The Shillingbury Blowers (1980)

I had never heard of this film until just now when I stumbled upon it amongst a collection of Trevor Howard features. - and I'm glad I did! Howard is the rather aptly nicknamed "Saltie", an elderly gent living in the eponymous village charged with leading their brass band. After a council meeting at which they finally acknowledge that these musicians are to music what Herod was to childcare, he resigns in a fit of pique. They decide to ask new pub landlord "Peter" (Robin Nedwell) to take his place and he, egged on by his enthusiastic-to-fit-in wife "Sally" (Diane Keen), accepts. Before arriving at the village he was a music producer and so when the opening cacophony hurts his ears he is honest! Bad error - and off they strop. A bit of pressure sees them return with a work to rule - and their lack of embellishments and improvisations improves their music no end. What soon becomes clear though, is that it was never the quality of the music that mattered, but the sense of community participation in the band engendered. No-one feels that more than "Saltie" but can "Sally" convince him to bury the hatchet (ideally not in her husband's head)? This is very a gentle, comedic, glance at English rural life and it's values. It has a charm to it and the ensemble cast - including a few familiar faces - add richness to a lovely story of friendship and companionship that probably would not be made at all nowadays. If you come across it, then give it a go - it has a certain feel-good factor to it that leaves an engagingly warm feeling.