MovieChat Forums > Billy Elliot (2000) Discussion > 'Our Tony'

'Our Tony'

posted 11 years ago by Mimimine12
5 replies | jump to latest

I saw BE when it first came out and HATED Tony from start to finish, thinking he was nothing more than a low-class thug. (I'm referring to his mannerisms, not his social economic class). I mean, when he first sees Billy's dance teacher the first thing he says to her is "who the f––k are you?" I mean who does that? Granted he had just come back from spending the night in jail, but she didn't know that. Throughout most of the movie whenever "our Tony" was in a scene I expected only shouting or violence, with him reveling in it.

Even in the penultimate scene where he and his father are excited to see Billy dance the male lead in Swan Lake (about 14 years after the events of the main part of the movie) was only because he wanted to bask in a little reflected glory.

But re-watching this movie for the first time last night I' don't think he is as bad as he seemed to me at first. The scene where he sees his father with the other "scabs" is the one where we start seeing another side of him. The father has broken down and says he has to do it because "Billy is some kind of genius" and Tony holds him close and says "we'll think of a way." (To get enough money together so that Billy can go to the audition in London). When Billy actually does leave he even manages to say, "I'll miss you," as the bus is pulling away, although Billy couldn't quite hear it through the window.

As a little padding to show the better part of his character, when he, his father, and grandmother were waiting in anticipatory excitement for Billy to tell them the contents of the letter he had just received from The Royal Ballet, he was actually (shock!) doing the dishes.

Anyone else think he redeemed himself at the end, or was it too little too late? Or did his character need redemption?

"Après moi, le deluge." Louis XV

[–] pc-daisy 11 years ago

No I don't think he needed redemption at all.

Tony is a typical (I lived in England)product of his time and place. He has lost his mother, he sees his life's work as a miner being destroyed and he is trying to fight back. The poverty of miners is frightening and the sons are expected to go down into the pits to follow their fathers. Most die of lung disease.

He was proud of his brother getting in and facilitated the move. He would have handed over his pay to his dad to help with any expenses for Billy too. How many boys are content to share a room with an 11 year old? He felt trapped and frustrated, because he was. He could see his life going nowhere. What about the dialogue where he asks Mrs W about Billy having a childhood?

Coupled with all the other dialogue, this is in context, showing him to be defensive and protective too. Just as he looks out for his dad to make sure they get to the opening performance on time.

[–] Mimimine12 11 years ago

Well he and Billy both had difficult lives, even more so than the other miners in their neighborhood since they had lost their mother when they were both young, the father was trying to deal with that and the strike, and they had to look after their grandmother who was sweet but not all there mentally.

I do feel on the surface though that Tony was ill-mannered and loutish, but looking deeper (or in my case a 2nd viewing) it is evident that he really cares about his dad and Billy, and probably his grandmother too, although I don't think we ever see them interact.

As far as him being willing to share a room with Billy, that may be a moot point, as he might not have had a choice, if they had a 3bedroom house and 4 of them live there, then 2 people would have to share, and in their household it makes sense for the 2 boys to share.

When he asked Billy's dance teacher (can't remember the character's name) about Billy missing out on his childhood, I applauded him for sticking up for Billy (as far as he knew at that time anyway), but only to a point, because it didn't sound like he really wanted to start a discussion on the topic, but to use it to further antagonize the teacher and discourage her by being overly aggressive.

But he was undeniably proud of him at the end of the film, and without being over the top about it. That was wonderful to watch.

"Après moi, le deluge." Louis XV

[–] liverpool26 10 years ago

I didn't think he was that bad he was just pissed that the northern economy had been destroyed and his family could barely afford to live. By the way its tony not our tony, our/R is slang in north for family members unless tony is your brother or cousin he would just be tony.

[–] spookyrat1 10 years ago

I think all Billy's family members were written in a realistic fashion considering the community they lived in and the economic and political challenges they were facing during those times (highlighted best IMO by Tom Wilkinson's grilling of him and then Tom's individual big reveal).🐭

[–] Cranmer (139) 5 years ago

Tony is a fairly typical example of someone from that kind of northern working class background. Although he appears to be a thug he actually has a sensitive side and is willing to accept Billy's dancing when he sees how talented he is. Some men from that background would never accept such a thing and would cut Billy out of their lives completely. So he's not all bad, just with limited horizons.