Set against the turbulent backdrop of the UK miners' strike (1984-5) Billy Elliot (2000)
follows eleven-year-old Billy as he pursues his dream of becoming a ballet dancer. Hailed for
its heartfelt portrayal of working class life and its powerful challenge to gender stereotypes
Stephen Daldry's film is recognised today as a significant contribution to the tradition of
British social-realist cinema. James Leggott's insightful study explores the creative forces
behind Billy Elliot 's development drawing from interviews with many of the core production
team such as the screenwriter Lee Hall the choreographer Peter Darling and the composer
Stephen Warbeck. Leggott identifies influences from the worlds of theatre dance photography
and music including inspirations specific to the North East of England and calls attention to
the film's innate musicality in its bold and playful combinations of soundtrack and action
with songs by Marc Bolan and T. Rex The Clash and The Jam among others. Tracing Billy Elliot
's global impact and its remarkable afterlife as a hit stage production Leggott makes a case
for the film's enduring significance in British cinema history.
