gin even during school hours, catches him caning Danny, he gives Lancaster a severe reprimand and tells him he will personally see that he is out on his ear if there is ever a repetition if his action.
Hazell announces a shooting event and invites several lords and other wealthy businessmen to come and hunt his pheasants. William and Danny decide to put a grand plan into action to poach all of Hazell's pheasants before the event, embarrassing Hazell in front of the people he wanted to impress. Danny hits upon the idea of using sleeping pills
, given to William by Dr. Spencer (Cyril Cusack
) for his broken ankle, to put the pheasants to sleep. They fill hundreds of raisins with ground-up pills in preparation. The next day, Captain Lancaster catches Danny sleeping in class; he makes Danny run around the school field as a punishment. Danny escapes by climbing a wall, and Lancaster resigns out of sheer frustration, much to the delight of Mr Snoddy.
Danny's plan goes off without a hitch; soon, the garage is filled with sleeping pheasants. Hazell loses the respect of his peers, and one lord reveals that Hazell's real plan was to build a new town on the land he owns. Without the Smiths' land, his plan cannot go ahead, and Hazell storms off while the Smiths and the rest of the village celebrate.
Jeremy Irons
Jeremy John Irons is an English actor. After receiving classical training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Irons began his acting career on stage in 1969, and has since appeared in many London theatre productions including The Winter's Tale, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, The Taming of the...
, with his son, Samuel Irons, in the title role. It is based on the 1975 novel of the same name
Danny, the Champion of the World
Danny, the Champion of the World is a 1975 children's book by Roald Dahl. The plot main centers on a young English boy, Danny, and his father, William, who live in a Gypsy vardo fixing cars for a living and partake in poaching pheasants. The story is based on Dahl's adult short story "Champion of...
by Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot and screenwriter.Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent, rising to the rank of Wing Commander...
, and tells of a father and son who conspire to thwart a local businessman's plans to buy their land by poaching
Poaching
Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.It may be illegal and in...
his game pheasants
Common Pheasant
The Common Pheasant , is a bird in the pheasant family . It is native to Georgia and has been widely introduced elsewhere as a game bird. In parts of its range, namely in places where none of its relatives occur such as in Europe , it is simply known as the "pheasant"...
. It was filmed on location in Oxfordshire, mostly at Stonor Park, Henley-on-Thames.
Synopsis
William Smith (Jeremy IronsJeremy Irons
Jeremy John Irons is an English actor. After receiving classical training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Irons began his acting career on stage in 1969, and has since appeared in many London theatre productions including The Winter's Tale, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, The Taming of the...
), a widower, lives with his nine-year-old son Danny (Samuel Irons
Samuel Irons
Samuel James Brefni "Sam" Irons is a British photographer and former actor.-Family:He is the son of English actor Jeremy Irons and Irish actress Sinéad Cusack, making him the grandson of Sinéad's parents, actors Cyril and Maureen Cusack. He is a nephew of actresses Sorcha, Niamh and Catherine Cusack...
) in a Vardo
Vardo (gypsy wagon)
A vardo is a traditional horse-drawn wagon used by British Romani people .The design of the vardo included large wheels running outside the body of the van, which slopes outwards considerably towards the eaves...
behind the garage where he works.
The land that the garage is built upon is coveted by businessman Victor Hazell (Robbie Coltrane
Robbie Coltrane
Robbie Coltrane, OBE is a Scottish actor, comedian and author. He is known both for his role as Dr...
), who owns the surrounding land and lives in a large mansion several miles away. Hazell attempts to buy the Smiths' land, but William turns him down. Used to getting his own way, Hazell begins a campaign of harassment, trying to force them off their land. Several inspectors from the local council come and assess William's property, and it becomes obvious that Hazell has sent them there by alerting them with false stories.
William decides to poach Hazell's prized game pheasants in retribution, using raisins to lure the birds out, but comes home empty handed; Danny had detected his absence and was relieved to see him return. Afterwards, William reveals that he was out poaching.
A few nights later, he tries again, but falls into a pit and breaks his ankle. Danny wakes during the night, detects his father's absence and decides to go and look for him. He heads for the forest at the wheel of an Austin Seven
Austin Seven
There were four Austin Motor Company cars to use the Seven name:* A single cylinder car produced in 1909* The 1922-1939 Austin 7* The original Mini* The launch title of the Austin A30...
that his father had been repairing, but on the way there he passes a police car, which turns round to pursue him. He manages to lose the police by darting through a gap in the roadside hedges and driving along a country lane until he reaches the forest. He then spots two gamekeepers talking to someone in a deep hole in the ground; when they walk off to tell Hazell, Danny goes over and finds that the man in the hole is his father. He manages to help his father out of the hole by using a rope tied to a tree, and they get away in the car just in time to avoid being caught by Hazell and his two armed gamekeepers. The local policeman, Sergeant Enoch Samways, receives a complaint from Hazell that William has been poaching on his (Hazell's) land and Samways goes over to question William. However, he deliberately falsifies the report in order to claim that William is innocent, owing to his dislike of Hazell and the fact that he himself is very much into poaching, despite his position of authority.
