There were some mixed messages. In the ballot, Andy ticked "YES". But, was it a yes for closure or a yes for a review? Finally, when Phil revealed that he voted for redundancy Andy's facial expression was one full of shame. What do you think? Did he or did he not vote for redundancy?
shareThere were 5 main characters, the vote went 4 to 1 for redundancy as Andy predicted. I read the point of the shot/reverse/shot onto Andy's expression after Phil's admission as suggesting that he was the only one of the five who DIDN'T vote for redundancy. After all, the option for review is alligned with gloria's character, and Andy s is the character most closely connected with her throughout the film.
shareWait...I've watched this movie a hundred times, but I don't know what scene y'all are talking about. When does Phil admit he voted for redundancy?
shareit was the morning after he tried to hang himself he is sat by the canal. the others are on their way to the hospital to see him and his dad when they spot him. they ask him if he wants to go for a drink and he says "drink with scabs d'ya, i voted for money". and i agree i think Andy was the only one out of the lot that voted for the review and that the rest opted for the pay off.
share Hey Sam dart:
The scene you just described was cut from the version I have watched (numerous times). You must have viewed the original British version. Lucky you. I have to endure the "hacked-up" North American released one. I figure some other scenes have been cut as well. Shame on _____ (whomever is responsible).
Update: Have just purchased and viewed (with great delight!) the British PAL version, and my suspisions were right. Many bits & pieces have been cut out (WHY I don't know) from the region 1 issue. Region 2 version is much better, of course, in its entirety. Guess it was a time factor or something for cutting scenes out.
Could have been political?
I don't know what other scenes were cut, as from Britain myself and happily have the full uncut version on VHS, but it's possible that US edits were taking out the more highly-charged scenes... (treading in dubious waters here!) What about the bit where Phil rants in the church about people that God allows to die but Margaret Thatcher lives?
Hi vodka coke:
The scene you describe above WAS left in (the chopped-up North American version), so I guess politics wasn't a factor in this instance. Some of the cuts affected the continuity (in my humble opinion). For example, we don't see how Gloria came into possession of her new band uniform. All of a sudden, she's walking down the street wearing it. The scene was cut where Mrs. Foggen brings it up to her room. Not that important, but still it leaves you wondering. Cut#2 - After the union meeting, the guys are in Jim's car, beeping at the wives demonstrating...conversation starts... Andy: "Don't they know they're just pissing in the wind like the rest of us?" Ernie: "Can they do that?" ..."What?"..."Piss in the wind!" ...etc....
Cut#3 - shows Phil getting his Mr. Chuckles gear out from under the stairs.
Cut#4 - At the hair salon, the 2 wives under the hair dryers admiring their new (band support) hair colour!
Cut#5 - The lads walking to Jim's car after relinquishing their work gear. Andy
sees Gloria standing by herself in the distance on a hill. "I'll catch you later lads". Jim looks at her, shaking his head and gets into his car.
Cut#6 - Job centre scene. Andy talks with Phil.
Most of these cuts were "incidental stuff" not really crucial to the story, however, the next and last cut, I believe shouldn't have been and WAS vital to the storyline.
Cut#7 - Phil, down by the canal sitting on the wall holding his trombone. The lads come by saying they were on their way to hospital to visit him (and Danny), heard what happened (Phil's suicide attempt). Phil told them that he told his dad the band's packed it in - Jim comments maybe they'll visit Danny
next week! They ask Phil to go for a pint - "Drink with scabs do ye? I voted for money".
Now you can see why I wanted to buy the British PAL version. Luckily I have a PAL compatible dvd player and have enjoyed shopping on Amazon.uk and E Bay to get some great British productions - in their entirety! Most Canadians and Americans however, are stuck with the 2nd rate versions. (BTW, I'm Canadian!)
That's a lot of cuts! I can't see any rhyme or reason for these, and while the majority of them are fairly innocuous 'link' scenes, you're right about the last one being so crucial. Also, the bit with Phil and Andy talking in the job centre is pretty important, as we see the deterioration of Phil's state of mind.
The only possible reason could be time factor (when shown on TV) but as for cutting scenes for video release, just daft!
In my opinion only Phil votes for redundancy, the other 4 vote for review. Seeing Andy tick yes - I don't think we do, the scene is a montage of the whole voting process and I think we just see a random vote being cast.
shareI reckon (and this comes from someone hardedned by a whole 4 trips down t'pit) that the voting works like the question is "Do you want the pit to go to review" rather than "Do you want the pit to close and get yourselves lots of dirty money". Course, it could be argued that management would have wanted them to go for redundancy, and would have put that as the positive option.
Anyway. Its a grand film, and anyone who says it aint will have me to deal with.
Very interesting comments. I didn't realize there were so many cuts in the North Am. version. It's a shame that a movie can't be shown and then put on dvd so that everyone gets to view the same thing. I can't play region 2 on my player. I wish all this would become uniform for the whole world. What Phil said down by the canal was very important and should't have been cut. I wonder who thinks these things up????? [what to cut out of this movie.] It couldn't have been that many more minutes added to the running time!! Any ways, this was still a great movie and I would highly recommend it.
sharenah i have to stick with what i thought, the look on the others faces when phil says that, it's heartbreaking they all look down and at each other. and the fact that you see what they have to lose wives and such like. Andy is the only one that i think voted for the review.
You rush a miracle man, you get rotten miracles
I thought he voted for redundancy, as indeed did all of the men in the scene at that moment.
I'm not trying to break your heart,share
I'm just trying hard not to fall apart
I've just watched the film tonight, as a way of marking the closure of Britain's last deep mine. After reading this thread, I got the DVD to the right scene and paused it just as Andy is placing his tick in box 1.
He is voting for the pit to go to review. It's upside down on the screen, so you need good eyesight to read it.
It says:
1 Vote to pit review procedure to take place as discussed by British Coal
2 Vote for mandatory redundancy pay as discussed in union policy paper
Please tick yes in box 1 or 2
Andy then ticks box 1.
Someone else is seen on screen ticking box 1, but it seems to be one of the unnamed miners in the film.