Last Orders
Encyclopedia
Last Orders is a 1996
Booker Prize-winning novel by British author Graham Swift
. In 2001
it was adapted for the film Last Orders
by Australia
n writer and director Fred Schepisi.
, the backbone of the story being the journey of the group to Margate
to scatter the ashes of Jack Dodds into the sea, in accord with his last wishes. The title 'Last Orders' not only refers to these instructions as stipulated in Jack Dodd's will, but also alludes to the 'last orders (of the day)
' - the last round of drinks to be ordered before a pub closes, as drinking was a favourite pastime of Jack and the other characters.
The plot and style are influenced by William Faulkner
's As I Lay Dying.
brings together four men who take a journey to scatter his ashes. Played by Michael Caine
in the movie.
Vince Dodds: a used car salesman. Adopted son of Jack and Amy Dodds, when his biological parents (the Pritchetts) were killed during the London Blitz. Played by Ray Winstone
in the movie.
Ray 'Lucky' Johnson: an insurance clerk, who has an uncanny ability to wager on the right horses. The main narrator of the book. Fought alongside Jack Dodds in the war, who saved his life on one occasion. Was left by his wife Carol, for another man, and has a daughter Susie, who lives in Australia. Ray is attracted to Amy Dodds, wife of Jack, and the two had a relationship in the past. Played by Bob Hoskins
in the movie.
Lenny 'Gunner' Tate: Drinking buddy of Jack Dodds. The odd man in the group, who is the instigator of many conflicts. Lenny's daughter Sally had a relationship with Vince Dodds, and became pregnant, before marrying a jailbird. Played by David Hemmings
in the movie.
Vic Tucker: an undertaker/funeral director. The backbone of the group, who mediates and keeps the peace when conflicts arise. Many parallels are drawn between Jack's profession and Vic's, in that they both handle bodies. Played by Tom Courtenay
in the movie.
Amy Dodds: Jack's wife, who declines to join the men when they scatter Jack's ashes. Amy and Jack had a mentally disabled daughter, June. On the day the four men travel to Margate to scatter the ashes, Amy visits June in a Home. Played by Helen Mirren
in the movie.
1996 in literature
The year 1996 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, is removed from an advanced placement English reading list in Lindale, Texas because it "conflicted with the values of the community."* In the United Kingdom, the first...
Booker Prize-winning novel by British author Graham Swift
Graham Swift
Graham Colin Swift FRSL is a British author. He was born in London, England and educated at Dulwich College, London, Queens' College, Cambridge, and later the University of York. He was a friend of Ted Hughes...
. In 2001
2001 in film
The year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
it was adapted for the film Last Orders
Last Orders (film)
Last Orders is a 2001 British/German drama film written and directed by Fred Schepisi. The screenplay is based on the 1996 Booker Prize-winning novel of the same title by Graham Swift.-Synopsis:...
by Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n writer and director Fred Schepisi.
Plot summary
The story makes much use of flashbacks to tell the convoluted story of the relationships between a group of war veterans who live in the same corner of 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...
, the backbone of the story being the journey of the group to Margate
Margate
-Demography:As of the 2001 UK census, Margate had a population of 40,386.The ethnicity of the town was 97.1% white, 1.0% mixed race, 0.5% black, 0.8% Asian, 0.6% Chinese or other ethnicity....
to scatter the ashes of Jack Dodds into the sea, in accord with his last wishes. The title 'Last Orders' not only refers to these instructions as stipulated in Jack Dodd's will, but also alludes to the 'last orders (of the day)
Last call (bar term)
In a bar, a last call is an announcement made shortly before the bar closes for the night, informing patrons of their last chance to buy alcoholic beverages. There are various means to make this signal, like ringing a bell, flashing the lights, or announcing orally.Last call times are often...
' - the last round of drinks to be ordered before a pub closes, as drinking was a favourite pastime of Jack and the other characters.
The plot and style are influenced by William Faulkner
William Faulkner
William Cuthbert Faulkner was an American writer from Oxford, Mississippi. Faulkner worked in a variety of media; he wrote novels, short stories, a play, poetry, essays and screenplays during his career...
's As I Lay Dying.
Characters
Jack Dodds: a butcher, whose death from cancerCancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
brings together four men who take a journey to scatter his ashes. Played by Michael Caine
Michael Caine
Sir Michael Caine, CBE is an English actor. He won Academy Awards for best supporting actor in both Hannah and Her Sisters and The Cider House Rules ....
in the movie.
Vince Dodds: a used car salesman. Adopted son of Jack and Amy Dodds, when his biological parents (the Pritchetts) were killed during the London Blitz. Played by Ray Winstone
Ray Winstone
Raymond Andrew "Ray" Winstone is an English film and television actor. He is mostly known for his "tough guy" roles, beginning with that of Carlin in the 1979 film Scum and as Will Scarlet in the cult television adventure series Robin of Sherwood. He has also become well known as a voice over...
in the movie.
Ray 'Lucky' Johnson: an insurance clerk, who has an uncanny ability to wager on the right horses. The main narrator of the book. Fought alongside Jack Dodds in the war, who saved his life on one occasion. Was left by his wife Carol, for another man, and has a daughter Susie, who lives in Australia. Ray is attracted to Amy Dodds, wife of Jack, and the two had a relationship in the past. Played by Bob Hoskins
Bob Hoskins
Robert William "Bob" Hoskins, Jr. is an English actor known for playing Cockney rough diamonds, psychopaths and gangsters, in films such as The Long Good Friday , and Mona Lisa , and lighter roles in family films such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Hook .- Early life :Hoskins was born in Bury St...
in the movie.
Lenny 'Gunner' Tate: Drinking buddy of Jack Dodds. The odd man in the group, who is the instigator of many conflicts. Lenny's daughter Sally had a relationship with Vince Dodds, and became pregnant, before marrying a jailbird. Played by David Hemmings
David Hemmings
David Edward Leslie Hemmings was an English film, theatre and television actor as well as a film and television director and producer....
in the movie.
Vic Tucker: an undertaker/funeral director. The backbone of the group, who mediates and keeps the peace when conflicts arise. Many parallels are drawn between Jack's profession and Vic's, in that they both handle bodies. Played by Tom Courtenay
Tom Courtenay
Sir Thomas Daniel "Tom" Courtenay is an English actor who came to prominence in the early 1960s with a succession of films including The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner , Billy Liar , and Dr. Zhivago . Since the mid-1960s he has been known primarily for his work in the theatre...
in the movie.
Amy Dodds: Jack's wife, who declines to join the men when they scatter Jack's ashes. Amy and Jack had a mentally disabled daughter, June. On the day the four men travel to Margate to scatter the ashes, Amy visits June in a Home. Played by Helen Mirren
Helen Mirren
Dame Helen Mirren, DBE is an English actor. She has won an Academy Award for Best Actress, four SAG Awards, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards, and two Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Awards.-Early life and family:...
in the movie.