Kes (1969) is a powerful British coming-of-age drama directed by Ken Loach, adapted from Barry Hines’ 1968 novel A Kestrel for a Knave. The film is a cornerstone of British social realism, painting an unflinching portrait of working-class life in Northern England during the late 1960s.
Detailed Summary
The Harsh Life of Billy Casper
The film centers on Billy Casper (played by David Bradley), a 15-year-old boy living in a bleak mining town in Yorkshire. Billy’s life is far from easy — his father has left, his older brother Jud is cruel and abusive, and his mother is emotionally distant. At school, Billy is constantly ridiculed by teachers and classmates, showing how society’s institutions fail working-class children.
Discovery of the Kestrel
Billy’s life takes a turn when he discovers a kestrel hawk nesting near the countryside. Fascinated, he decides to train it, borrowing a falconry book from the local library. The bird becomes a symbol of hope and freedom — a sharp contrast to the confinement and despair of Billy’s everyday life.
Through patience and dedication, Billy forms a deep bond with the kestrel, which he names Kes. The sequences of him training the bird are serene and beautiful, offering moments of peace amid his chaotic environment.
School Life and Humiliation
The film also shows Billy’s interactions at school, particularly with authoritarian teachers who belittle and punish him. One iconic scene involves a sadistic PE teacher (played by Brian Glover) forcing students to play a humiliating game of football while he fantasizes about being a professional player himself. This darkly comic yet tragic moment underlines the oppressive systems crushing individuality and joy.
Hope in the Classroom
Billy’s English teacher, Mr. Farthing, takes genuine interest in him. When Billy shares his passion for falconry, Mr. Farthing encourages him to talk about Kes in front of the class. This becomes a turning point — Billy, for the first time, speaks with confidence and pride. It’s one of the film’s most moving moments, showing that even a neglected child can shine when given understanding and respect.
The Tragic Climax
Everything changes when Jud, Billy’s brother, sabotages a bet at the horse races. Furious and seeking revenge, Jud kills Kes, Billy’s beloved kestrel, as punishment. When Billy finds the bird’s lifeless body, his reaction is devastating — he holds Kes, sobbing uncontrollably, before burying her gently in the field.
This ending encapsulates the central theme: in a harsh, class-bound society, beauty and innocence cannot survive.
Movie Ending
The film ends in quiet tragedy. After discovering Kes’s death, Billy’s heartbreak is palpable. He carefully buries the bird in the field, marking the grave with a simple stone. There’s no redemption, no comforting resolution — only the grim reality of loss. Billy goes home, emotionally shattered, while life in the mining town continues as if nothing happened.
Ken Loach intentionally avoids sentimentality; the ending is bleak but deeply human. It mirrors the crushing cycles of working-class life where dreams rarely take flight. Kes, the kestrel, represented freedom — and with her death, Billy’s brief glimpse of hope is gone. The film’s final image, Billy walking alone, captures the suffocating stillness of a life predetermined by class and circumstance.
Are There Post-Credits Scenes?
No, Kes does not include any post-credits scenes. The movie ends with the burial of Kes and fades out quietly. This lack of closure is intentional, reinforcing the film’s raw realism.
Type of Movie
Kes is a British social realist drama. It’s often categorized as part of the “kitchen sink realism” movement, focusing on the struggles of working-class life, the failures of the education system, and the loss of innocence.
Cast
- David Bradley as Billy Casper
- Freddie Fletcher as Jud Casper
- Lynne Perrie as Mrs. Casper
- Colin Welland as Mr. Farthing
- Brian Glover as Mr. Sugden
- Bob Bowes as Mr. Gryce
Film Music and Composer
The film’s minimal and haunting score was composed by John Cameron. The music is used sparingly — moments of silence and natural sound dominate the film, adding to its authenticity. The recurring gentle flute melody reflects Billy’s fragile peace when he’s with Kes.
