Maggie, who has "psychotic behavioural problems", manages "Maggie's Bar" which is owned by her three ruthless brothers: Graham, Mick and Phil. Maggie misleads her brothers to believe that a man who rejected her has raped her. The brothers carry out a vengeful and torturous murder.

Some months later, Nick finishes his own short relationship with Maggie, who he considers to be a "bit unusual". Soon after parting with Maggie, Nick goes to Maggie's Bar to collect some of his belongings, with friends, Malc and Tony, but  brother Phil picks a fight with Nick in the bar. Phil is openly violent and aggressive, but Nick responds by simply pushing Phil away. Phil bangs his head on the floor of the Bar, and ends up in hospital in a coma, where Maggie murders him for no apparent reason.

The lads Nick, Malc and Tony become implicated in Phil's murder. Two determined Police officers interview Malc and Tony, but cannot trace Nick, who has gone into hiding. So the Police believe that Nick is obviously involved in the two murders.

Rather than risk being locked away for a crime that they did not commit,  the lads go on the run and flee to Corfu. Whilst enjoying the delights of Corfu they are oblivious to the horrifying events taking place back in England...

Back home, the murderous brothers hold Nick's father and step mum (Joanne) hostage, in an anxious effort to discover where Nick has fled. Nick's Father, Dodger, is severely beaten, but doesn't tell where his son is. Dodger finally gives in when Joanne is threatened at knifepoint and the brothers go to Corfu and track down the lads.

Much mayhem ensues. Maggie becomes increasingly tormented by her past; 'daddyfox' is constantly on her mind. As we near the climax of the film, 'daddyfox' provides us with incredible plot twists, as well as a truly unpredictable ending.

The story has a relentless pace, and tells a powerful and haunting tale. We are all, at times, victims of circumstance. Circumstances which inevitably begin to spiral out way beyond our own control ....

DADDY FOX is the second feature film by Manchester-based film maker John McCormack. Shooting took place in Corfu from 29 August to 6 September and in Manchester from 23 October to 12 November 2000.

Producer Roy Vernon
Director John McCormack

Produced by Double Life Films

Go to sleep my little piccaninny, Daddy Fox will get you if you don't.
Go to sleep my little piccaninny, Mummy's gonna cry if you don't.

The "Daddyfox" of the title appears in this little rhyme towards the start of the film and crops up from time to time. You won't find out it's importance until almost the end of the film (unless you guess correctly) and then you'll realise it's significance and why the film took it's title. I'm not going to spoil it all for you by revealing anything here.

The film is a little under two and a half hours long, which some might think is a little long. However, the time soon passes in this interesting and atmospheric thriller with a strong moral message. I'm not sure that I would stick my neck out and call this a psychological drama, but it does have a strong psychological element running through it.

I have to admit that the plot looked a bit thin to start with, but it developed well throughout the film and continued to twist and turn right up to the final shots.

The acting is professional and the direction very good, with some excellent (and at times quite surreal) atmosphere created through the use of muted colours, camera effects, dream-quality sequences, mood making music and the occasional shock manifestation of Maggie's obvious mental scars on her face. If it is let down anywhere, it is in the rare fight sequences. Possibly, we have all been spoiled by the high-dollar, special effect, professionally stunt-choreographed fights that come out of the big film houses. But as the fights make up only a tiny fraction of the whole running time, I found that this small shortcoming in no way ruined the film for me.

"Daddy Fox" premiered at the May 2001 Cannes Festival. There is no doubt that, with a much bigger budget, this film would have made a big commercial success.

A big thank you to Roy Vernon, the producer, for the review copy of the film.

Mal

Brendan and Dave (as the Judge) on location.	Dave and some of the cast in Cannes 2001. The lady next to Dave is Tara Daniels. (Photo by and copyright of Aidan O'Rourke)
Dave as the Judge	(Photos by and copyright of Aidan O'Rourke)

Official Website - here you can view a Trailer for the film.

Photos from the film.

Photos from the Cannes Festival 2001

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