Meanwhile, Danny has started a new term at school, with a new schoolmaster: Captain Lancaster (Ronald Pickup
Ronald Pickup
-Life and career:Pickup was born in Chester, England, the son of Daisy and Eric Pickup, who was a lecturer. Pickup was educated at The King's School, Chester, trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, and became an Associate Member of RADA.His television work began with an episode...
), a strict disciplinarian who practices corporal punishment and detests lateness and cheating. When the headmaster, Mr Snoddy (Lionel Jeffries
Lionel Jeffries
Lionel Charles Jeffries was an English actor, screenwriter and film director.-Early life and career:Jeffries attended the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wimborne Minster, Dorset. In 1945, he received a commission in the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry...
), who is secretly rather fond of gin even during school hours, catches him caning Danny, he gives Lancaster a severe reprimand and tells him he will personally see that he is out on his ear if there is ever a repetition if his action.
Hazell announces a shooting event and invites several lords and other wealthy businessmen to come and hunt his pheasants. William and Danny decide to put a grand plan into action to poach all of Hazell's pheasants before the event, embarrassing Hazell in front of the people he wanted to impress. Danny hits upon the idea of using sleeping pills
Sedative
A sedative or tranquilizer is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement....
, given to William by Dr. Spencer (Cyril Cusack
Cyril Cusack
Cyril James Cusack was an Irish actor, who appeared in more than 90 films.-Early life:Cusack was born in Durban, Natal, South Africa, the son of Alice Violet , an actress, and James Walter Cusack, a sergeant in the Natal mounted police. His parents separated when he was young and his mother took...
) for his broken ankle, to put the pheasants to sleep. They fill hundreds of raisins with ground-up pills in preparation. The next day, Captain Lancaster catches Danny sleeping in class; he makes Danny run around the school field as a punishment. Danny escapes by climbing a wall, and Lancaster resigns out of sheer frustration, much to the delight of Mr Snoddy.
Danny's plan goes off without a hitch; soon, the garage is filled with sleeping pheasants. Hazell loses the respect of his peers, and one lord reveals that Hazell's real plan was to build a new town on the land he owns. Without the Smiths' land, his plan cannot go ahead, and Hazell storms off while the Smiths and the rest of the village celebrate.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Jeremy Irons Jeremy Irons Jeremy John Irons is an English actor. After receiving classical training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Irons began his acting career on stage in 1969, and has since appeared in many London theatre productions including The Winter's Tale, Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, The Taming of the... |
William |
| Robbie Coltrane Robbie Coltrane Robbie Coltrane, OBE is a Scottish actor, comedian and author. He is known both for his role as Dr... |
Victor Hazell |
| Samuel Irons Samuel Irons Samuel James Brefni "Sam" Irons is a British photographer and former actor.-Family:He is the son of English actor Jeremy Irons and Irish actress Sinéad Cusack, making him the grandson of Sinéad's parents, actors Cyril and Maureen Cusack. He is a nephew of actresses Sorcha, Niamh and Catherine Cusack... |
Danny |
| Cyril Cusack Cyril Cusack Cyril James Cusack was an Irish actor, who appeared in more than 90 films.-Early life:Cusack was born in Durban, Natal, South Africa, the son of Alice Violet , an actress, and James Walter Cusack, a sergeant in the Natal mounted police. His parents separated when he was young and his mother took... |
Dr. Spencer |
| Michael Horden | Lord Claybury |
| Lionel Jeffries Lionel Jeffries Lionel Charles Jeffries was an English actor, screenwriter and film director.-Early life and career:Jeffries attended the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wimborne Minster, Dorset. In 1945, he received a commission in the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry... |
Mr. Snoddy (Headmaster) |
| Jean Marsh Jean Marsh Jean Lyndsey Torren Marsh is an English actress, occasional screenwriter, and co-creator of the television series Upstairs, Downstairs and The House of Eliott.... |
Miss Hunter (Social Worker) |
| Jimmy Nail Jimmy Nail James Bradford "Jimmy" Nail is an English singer-songwriter, actor, musician, film producer, film score composer and television writer.... |
Rabbetts (Head Gamekeeper) |
| Ronald Pickup Ronald Pickup -Life and career:Pickup was born in Chester, England, the son of Daisy and Eric Pickup, who was a lecturer. Pickup was educated at The King's School, Chester, trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, and became an Associate Member of RADA.His television work began with an episode... |
Captain Lancaster |