For Queen and Country
Encyclopedia
For Queen and Country is a 1989
crime drama film
produced by Working Title Films
and Zenith, starring Denzel Washington
. Washington stars as Reuben James, a Black British
former paratrooper, who joined the British Army
to escape the poverty of inner city
London
.
, was born in St. Lucia, West Indies, and joined the British Army
of Her Majesty's Armed Forces to escape the poverty
of inner city
life. He serves with the Parachute Regiment, doing a tour in Northern Ireland
for three years at the height of The Troubles
in the late 1970s, and fighting in the 1982 Falklands War
in the South Atlantic for the remainder of his military career, eventually becoming a war hero himself.
Six years later after leaving the army and hanging up his guns, Reuben returns to civilian life in London with everything seeming normal after being dropped off by a truck driver. But he receives far from a hero's welcome, mostly no-one caring about his time in the army, while many of his childhood friends have turned to crime and drug-dealing to support themselves. He is shocked to find his old community, the East End, is still beset by the crime, poverty and racism that made him leave rather than being a better neighborhood. In particular, he suffers abuse and brutality at the hands of racist police officers and is pressured by some old friends to go against the law. He struggles to adjust to everyday life, but with increasing difficulty, losing his girlfriend (Amanda Redman
). With changes in the British nationality law
that occurred in 1981, Reuben also can't claim British citizenship and any residency of the United Kingdom at all and finds himself unemployed and is frustrated by being unable to find work despite his outstanding military service as a dutiful soldier and begins to feel betrayed by the country he fought for. He drives a taxi for a short time, but is soon brought into business with Colin, a criminal friend played by Bruce Payne
who was always nice to him. He becomes a vigilante bent on change instead of becoming a criminal himself.
Reuben acquires a St. Lucia passport and gets two tickets to return to St. Lucia since he won't be able to go to Paris
as he had planned to with his former girlfriend who sees him only as a bloody product of an old era and left him because she couldn't stand men with guns and his best friend's wife left him to move to Ireland
. Reuben's old army friend, Tony aka Fish played by Dorian Healy
, who saved his life in the Falklands and lost his leg gets Lynford down because Lynford threatened to kill Reuben for telling the police that he killed Harry but is shot by a corrupt and racist policeman, Challoner (Craig Fairbrass) who first started the harassment in the first place. Reuben sets about avenging his friends' deaths and is able to during a riot between the police and drug addicts, shooting the policeman who killed his best friend. Reuben is targeted by a police sniper
who is another friend from the army. Just as he fires the shot, the movie ends.
1989 in film
-Events:* Batman is released on June 23, and goes on to gross over $410 million worldwide.* Actress Kim Basinger and her brother Mick purchase Braselton, Georgia, for $20 million...
crime drama film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
produced by Working Title Films
Working Title Films
Working Title Films is a British film production company, based in London, UK. The company was founded by Tim Bevan and Sarah Radclyffe in 1983. It produces feature films and several television productions, including films starring comic actor Rowan Atkinson...
and Zenith, starring Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington
Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and film producer. He first rose to prominence when he joined the cast of the medical drama, St. Elsewhere, playing Dr...
. Washington stars as Reuben James, a Black British
Black British
Black British is a term used to describe British people of Black African descent, especially those of Afro-Caribbean background. The term has been used from the 1950s to refer to Black people from former British colonies in the West Indies and Africa, who are residents of the United Kingdom and...
former paratrooper, who joined the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
to escape the poverty of inner city
Inner city
The inner city is the central area of a major city or metropolis. In the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland, the term is often applied to the lower-income residential districts in the city centre and nearby areas...
London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Plot synopsis
Reuben (Washington), although having grown up in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, was born in St. Lucia, West Indies, and joined the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
of Her Majesty's Armed Forces to escape the poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
of inner city
Inner city
The inner city is the central area of a major city or metropolis. In the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland, the term is often applied to the lower-income residential districts in the city centre and nearby areas...
life. He serves with the Parachute Regiment, doing a tour in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
for three years at the height of The Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
in the late 1970s, and fighting in the 1982 Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
in the South Atlantic for the remainder of his military career, eventually becoming a war hero himself.
Six years later after leaving the army and hanging up his guns, Reuben returns to civilian life in London with everything seeming normal after being dropped off by a truck driver. But he receives far from a hero's welcome, mostly no-one caring about his time in the army, while many of his childhood friends have turned to crime and drug-dealing to support themselves. He is shocked to find his old community, the East End, is still beset by the crime, poverty and racism that made him leave rather than being a better neighborhood. In particular, he suffers abuse and brutality at the hands of racist police officers and is pressured by some old friends to go against the law. He struggles to adjust to everyday life, but with increasing difficulty, losing his girlfriend (Amanda Redman
Amanda Redman
-External links:* ArtistsTheatreSchool.com* The-Little.co.uk...
). With changes in the British nationality law
British nationality law
British nationality law is the law of the United Kingdom that concerns citizenship and other categories of British nationality. The law is complex because of the United Kingdom's former status as an imperial power.-History:...
that occurred in 1981, Reuben also can't claim British citizenship and any residency of the United Kingdom at all and finds himself unemployed and is frustrated by being unable to find work despite his outstanding military service as a dutiful soldier and begins to feel betrayed by the country he fought for. He drives a taxi for a short time, but is soon brought into business with Colin, a criminal friend played by Bruce Payne
Bruce Payne
Bruce Martyn Payne is an award winning English character actor and producer and was a member of the 1980's Brit Pack. Although he is best known for his villainous roles, Bruce Payne has played characters across the spectrum...
who was always nice to him. He becomes a vigilante bent on change instead of becoming a criminal himself.
Reuben acquires a St. Lucia passport and gets two tickets to return to St. Lucia since he won't be able to go to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
as he had planned to with his former girlfriend who sees him only as a bloody product of an old era and left him because she couldn't stand men with guns and his best friend's wife left him to move to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Reuben's old army friend, Tony aka Fish played by Dorian Healy
Dorian Healy
Dorian Healy is best known for his role as Cpt/Maj Kieran Voce in the award winning drama series Soldier Soldier .He conceived and co-wrote the TV series Masculine Mescaline with Soldier Soldier co-star Gary Love ....
, who saved his life in the Falklands and lost his leg gets Lynford down because Lynford threatened to kill Reuben for telling the police that he killed Harry but is shot by a corrupt and racist policeman, Challoner (Craig Fairbrass) who first started the harassment in the first place. Reuben sets about avenging his friends' deaths and is able to during a riot between the police and drug addicts, shooting the policeman who killed his best friend. Reuben is targeted by a police sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
who is another friend from the army. Just as he fires the shot, the movie ends.