Why Ken Loach has “always regretted” his first movie: “Its birth was rather unfortunate”
When understanding the history of modern British cinema, you have to talk about Ken Loach.
An advocate for working-class narratives for most of six decades, Loach’s movies present a very different Britain from what you might witness in shinier, more conventional films. He is not afraid to tackle social issues such as homelessness, drug use, and physical and mental violence, sme of his most well-known projects being Kes, The Wind That Shakes the Barley, I, Daniel Blake and others.
Before his success on the big screen, Loach got his bearings in the fields of the stage and television. He contributed several teleplays to the BBC’s Wednesday Play series, most notably Up the Junction, an adaptation of Nell Dunn’s story of the same name, and Cathy Come Home, a raw examination of a young couple forced to live on the streets. These paved the way for the maestro to make the leap to feature film in 1967 with the debut of Poor Cow.
Also based on a story by Dunn, Poor Cow depicts the life of a young woman named Joy (Carol White). To escape her wretched home life, she marries a man called Tom (John Bindon) and gives birth to his son, but quickly discovers that life isn’t much better with him by her side. Her only comfort is Dave (Terrence Stamp), a friend of her husband’s who actually treats her with respect. It’s got all the hallmarks of a classic Loachian tale, but the director himself has some serious issues with it.
“Its birth was rather unfortunate in a way,” he revealed to Stephen Lowenstein as part of his book, My First Movie: Twenty Celebrated Directors Talk About Their First Film. “[I] got an offer from [producer] Joe Janni to do two films, and at the same time, Nell’s agent was contacted by Joe for her new book. Joe had a great eye for the contemporary mood, so because the television films had been quite successful and a scandal and all the rest, he thought this was something he wanted to get involved in. Obviously, I liked the idea of making a feature film and also wanted to work with Nell again.”
Loach revealed that he had wanted to collaborate with Tony Garnett on Poor Cow. Garnett had produced a number of his most important television plays, and the two had forged a strong working relationship, but, unfortunately, this wasn’t meant to be.
“Joe initially talked a great deal about working with Tony, then when it came to it, as was his way, put all sorts of obstacles in his way and made it impossible for him to be involved,” he continued. “I’ve always felt that I should have pulled out. It’s something I’ve always regretted.”
Poor Cow turned out alright in the end and, crucially, set Loach on the path to becoming an industry icon. It was not the end of his connection with Garnett either; they both worked together into the 1970s as well. However, you cannot help but wonder what might have been.
