You don’t have to look far in Nottingham to see the lasting impact Brian Clough’s 18-year spell as Nottingham Forest manager had on the city. His statue stands just off Old Market Square, the main stand at the City Ground and the A52 bare his name, Rikki Marr’s brilliant Byron Clough painting hangs proudly in the Cross Keys pub, and the Brian Clough trophy is still awarded to the winner of the two Derby County versus Nottingham Forest games every season. In film, Michael Sheen’s great portrayal in The Damned United won almost universal acclaim and now, over a decade after his death, Johnny Owen’s documentary tells the enthralling story of his European Cup victory with Forest in 1980.
Its narrative structure is as straightforward as it needs to be, chronologically presenting the details of the first chapter of Clough’s long reign. Talking head interviews and archive footage might be the two pillars that support most feature documentaries, but Owen utilizes both to brilliant effect. His interviewees are exactly as you imagine footballers from the late seventies to be: magnetic, comical and charmingly laddish. Their memories, regularly punctuated by laughter from the interviewer, add a beautifully personal touch to the surprisingly well-preserved match footage. But it is the off-the-pitch footage that is most fascinating, particularly seeing the players training next to the Trent, or returning to the City in an open-top bus parade in front of tens of thousands of screaming fans.
For one of the most documented figures in British footballing history, Brian Clough continues to be a fascinating icon. Stories of his enigmatic rituals and unique management style that led to his unprecedented early success reinforce his reputation as the greatest manager never to take charge of England, as well as make his achievements all the more implausible. Peter Taylor, his assistant manager is admirably given almost equal screen time, and shown in archived interviews to be as integral to the success of the team as Clough himself.
I Believe in Miracles is must-see filmmaking for football fans, and can equally be enjoyed by those with little more than a passing interest in the game or Nottingham’s sporting history. Its brilliantly seventies score and kinetic pacing ensure that it’s endlessly entertaining, and essential viewing; even if, like me, you support the other team down Brian Clough Way.
I Believe in Miracles will be shown at Broadway Cinema from Sunday 27 December 2015 to Thursday 31 December 2015.
I Believe in Miracles Trailer
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