Filming Locations
Kes was shot entirely on location in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England. This is also where Barry Hines’ novel is set. The mining town and surrounding countryside are vital to the story — the bleakness of the coal town contrasts with the open, liberating beauty of the fields where Billy trains Kes. These visuals embody the film’s theme of confinement versus freedom.
Awards and Nominations
- British Academy Film Award (BAFTA) for Best Actor (David Bradley) – Winner
- BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay (Barry Hines & Ken Loach) – Winner
- Named one of the Top 10 British Films of All Time by the British Film Institute (BFI)
- Numerous other critics’ awards and retrospectives have honored it as a masterpiece of British cinema.
Behind the Scenes Insights
- Most of the actors were non-professionals, locals from Barnsley, to achieve authenticity.
- Ken Loach often used improvised dialogue; actors were not always given full scripts.
- David Bradley was unaware that the bird’s death would be shown on-screen — his reaction in the scene is partially real.
- Ken Loach used real kestrels trained by falconer Steve Lally for the film.
- The cast and crew shot the film under harsh weather conditions typical of Northern England.
Inspirations and References
The film is based on Barry Hines’ novel A Kestrel for a Knave. The title references the medieval belief that a “knave” (a poor boy) could own only a kestrel as a bird of prey — symbolizing how Billy, too, only finds belonging with Kes. The film draws inspiration from neorealism, particularly Italian directors like Vittorio De Sica, emphasizing ordinary lives and social issues.
Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes
There are no known alternate endings. However, Loach reportedly cut some scenes showing Billy’s mother’s romantic life to keep the story focused on Billy’s perspective. A few classroom scenes were shortened to maintain pacing.
Book Adaptations and Differences
The film remains very faithful to A Kestrel for a Knave, though a few internal monologues and subplots are removed. In the novel, we get more of Billy’s thoughts, showing his imagination and intelligence — elements that the film instead conveys visually. The ending is nearly identical, maintaining its emotional weight.
Memorable Scenes and Quotes
Key Scenes
- Billy discovering the kestrel’s nest for the first time.
- The football match led by the overbearing Mr. Sugden.
- Billy’s classroom presentation about Kes — the first time he’s respected.
- Billy finding Kes dead and burying her.
Iconic Quotes
- Billy: “It’s not a pet, sir. It’s wild.”
- Mr. Farthing: “You can’t half tell a story when you want to, can’t you?”
- Billy: “She’s mine, sir. She’s nobody else’s.”
Easter Eggs and Hidden Details
- The kestrel’s cage and Billy’s home visually mirror each other — both small, confined, and bleak.
- The name “Kes” subtly echoes “Kestrel” but also “cas,” a nod to the Casper family name.
- Mr. Farthing’s scenes are filmed with softer lighting — a contrast to the harsh, grey tones elsewhere, symbolizing compassion.
Trivia
- The film’s Yorkshire dialect was so thick that it required subtitles for international audiences.
- David Bradley had never acted before this film and went on to become a schoolteacher, not an actor.
- Kes inspired many British directors, including Danny Boyle and Shane Meadows.
- The kestrels used in the film were named “Freddy” and “Kathleen.”
- The original book was used as required reading in British schools for decades.
Why Watch?
Because Kes isn’t just a film — it’s an emotional experience. It captures the beauty, pain, and injustice of growing up poor with rare honesty. The film’s quiet moments speak volumes about dreams, loss, and resilience. It’s one of the most heartfelt portrayals of childhood in cinema history.
Director’s Other Movies
- Cathy Come Home (1966)
- Riff-Raff (1991)
- Raining Stones (1993)
- The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)
- I, Daniel Blake (2016)
- Sorry We Missed You (2019)
Recommended Films for Fans
- Billy Elliot (2000)
- The 400 Blows (1959)
- Ratcatcher (1999)
- Fish Tank (2009)
- This Is England (2006)
- The Selfish Giant (2013)
