- P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang
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P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang Directed by Michael Apted Produced by David Puttnam
Chris Griffin
David BillWritten by Jack Rosenthal Starring John Albasiny
Abigail Cruttenden
Maurice Dee
Alison SteadmanMusic by David Earl Cinematography Tony Pierce-Roberts Editing by John Shirley Release date(s) UK 3 November 1982
USA 20 April, 1984Running time UK 80 minutes
USA 85 minutesCountry UK Language English P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang is a television film first shown on Channel 4 on its second night, 3 November, 1982.
Written by Jack Rosenthal as part of his First Love series, it is a simple coming-of-age film set in a grammar school in the outer London suburbs of the early 1950s. It is the story of Alan Duckworth (John Albasiny), a young cricket-obsessed boy, and his first kiss with Ann Lawton (Abigail Cruttenden). Alan's thoughts are voiced by real life BBC Radio cricket commentator John Arlott in the style of a match commentary. The title phrase comes from a password "tag" used by members of Alan's gang [1].
Plot
Alan Duckworth (known as 'Quack Quack' to his friends) is a socially awkward fourteen year-old who is obsessed with cricket and Ann Lawton. Alan daydreams throughout his day showing up late for school and making little academic progress. He becomes friends with the groundsman Tommy (Garry Cooper) who he sees as some sort of 'war hero'. Alan often follows Tommy around telling him how he helped to win the war while making predictions about what the world will be like now the war is won. Among other things, Alan predicts there will be no more wars, everyone will speak Esperanto and everyone, regardless of race or creed, will have a Teasmade.
Miss Land (Alison Steadman), meanwhile, is worried she is pregnant with Tommy's baby, something that would result in her having to resign from her job as an English teacher.
While his friends are all interested in sex, which Alan refers to as 'the other thing', he is purely focused on kissing Ann Lawton. Ann, however, is not well regarded by Alan's friends as she is very strait-laced. When Miss Land casts them together in the school play, Alan and Ann have to kiss.
Filming
Filming took place at Wimbledon Chase Middle School and Cardinal Vaughan School, Kensington, London.
External links
- P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang at the Internet Movie Database
- P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang at AllRovi
Television
writingCoronation Street (1961-69) · Pardon the Expression (1965-66) · There's a Hole in Your Dustbin, Delilah (1968) · The Dustbinmen (1969-70) · The Lovers (1970-71) · Ready When You Are, Mr McGill (1976) · Bar Mitzvah Boy (1976) · Spend, Spend, Spend (1977) · London's Burning (1986) · And a Nightingale Sang (1989) · About Face: The Bag Lady (1989) · About Face: Sleeping Sickness (1991)Films The Lucky Star (1980) · P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang (1982) · Yentl (1983) · The Chain (1984) · Captain Jack (1999) · Chicken Run (2000)Stage works Bar Mitzvah Boy (musical) (1978)Michael Apted 1970s 1980s Coal Miner's Daughter (1980) • Continental Divide (1981) • Gorky Park (1983) • Firstborn (1984) • Bring on the Night (1985) • Critical Condition (1987) • Gorillas in the Mist: The Story of Dian Fossey (1988)1990s Class Action (1991) • Thunderheart (1992) • Incident at Oglala † (1992) • Blink (1994) • Moving the Mountain (1994) • Nell (1994) • Extreme Measures (1996) • Inspirations (1997) • Me & Isaac Newton † (1999) • The World Is Not Enough (1999)2000s Enigma (2001) • Enough (2002) • Amazing Grace (2006) • The Official Film of the 2006 FIFA World Cup † (2007, video)2010s The Power of the Game (2010) • The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)Television "The Dustbinmen" (1968) • "ITV Playhouse" (1968 – 1971) • "Big Breadwinner Hog" (1969) • Up series † (1970 – ) • "The Lovers" (1970) • "ITV Saturday Night Theatre" (1971 – 1972) • "Follyfoot" (1971 – 1972) • "Play for Today" (1972 – 1977) • Joy (1972) • "Thirty-Minute Theatre" (1972) • Buggins' Ermine (1972) • "Black and Blue" (1973) • "Shades of Greene" (1975) • "Laurence Olivier Presents" (1976) • "The Paradise Run" (1976) • P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang (1982) • Haunted: Poor Girl (1986) • The Long Way Home (1989) • Always Outnumbered (1998) • Nathan Dixon (1999) • "Married in America" (2002 – 2006) • "Blind Justice" (2005) • "Rome" (2005) • "What About Brian" (2006)†indicates documentaryCategories:- English-language films
- Channel 4
- 1982 television films
- Films set in London
- Films set in the 1950s
- 1980s British film stubs
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