Kermode Uncut: My Top five Ken Loach Films

www.bbc.co.uk/markkermode
I, Daniel Blake is out this week - a great new film from one of my favourite directors - Ken Loach. Here are my top picks from his long career.

[@vvvvincenttttt]

His debut Poor Cow is still a masterpiece with outstanding performances.

[@user-do1wv3ve1n]

Between Kes and I Daniel Blake, for the top spot, I was an S.A (extra) in I Daniel Blake, I was buzzing cos he picked me out, and I'm in the trailer, and its personal too me

[@chrisdunn1155]

So glad you mentioned Raining Stones. Had the priviledge of having lunch with Rickie Tomlinson many yearss ago and he got quite misty-eyed when I mentioned it, especially as he talked about the writer, Jim Allen.

[@conormcelroy1898]

Thanks you for including films on both the Irish and Spanish Civil war in your too 5. ¡No Pasarán!

[@multipleman78]

His Scottish movies are incredible. Carla's Song, My Name is Joe, Sweet Sixteen, Ae Fond Kiss and The Angels Share. Out of those, My Name is Joe is my favourite with a searing performance from Peter Mullan.

[@shippers6825]

Kes will always be my personal favourite and leaves me in pieces every time I watch it but I have to give a shout out to Sweet Sixteen. When I taught film studies to 16-18 year olds it was always the film that provoked the best classroom discussions and really engaged the students.

[@cassmama9]

Brilliant, ALL Ken's films are brilliant, they tell it like it is!

[@mpsk2286]

Hi, I'm writing from Finland and have only seen 17 Loach films (counting Sorry, We Missed You and everything before that). Anyways, here is my top5: 5. Jimmy's Hall 4. Sweet Sixteen 3. Kes 2. The Wind That Shakes the Barley 1. Hidden Agenda (Mark, you guessed it right in the very end...)

[@captaincokecan]

My top 5 fav Ken Loach films are. 1: By eeck its tuff up north it is 2: i have nowt and now they've taken me flat cap 3:Kes 4: no more coal mining or how i learned to love the dole 5: Me whippet had heartworm so thatcher shot her Just kidding i do enjoy ken loach films

[@LilySaintSin]

Captain Cokecan 😂😂😂

[@frankboyle2643]

In the clip at the very end from Land and Freedom when they are singing the Internationale, the figure in the cap and glasses on the far left (appropriately) is Paul Laverty, who later formed a great partnership with Ken and wrote most of his films including I,Daniel Blake, the Wind that Shakes the Barley, I,Cantona, Sweet Sixteen etc.

[@rbdriftin]

Kes is undeniably the best. Absolutely brilliant.

[@459dirello4]

1. Land and Freedom 2. Jimmy's Hall (badly underrated, it also has engrossing scenes of people talking about politics) 3. The Wind That Shakes The Barley 4. Bread and Roses 5. Family Life (very much takes the side of the daughter but still somehow gives lots of weight and sympathy to the confused, well-meaning parents.).

[@xtradelite903]

You forgot another favorite, “Bread & Roses” (2000). About janitorial workers in Los Angeles (California, USA) in their struggle to unionize, which was actually occurring in real life at that time. Many celebrity cameos,. As well, it won some awards, including best actress (American Latino Media Arts Award).

[@GreigStott]

"Ladybird, Ladybird.. ", "Kes", "Sweet Sixteen". Quite a few Ken Loach films I haven't seen yet, but I enjoy these 3 especially and "I, Daniel Blake..." was very good too 🎥🎬❤

[@clarencegreen6341]

I Daniel Blake... a modern masterpiece

[@GrainneMhaol]

Hidden Agenda is indeed a cracking film

[@HankAstral]

Great to see a couple of Jim Allen's films here: Raining Stones and Land and Freedom

[@niallquinn9128]

The Navigators is a great and overlooked film. Riff-Raff is also good.

[@joestringer7687]

Sweet sixteen?

[@waynegoldpig2220]

Nobody, Kermode included, seems to be aware of Loach's most realistic piece of work. That film is "The Gamekeeper". It is a scripted film made in the style of a fly-on-the-wall documentary and it has one of the greatest dialogue scripts ever written (by Barry Hines).

[@importedmusic]

Absolutely loved Sweet Sixteen.

[@MrMarcusirish]

Kes, Riff Raff, Raining Stones, Land&Freedom, Wind that shakes

[@Lumsdenaa]

No Riff Raff?

[@petergalbraith5652]

For me it's Kes hand's down, that movie still makes me cry my eye's out.

[@bigben2169]

Land and freedom is my favourite so far too. I've yet to see I Daniel Blake though.

[@tonys6237]

Land and Freedom is the best film ever

[@scootertart]

loads to choose from- Carla's Song, Route Irish, Looking for Eric, Bread and Roses...Haven't seen I Daniel Blake yet, doubt if I'll be disappointed.

[@johnhudson2006]

I have been trying to see The Wind That Shakes The Barley again but I can’t find it anywhere.

