From ‘Wuthering Heights’ to ‘Kes’: Travel Yorkshire through five films
It’s rare you’ll meet someone from Yorkshire who is not incredibly proud to hail from there, where culturally and historically rich cities like York and Leeds are just a short drive from gorgeous expanses of countryside and natural beauty – arguably the best the country has to offer.
Spanning 2.9 million acres, Yorkshire is the United Kingdom’s biggest county, home to many grandiose stately homes, national parks and even a stunning coastline. Many seminal works of art have emerged from Yorkshire, such as the novels written by the Brontë sisters, who lived in Haworth. Even Bram Stoker’s Dracula features Whitby as a location, which is located by the sea in North Yorkshire.
Filmmakers haven’t been shy in taking inspiration from certain areas in Yorkshire, either, with many of the best British movies using locations in the county as a backdrop, whether that be busy cities or the breathtaking scenery of the Moors. It is refreshing to watch films set in Yorkshire – a welcome change from British films that are so often set in London.
This list will look at films that are based in the heart of Yorkshire, creating an unofficial tour of the county through great pieces of cinema that have immortalised specific buildings, town centres, and green landscapes onto celluloid. From Rita, Sue and Bob Too in Bradford to Kes down in Barnsley, here are five movies that have helped to put Yorkshire on the cinematic map.
Travel Yorkshire through five films:
Rita, Sue and Bob Too (Alan Clarke, 1987)
We’re starting our cinematic journey through Yorkshire in Bradford, where Rita, Sue and Bob Too, directed by Alan Clarke and based on Andrea Dunbar’s play, is set. Here, we meet two teenage girls, Rita and Sue, who live on a council estate but babysit for Bob and his wife Michelle, who live in a much more economically prosperous area nearby. The film does a great job of communicating issues of class and race while exploring female friendship and unequal power dynamics. It effortlessly captures Thatcher’s Britain with a hearty dose of humour, although it doesn’t hold back in depicting heavier issues with complexity and emotion.
There are several beautiful locations featured in the film, such as Balidon Moor in Shipley, and just a 25-minute drive away is Haworth, where the girls go on a school trip. Down the main street (where the classic 2000s chick flick Wild Child was also filmed), you could even recreate the iconic “Don’t call me a slag, you little bitch!” scene if you fancy.
Wuthering Heights (Andrea Arnold, 2011)
If you like Haworth’s central street, full of independent shops and eateries, then why not visit the Brontë parsonage too? It’s on the doorstep of the village centre, and it’s where Charlotte, Anne and Emily wrote most of their work. Emily Brontë famously wrote Wuthering Heights here, taking inspiration from the local moors, which play a crucial role in the novel. It has been adapted for the screen numerous times, but Andrea Arnold, known for her social realist works like Red Road and Fish Tank, did a great job in 2011.
The film, which stars Kaya Scodelario and James Howson exposes the beautiful darkness of the Yorkshire countryside, with several North and West Yorkshire locations featuring. Places like Thwaite and Coverham, both of which are beautiful villages, were used as filming locations, but go to any outstanding area of the Yorkshire Dales, especially on a foggy day, and you’re bound to feel like Cathy herself.
My Summer of Love (Paweł Pawlikowski, 2004)
If you want to see the Yorkshire countryside portrayed with less bleakness, it’s worth checking out My Summer of Love by Paweł Pawlikowski, who would later go on to direct the beautiful Cold War. The film is set in Todmorden, which is just half an hour’s drive from Haworth. Beneath the beating sun, we see explorations of class and sexuality intersect as two teenage girls engage in a troubled relationship.
The film stars Emily Blunt in her first film role – marking her out as an extraordinary talent – alongside the underrated Natalie Press. Both humorous and moody, the movie descends into thrilling drama as secrets and lies are uncovered. The Yorkshire hills make the perfect backdrop for the long, hot summer days which frame their relationship.
Kes (Ken Loach, 1969)
Just over an hour away from Todmorden is Barnsley, the location of the seminal social realist drama Kes by Ken Loach. Based on the book A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines, the film was mainly shot in Athersley and Hoyland. It follows a young working-class boy, Billy, who finds a sense of freedom by training a kestrel. Loach takes a raw look at the poor socio-economic conditions that many were facing at the time and the lack of opportunities that were available for young people.
One of the more picturesque locations which you can visit is Tankersley Old Hall, which is not far from several country parks which are perfect for taking a walk around. Modern Barnsley might look a little different from what we see in Kes, but it is interesting to compare the two and witness how the town has changed.
Brassed Off (Mark Herman, 1996)
Just a 25-minute drive south will get you to Rotherham, where several key scenes of Mark Herman’s Brassed Off, starring Ewan McGregor, were filmed. Even closer is Grimethorpe, which forms the main backdrop for the film. Set ten years after the miner’s strike, it follows a colliery brass band as their pit is closed, exploring the effects of such a detrimental decision.
The film was also shot in several places that are worth visiting, such as the National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield and Halifax’s Piece Hall, a gorgeous place full of independent shops and cafes that transforms into a gig venue in the evenings. Brassed Off is a staple piece of Yorkshire cinema, blending comedy with vital political and social commentary.