GREGORY’S GIRL (director/writer: Bill Forsyth; cinematographer: Michael Coulter; editor: John Gow; music: Colin Tully; cast: Gordon John Sinclair (Gregory), Dee Hepburn (Dorothy), Jake D’Arcy (Phil Menzies), Clare Grogan (Susan), Robert Buchanan (Andy), Chic Murray (Headmaster), William Greenlees (Steve), Allan Love (Eric), Caroline Guthrie (Carol), Carol Macartney (Margo), Alison Forster (Gregory’s sister), David Anderson (Gregory’s dad); Runtime: 91; MPAA Rating: PG; producers: Davina Belling/Clive Parsons; MGM Home Entertainment; 1981-UK)
“A charming but slight teen movie about sports, a first romance and growing up.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
A charming but slight teen movie about sports, a first romance and growing up. Scottish filmmaker Bill Forsyth’s (“Being Human”/”Local Hero”/”Comfort and Joy”) sophomore movie is genial and filled with daffy characters, but is so tame it’s hard to care much about it. It surprisingly became an international hit.
Weedy high school soccer coach Menzies (Jake D’Arcy), in Cumbernauld, a suburban “new town” near Glasgow, shakes up his losing team by calling for tryouts during the season and is surprised to discover the best player is not a boy but a pretty girl named Dorothy (Dee Hepburn). When Dorothy, a new student, is recruited on the team, she becomes the striker and the former hapless striker Gregory (Gordon John Sinclair) becomes goalie. Gregory is obsessed with trying to win her affection with his embarrassing attempts at puppy love. The lovelorn but awkward Gregory after failing to win the heart of the more sophisticated Dorothy while on a date and advised on how to act by his 10-year-old sis (Alison Forster), is palmed off to her girlfriend Susan (Clare Grogan). Susan is smitten with the likeable lanky lad and the confused Gregory must learn to re-adjust his love sights.
The quirky Gregory’s Girl was followed 18 years later by a sequel, Gregory’s Two Girls (1999).
REVIEWED ON 3/25/2013 GRADE: B-
Dennis Schwartz: “Ozus’ World Movie Reviews”
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED DENNIS SCHWARTZ