THE DAMNED UNITED/GETS GOING

Beware! There is a shrewd impersonator about. Clever Michael Sheen is back in action, this time in The Damned United, a new feature which started shooting in late May on locations throughout Yorkshire, Leeds, Derbyshire and, watch for it, Spain.

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Already acclaimed for epitomising a richly varied number of characters - includingTony Blair in The Queen. David Frost in Frost/Nixon and, perhaps the momst impressive of all, the weird and wicked Kenneth Williams in Fantabulosa! - Sheen now steals the show as legendary football manager Brian Clough.

The piece is written by the ubiquitous Peter Morgan, who also wrote The Queen and Frost/Nixon, so Sheen should have no trouble mastering his lines.

Helping him along will be making his first feature after prepping in TV with other historical works like Longford and Elizabeth I.

Treading the set with him is Timothy Spall, as his right hand man, only friend, and crutch Peter Taylor.

Based on a best selllng novel, The Damned United tells the confrontational and darkly humorous story of Brian Clough’s doomed 44 day tenure as manager of the reigning champions of English football Leeds United in the 70s.

Previously managed by his bitter rival Don Revie, played by Colm Meaney, and on the back of their most successful period ever as a football club, Leeds had an aggressive and cynical style of football - an anathema to the principled yet flamboyant Brian Clough, who had achieved astonishing success as manager of Hartlepool and Derby County building teams in his own vision with trusty lieutenant Peter Taylor.

Taking the Leeds job without Taylor by his side, with a changing room full of Don’s boys, would lead to an unheralded examination of Clough’s belligerence and brilliance over 44 days.

Jim Broadbent puts in another star turn as Sam Longson, the Derby Chairman.

So more about life than actual footie and that is no bad thing given how difficult it is to make winning sports films. Release is scheduled for 2009.

Posted May 29, 200.