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Shields writer scripts Caine blockbuster
A DYSLEXIC South Shields writer is the man behind Sir Michael Caine's new blockbuster.
Gary Young penned the screenplay for the star's film Harry Brown, and will attend its world premiere in London on Tuesday.
The film fanatic, who lives in Stanhope Road, South Shields, said: "I wrote it with Caine in mind, but I never even dreamt he'd say yes."
Mr Young, a father-of-one, relied on his wife Susan to type up his dictation, as he reeled off lines of gritty dialogue for his project in January last year.
A production company struck a deal with him, and he used his contacts to get the script to Caine.
The two-time Academy Award winner loved it so much that he received it on a Friday, and called his agent to sign up for the film the following Monday.
Described as a modern urban western, Harry Brown – played by Caine – is an elderly widower and former Royal Marine whose neighbourhood is overrun by gangs, drugs and crime.
When his best friend is murdered and the gang leader responsible walks free, Harry becomes an unlikely vigilante.
Mr Young said: "It's an idea I've had in my head for a while. My grandfather was a Royal Marine so that's where that aspect of Harry Brown came from. When I sat down to write it, it all came together quite quickly. It just flowed out."
Director Daniel Barber said: "I identified with the script the first time I read it."
Caine said: "With this role, my life experience is almost set up for it. I come from the slums, I come from a hard background, I come from a poor family and I was a soldier."
Mr Young, 43, trained in photography at South Tyneside College, but became a writer 17 years ago and has penned scores of plays and four other films.
Harry Brown was mainly filmed on the rough Heygate Estate in London – earmarked for demolition. One house near the filming location featured a huge mural on the side of one house of Caine as he looked in 1971 film Get Carter, where he played a gangster visiting North East England looking for revenge.
"Filming lasted for about three months, but movie sets are the most boring place in the world, so I only stayed for a few days," said Mr Young.
"I spoke to Michael while I was there and he asked a little bit about me. I told him I was from South Shields and he smiled and said 'Last time I was in your neck of the woods I was in a bit of bother'."
Mr Young said he was pleased with the final cut of the film, which kept rigidly to his script.
"Once these things are written, it's out of your hands. I've written films where the finished product hasn't been exactly how I originally wrote it. But Harry Brown is exactly from the page."
Mr Young is now working on a graphic novel called Madam Samurai.
The film goes on general release on Friday.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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