[@MerosFelsenmaus]

Bravo. Land and Freedom.

[@Hedonophobia]

I remember the last one of these.

[@wale252525]

i really like the navigators.

[@whatsthestoryhere]

The wind that shakes the barley

[@nimbledick9869]

The Navigators is a class film

[@BarryWhitwell]

My Name Is Joe?

[@deadbeat1980]

Love that movie.....thought it would be No.1.

[@tonymarshall3978]

My favourite film at 13-14 was kes and every time I meet an American or European I recommend kes and there always really annoyed because I described it as a "boy and his bird story, like free willy" needless to say they Arnt happy about the ending

[@redlightmax]

+Tony Marshall Americans seem to have a problem with movies that don't have a happy ending. I call it the Disney Effect.

[@vaneyck8186]

Perfect Videography,well heard of ,pun intened,The Holy Mountain

[@bigandycraik]

Mine: 5. Raining Stones 4. Sweet Sixteen 3. The Angel's Share 2. My Name is Joe 1. Kes

[@rossleeson8626]

Yes so glad Land and Freedom was first. It's mine too.

[@ferbluesy]

My top five from this great film maker: 1. My name is Joe 2. Sweet Sixteen 3. Raining Stones 4. Kes 5. Ladybird Ladybird Honorable mentions: A fond Kiss, Land and Freedom, I Daniel Blake.

[@stevecheevers7337]

Land and Freedom really is a cracking film, sadly not shown enough these days. One film that was left off the list that would change for Looking For Eric would be Sweet Sixteen, fantastic film with a great central performance from Martin Compston, probably now known for BBC's Line of Duty, and the ending a obvious nod to the 100 Blows by Truffaut.

[@aweyaia3773]

18th century lovin yank here. wont say im familiar with loach yet as director, but i am familiar with one "black jack". ill put it up there with barry lyndon for 18th century depictions.

[@Glenuig]

My name is Joe, Sweet Sixteen, Wind that shakes the Barley, Daniel Blake and Jimmys Hall are my personal faves

[@mikedowns8293]

In no particular order: Looks and smiles / Sweet 16 / My name is Joe / Kes / My name is Joe. I, Daniel Blake I saw at Lincoln Lab. Club and found v. moving.

[@KingDomIV]

Yes. Land and freedom. Followed by wind that shook the barley. Or maybe t'other way round.

[@danzel1157]

It's a hard call but, yes, it's Land and Freedom for me too.

[@taffdaddy2]

The navigators

[@shakinJohnnie]

Very surprised that Fatherland doesn't rate a mention anywhere?

[@allthewine]

My name is Joe?

[@garethgriffiths1674]

I felt traumatized by "Ladybird Ladybird", especially knowing that it was based on a true story.

[@xav1952]

I showed Kes ( and others) to hundreds of my students !

[@iveywebb44]

Sweet Sixteen!

[@redstatesaint]

Did people gasp at the red cloth with the soil from Spain?

[@MightyQuinn2021]

'Kes' is the only film in English which I had to watch with subs on

[@TheMaxlewis87]

The Angels Share

[@NICOFRANCOful]

Surely Sweet Sixteen or Riff Raff?

[@66smashy]

Sweet Sixteen and My Name is Joe.

[@gart9680]

Kes simply has to be no.1. It's too iconic not go be. Also, the book is part of every secondary school education - which helps. Sweet Sixteen, too, gets in the top five.

[@siddjames5058]

well done mark, me personally hidden agenda

[@mojosbigsticks]

Just 'cos it's got The Internationale in it.

[@redlady935]

I don't understand why Carlas Song was not recognised as an amazing film. I thought it was a lot less clunky than his others.

[@talesfromtinpanalley-thedo6198]

More from Sally Hibbin on her career as Ken Loach's producer in Denmark St London in the 1980's and 1990's > kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXjQg2uXmLtoe5I

[@pukeyourguts]

huh? i thought you were lukewarm on daniel blake. i must have misremembered your review. brilliant film, either way

[@Benlamb1988]

Pfffhhh, you wouldn't have any of those historical pieces without his 4 episode epic 'days of hope' which compellingly reveals the harsh realities of the interwar years, nor would you have sixteen films without 'sweet sixteen'

[@isabelgellibrandi7496]

I`ve never seen Kes, but Land and freedom and The wind that shakes the barley are two of my all time favourite films. Obviously I`m a leftie but even despite that they were absolutely amazing...

[@eugenefarrar1959]

Riff raff

[@MagnificentFiend]

No-one seems to remember _Topsy Turvy_...

[@TheBluemechanic]

That's a Mike Leigh film

[@dunkinkorea]

Mixing up your fave lefty directors

[@peddleandcrank]

here are my top ten ken loach movies 1. our kes 2......... 3.starwars 4...... 5....... 6.craiggggg David 7......8..9..10.

[@bigmanjosephadamjohnson6869]

I don't like this