A Very British Gangster

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A Very British Gangster

June 16th 2008 09:34

Investigative undercover journalist and documentary filmmaker Donal MacIntyre has made a thoroughly compelling and rather intriguing portrait/case study of notorious Manchester criminal Dominic Noonan (an ex-pat Irishman who changed his name by deed poll to the anagram Lattlay Fottfoy, which stands for Look After Those That Look After You, Fuck Off Those That Fuck Off You). Yes, Noonan’s a charming fellow.

A Very British Gangster (2007) screening at the 55th Sydney Film Festival is ultimately less about Noonan and his extended clan and more about the dire situation that is the world we live in, or to be precise, the Madchester I’m glad I don’t live in! The poor part of Manchester where Noonan was born and raised is a rough and very dangerous place. There are even feral kids which has urged director MacIntyre to delve further into that particular social disease, but that’s another story.

Dominic Noonan has spent a large part of his 37 years behind bars for a variety of serious crimes, but has never been done for murder, although linked to several gangland killings. His older brother Desmond, on the other hand, is a hitman, and proud of it. He’s also a crack addict.

Dominic Noonan, Manchester career criminal

Dominic dresses in cheap suits and ties and surrounds himself with young hoods dressed similarly, many of them obviously keen to emulate Noonan. One, a chubby 19-year old, is the local drug-dealer and although he can’t read or write, he can count money, and that’s skills enough for him. Dominic claims to have stolen millions of pounds, but there is nothing on screen to show for it, apart from several security vans he’s acquired, as he plans to open a security business. It seems Dominic and his cronies make themselves readily available as hired protection to those in the neighbourhood.

Dominic Noonan and crew

The technique of documenting director MacIntyre uses is similar to that of filmmaker Nick Broomfield, where he ingratiates himself with the subject to the point where he even features in the doco himself, entering premises with the Noonan posse, and even using reactions shots when interviewing. Obviously Noonan was quite comfortable having MacIntyre around, and there is definitely some very candid material, in particular when MacIntrye, notices and remarks, rather cheekily, that there’s a hint of lavender around Noonan. Noonan smiles and confirms that he is gay.

The camerawork is impressive, with numerous swooping crane shots over the red-hued roofs of those dirty back streets. But it is this glamour-style of shooting set-ups which begs the question; just how genuine are some of the other scenes? How much is being put on for the camera? I’m not insinuating that Noonan is some kind of charlatan, far from it, but the big camera action is hardly cinéma-vérité.

The soundtrack is equally impressive, mostly Brit indie songs (Oasis’s Wonderwall is put to good use), with some dub, dancehall and house thrown in for good measure. ‘Tis a pity then there were no song credits at film’s end. Not sure why either, unless the screener I saw was not the final cut and copyright clearance was still being sought for some titles. Of curious note, subtitles are used frequently, as the accents are indeed rather impenetrable at times.

Manchester, dark and dangerous

In the space of a year Noonan comes out all clear from two very expensive trials. Seems the witnesses failed to turn up. Especially creepy is when brother Dessie, the volatile one, starts giggling when asked how many people he’s “alleged” to have murdered. He chuckles that police reckon it’s about 20-30, then gives Dominic a sly glance. Jesus, if I was on the crew of this documentary, I’d be nervous (apparently Dessie threatened the Dutch cameraman saying he’d killed one Dutchman, don’t be the second).

It is the clout which Dominic Noonan possesses and his position as an utterly reprehensible role-model which strikes the biggest discord. This is the urban nightmare at the heart of the documentary and what does it mean for the future of British disaffected youth? It's a very grim reality and A Very British Gangster is a very scary indictment.

A Very British Gangster screening time at Sydney Film Festival:
Wednesday 18 June 4:00pm - State Theatre, Market Street

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