Crime,Drama
United Kingdom
Scum is a British drama film that portrays life inside a borstal, a type of youth detention center, during the 1970s. The story follows the arrival of a new young inmate, Carlin, who has been transferred to the borstal after serving time in another facility. He quickly discovers that the borstal is run by a hierarchy of violent and abusive inmates, known as the "daddies," who rule through fear and intimidation.
Carlin challenges the daddies' authority, and a power struggle ensues as he tries to establish himself in the new environment. He allies himself with another young inmate, Davis, who is planning a revolt against the daddies. However, their plans are discovered, and they are brutally punished by the borstal's staff.
The film depicts the violent and abusive conditions of the borstal, including beatings, gang rape, and torture. It also shows the complete lack of rehabilitation or education for the inmates, who are treated as little more than animals by the staff and each other. The film's message is that the borstal system is broken and needs to be reformed to provide genuine rehabilitation and education for young offenders.
Scum was directed by Alan Clarke and written by Roy Minton. It is a re-make of a 1977 BBC teleplay that was banned before broadcast. The film stars Ray Winstone as Carlin and Mick Ford as Davis. It was controversial at the time of its release for its graphic violence and portrayal of the borstal system, but it has since become a cult classic and an important piece of social commentary on the treatment of young offenders in Britain.
