I’m back at it this week with The Bay Boy.

Part 1 on New Waterford Girl is here: https://capebreton.lokol.me/cape-breton-movies-part-1-introducing-new-waterford-glace-bay

Part 2 on My Bloody Valentine is here: https://capebreton.lokol.me/cape-breton-movies-p2-sydney-mines-is-an-international-sensation

Part 3 on Johnny Belinda is here: https://capebreton.lokol.me/cape-breton-movies-p3-johnny-belinda-and-small-town-mentality

This list that follows is intended to cover all feature films related to Cape Breton. This includes everything that can tell a little of the story of Cape Breton and doesn’t include movies that just used it as a set for some other place (Squanto, Book of Negroes).

- New Waterford Girl (Part 1)

- My Bloody Valentine (Part 2)

- Johnny Belinda (Part 3)

- The Bay Boy (Part 4)

- Margaret’s Museum (at the library)

- Going Down the Road (at library)

-Down the Road Again (at library)

- Sealed Cargo (have it)

- Marion Bridge (got it)

-The Legend of the Psychotic Forest Ranger (looking for it)

- Candy Mountain (bits and pieces on YouTube)

- Song Spinner (can’t find)

- The Third Walker (looking)

- Something About Love (1988) (looking)

- The Widow of St. Pierre (at library)

So today’s review....

The Bay Boy (1984) directed by Daniel Petrie

One day after watching this movie I’m still a bit perplexed. I expected a warm and authentic coming-of-age tale. I guess I got that, but also a lot more than I bargained for, including some pretty strange plot twists that seem to come out of nowhere.

This film was directed by Daniel Petrie, who was born in Glace Bay, and is said to have filled the script with several personal experiences.

The movie takes place in Glace Bay in 1937. Donald Campbell (played by Kiefer Sutherland in his second role) is a 16 year old teenage boy who attends Catholic school, is an alter boy at the local church, helps out with the family businesses delivering pies and helping his father with his start-up “soda operation”. He is also girl crazy.

All the boys wear news boy hats. They skip studying for classes to shoot pool. They share stories of making out with girls, which are much more graphic than you would expect from this type of movie.

Donald’s family consists of his brother Joe (Peter Spence), his mother Jennie (Liv Ullmann) and his father Will (Peter Donat). The face financial challenges as well as personal challenges, as Joe is mentally ill and causing strain on the family.

The story focuses on the challenges Donald has between helping his family survive, having a social life, discovering love and thoughts about the future, that may include joining the priesthood.

Where most films of this nature would just carry through with the themes of hardship and reward, this film surprises you in several ways.

- Joe dies. I’m not all together sure how. He is missing, they find him outside alive in the rain and then it cuts over to him in a coffin. They only explanation given is that it is “God’s will”. I guess we are so used to dissecting things in this day and age and this just seemed completely out of place.

- The priest makes sexual advances on Donald in one of the sub-plots. This is itself was a bit of a surprise to see in a movie from 1984, and must have been disturbing to see on film back then for conservative Catholic goers. Now an issue out in the open, the movie speaks volumes in acknowledging an issue that should have been talked openly about a long time ago.

- Donald witnesses an older couple being murdered by one of the police sergeants in town, who happens to be the father of two girls that he has an interest in. A good part of the film focuses on Donald trying to keep this secret while fearing for his life. In my opinion it really distracted from other aspects of the film. It reminded me of a Hardy Boys plot or something that would appear in a bit tamer fashion on the Littlest Hobo (big fans of both for the record).

I did want to point out that it is clear that the director had a real love for Cape Breton. There is so much of a focus on getting place names right, being historically accurate, and getting a real community feel in this movie. Although many of the actors that appear were from off island it is clear there had been a great care given to capturing the cultural context. One memorable scene is that of Donald and his mother sitting on the bench outside the church talking about the magic of Cape Smoky and Ingonish.

It was really fun following the teenage love interest story play out between Donald and the several teenage girls. Kiefer Sutherland demonstrates so much talent in this movie. Despite being born into acting he really shined at a young age and this role helped pave the way for future stardom with Lost Boys, Flatliners, and 24.

What did I learn about Cape Breton watching this? Cape Breton culture is deeply rooted in hard work, generosity and integrity. Although the island is large and people come from different backgrounds, there is an overall pride in Cape Breton and what it has to offer.

Overall I find that this movie can’t really decide if it is a coming-of-age story, a take on social issues, or if it is a thriller. That’s what is leaving me a little perplexed, although the overall essence of the movie left me with good feelings. This one is worth a second look if you haven’t seen it in a while. It was a real joy to watch. It left me reminiscing about my teenage years. I wonder if this would be one of the movies to top the list of most Canadian movies of all time. What do you think?