A working-class English boy spends his free time caring for and training his pet kestrel.
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- Won 2 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 4 wins & 5 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| David Bradley | ... |
Billy
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Freddie Fletcher | ... |
Jud
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Lynne Perrie | ... |
Mrs. Casper
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| Colin Welland | ... |
Mr. Farthing
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| Brian Glover | ... |
Mr. Sugden
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Bob Bowes | ... |
Mr. Gryce
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Bernard Atha | ... |
Youth Employment Officer
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Laurence Bould |
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Joey Kaye | ... |
Comedian at Pub
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| Ted Carroll |
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Robert Naylor | ... |
MacDowell
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Agnes Drumgoon |
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George Speed | ... |
Billy's Friend
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Desmond Guthrie |
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Zoe Sunderland | ... |
Librarian
(as Zoe Sutherland)
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The 4D Jones |
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Eric Bolderson | ... |
Farmer
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Joe Miller | ... |
Reg, Mother's Friend
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Beryl Carroll |
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Julie Shakespeare |
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| Bill Dean | ... |
Fish and Chip Shop Man
(as Billy Dean)
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Geoffrey Banks | ... |
Mathematics Teacher
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John Grayson |
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Duggie Brown | ... |
Milkman
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Trevor Hesketh | ... |
Mr Crossley
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Stephen Crossland | ... |
Billy's Friend
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Harry Markham | ... |
Newsagent
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David Glover | ... |
Tibbutt
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Frank Norton | ... |
Billy's Friend
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Martin Harley | ... |
Billy's Friend
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Leslie Stringer |
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Julie Goodyear | ... |
Woman in betting shop (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Ken Loach | ... | (as Kenneth Loach) |
Written by
| Barry Hines | ... | (novel "A Kestrel for a Knave") |
| Barry Hines | ... | (adaptation) and |
| Ken Loach | ... | (adaptation) (as Kenneth Loach) and |
| Tony Garnett | ... | (adaptation) |
Produced by
| Tony Garnett | ... | producer |
Music by
| John Cameron | ||
Cinematography by
| Chris Menges | ... | (photography) |
Editing by
| Roy Watts | ||
Art Direction by
| William McCrow | ||
Production Management
| David Griffith | ... | production supervisor (as David Griffiths) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Keith Evans | ... | assistant director |
| Sean Hudson | ... | second assistant director |
Art Department
| Peter Allchorne | ... | props |
Sound Department
| Gerry Humphreys | ... | sound recordist (as Gerry Humphries) |
| Anthony Jackson | ... | sound recordist (as Tony Jackson) |
| Mike McDuffie | ... | sound recordist |
| Peter Pierce | ... | dubbing editor |
| Robin O'Donoghue | ... | assistant sound recordist (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Arthur Evans | ... | still photographer |
| Terry Lewis | ... | gaffer |
| John Matthews | ... | best boy |
| Ray Orton | ... | camera operator |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Daphne Dare | ... | wardrobe |
Music Department
| John Cameron | ... | conductor |
Script and Continuity Department
| Penny Eyles | ... | continuity |
Additional Crew
| Peter Allchorne | ... | filmmaker |
| Michael Barnett | ... | filmmaker |
| Harry Bell | ... | filmmaker |
| Dave Clarke | ... | filmmaker (as David Clarke) |
| Harry Daly | ... | filmmaker |
| Jim Duffy | ... | filmmaker |
| Michael English | ... | filmmaker |
| Arthur Evans | ... | filmmaker |
| Jane Harris | ... | filmmaker |
| Richard Hines | ... | filmmaker |
| Paddy Holman | ... | filmmaker |
| Sean Hudson | ... | filmmaker |
| Terry Lewis | ... | filmmaker |
| John Matthews | ... | filmmaker |
| Robert Matthews | ... | filmmaker |
| Mike McDuffie | ... | filmmaker |
| Mick Messenger | ... | filmmaker |
| Edward O'Reilly | ... | filmmaker (as Edward Riley) |
| Ray Orton | ... | filmmaker |
| Bert Payne | ... | filmmaker |
| Eddie Price | ... | filmmaker |
| Anne Robinson | ... | filmmaker |
| Franco Rosso | ... | filmmaker |
| Fred Ruff | ... | filmmaker |
| Nicola Webber | ... | filmmaker |
| Eric Wicks | ... | filmmaker |
| John Williams | ... | filmmaker |
| Tony Woodcock | ... | filmmaker |
| François Vila | ... | press agent (uncredited) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- United Artists (1970) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Les Artistes Associés (1970) (France) (theatrical)
- United Artists (1970) (United States) (theatrical)
- United Artists (1970) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Kommunenes Filmcentral (KF) (1971) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1973) (Finland) (tv) (as MTV2)
- Yleisradio (YLE) (1986) (Finland) (tv)
- Warner Home Video (1987) (United Kingdom) (VHS)
- Les Films du Paradoxe (France) (theatrical) (reissue)
- Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
- BFI Films (1999) (United Kingdom) (theatrical) (re-release)
- MGM Home Entertainment (2002) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Future Film (2010) (Finland) (DVD)
- The Criterion Collection (2011) (United States) (DVD)
- Eureka Entertainment (2016) (United Kingdom) (Blu-ray)
- The Criterion Channel (2019) (United States) (tv) (digital)
- Channel 4 (1995) (United Kingdom) (tv)
Special Effects
- Camera Effects (malcolm bubb)
- Camera Effects (titles)
Other Companies
- Barnsley Eduction Authority (special thanks)
- Lee Lighting (grip and lighting equipment)
- Motion Picture Association (MPA) (approved) (no. 21945)
- Twickenham Film Studios (sound recorded at)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Bullied at school and ignored and abused at home by his indifferent mother and older brother, Billy Casper (David Bradley), a 15-year-old working-class Yorkshire boy, tames and trains his pet kestrel falcon whom he names Kes. Helped and encouraged by his English teacher Mr. Farthing (Colin Welland) and his fellow students, Billy finally finds a positive purpose to his unhappy existence, until tragedy strikes. Written by alfiehitchie |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | They beat him. They deprived him. They ridiculed him. They broke his heart. But they couldn't break his spirit. See more » |
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| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
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Additional Details
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | According to a BBC Radio 4 interview, the child actors were actually caned on the hand by school headmaster (who was the real school headmaster). They were paid an additional 10 shillings or 50p (about £8.28 in 2020) for their troubles. See more » |
| Goofs | When Mr Sugden is dancing down the pitch in the early part of the match, he shouts various instructions and admonitions to Speed. Speed was on Tibbutt's team and was his first choice. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Rosemary Brown/The Modern Composer/J.B. Priestley on Breugel/Ed Ruscha/Kes/William Wordsworth (1970). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Honey See more » |
| Crazy Credits | The majority of the crew were listed simply under the heading "This film was made by..." without each person's specific job title (director of photography, sound recordist, editor etc) being given. See more » |
| Quotes |
Mr. Gryce:
Mere fodder for the mass media. See more » |