Billy Boyd - On A Clear Day (2005) - Page 5

one small hobbit lover · 03-03-2005, 01:26 PM

ok so i looked at this pic

and noticed something...

does bills only have one arm?

StrongPlacebo · 03-03-2005, 03:21 PM

It really looks like that!

I think it's just the angle

I hope

Suga*Babe · 03-03-2005, 09:05 PM

I zoomed in and there's only one arm.

Maybe the character only has one arm?

StrongPlacebo · 03-04-2005, 02:33 AM

Really? One arm?

How'd they do that?

Unless Billy was in a horrific disfiguring accident that I missed

Though, with the plotline....that's good

one small hobbit lover · 03-04-2005, 09:12 AM

dunno if his has one arm...but how will he swim?

well i had a zoomed in version but cant find it doh! will serch then post
ETA:
yeah i found it

armless???

girl with no name · 03-04-2005, 12:32 PM

That is quite scary...but the arm is there, but just very camoflaged with all the skin on show

StrongPlacebo · 03-04-2005, 02:20 PM

I think what it is is that he's shaking his arm cause the water is cold, and the blur makes it look like he has no arm

It's bloody freaky though

one small hobbit lover · 03-06-2005, 07:47 AM

tru...kinda odd that its a natural thing tho init

StrongPlacebo · 03-15-2005, 11:57 AM

Quote:

"On a Clear Day" cast from left to right: Billy Boyd, Peter Mullan, Benedict Wong, Gaby Dellal (director), Brenda Blethyn.

Everyone has their “English Channel” to swim–or, as we Yanks like to call it, our “inner demons” that we’re constantly fighting to find ourselves and the meaning of life. “On a Clear Day,” the newest cinematic venture to come out of the UK, swam its own “Channel” with is premiere at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, competing in the World Dramatic competition, and arising victoriously as an audience favorite. More a story about life, the people we choose to surround ourselves with, determination, and love, “On a Clear Day” is perhaps one of the best written, beautifully directed and filmed, splendidly acted, and meaningful movies to have ever to graced Sundance and the cinema. Ever.

“It was a script that jumped out at me,” says Billy Boyd, one of the stars of “On a Clear Day,” based on a novel by Alex Rose. Why the script jumped out to Boyd isn’t a hard question to answer, and neither is why it was selected to compete at Sundance. Beautifully rendered, this story of hope and friendship has its strengths in an all-star cast who’s acting abilities are of the same caliber, lively cinematography that fits with the mood of the film, and a beautiful story with meaning about what’s really important in life–who you surround yourself with and the tasks you choose to employ yourself in. Boyd, serving primarily as th comedic relief in the film as the character “Danny,” only adds additional life to the story by bringing out a truly funny character, who also has depth and subtleties to him, masterfully captured in the performance of Boyd.

Recently laid off from his job in a shipyard, Frank (Peter Mullan) finds himself without direction and without purpose in life. In addition, he has a strained relationship with his son Rob (Jamie Sives), emotionally distant to his father because he believes Frank blames him for the childhood death of his twin brother. Unable to be consoled merely by the love of his wife, Joan (Brenda Blythen) and the support of his comedic cast of friends, Frank is given the idea that the only way he can give meaning to his life again is by giving himself meaning.

That “meaning” manifests itself in an idea jokingly posed by Boyd’s character about the possibility of swimming the English Channel to France “on a clear day” (hence the title). The film, from there, revolves around Frank’s dedication to building up the endurance to swim the Channel, and his attempts to conceal his efforts from his wife. When those efforts at secrecy all but fail, however, Frank must draw up within himself and evaluate the true importance of what he’s doing, and whether to quit or press onward.

Boyd’s character, Danny, is the comedic relief of the film, providing the loving support of a true friend for Frank, while at the same time, delivering the greatest one-liners that really flesh out the film by giving it a layered feel. In addition to the heaviness inherent in some of the issues presented in the film, too, Boyd’s presence always manages to succeed in getting a laugh and lightening the mood of the film again to a more optimistic tone. For example, in a scene nearer the beginning of the film, Boyd is discovered in the locker room wearing the pink underwear of his would-be girlfriend (if he could ever get up the nerve to actually ask her out). Just the very sight of Boyd in women’s underwear was enough to send waves of laughter through the audience at the film’s Salt Lake City premiere, and developing Danny’s character as the care-free type who isn’t bothered much by what others think of him, shrugging off the concerns of his work compatriots.

Boyd, like his character, wasn’t too negatively provoked at the idea of wearing women’s underwear onscreen–but he was a bit wary about what his lingerie was when it originally appeared in the screenplay. “The underwear of his girlfriend was written as a g-string,” Boyd says, laughing. “[But we changed it] because a g-string wouldn’t hide very much. There’s a lot of different stills of me in lots of different kinds of underwear [out there now]...We thought they (the pink underwear) were funny and also kind of realistic.”

In addition to wearing women’s skivvies, Boyd also wears his another pair of trunks in the film–swimming trunks. During Frank’s own endurance training to swim the Channel, Billy decides it would be a great achievement for him as well, and begins training with his friend. Fortunately for Boyd, however, who is no stranger to the water as an avid surfer in real life, his character didn’t have to be in the water nearly as long as Mullan’s, as Danny suffers a cramp and decides to offer “moral support” rather than actually complete the swim.

“Some of the water scenes weren’t that much fun because it was freezing. I didn’t have to do that much [swimming],” says Boyd, who luckily didn’t have to spend as much time being as cold as Mullan must have been, being in the water for so long during shooting. “It was great [though],” he says of the film and the experience as a whole. “The performances are very strong, [and] everybody had their moments. We had a lot of laughs and fooling around. It was a very happy set.”

In addition to facing the challenge of crafting the character of Danny as more than just the stock stereotype of the silly sidekick, however, Boyd was also faced with whether to take the project or not when it was offered to him. Though a beautiful story, the obvious concern of working on an independent film is money (which he made a lot of in his role as Pippin in the “Lord of the Rings” series). He believed so much in the script, and its beauty and meaning upon first reading it, however, that he simply couldn’t turn down the opportunity to be a part of something so telling of the human spirit and strength.

“Obviously we all need money to live, ya know,” he says in his dapper and attractive Scottish accent. In the words of a true actor who sincerely loves his craft--“But definitely the script and actors–all these things come out before the money does.”

The story of “On a Clear Day” that drew Billy Boyd to it to play the role of Danny is precisely the same thing that draws audiences to it so that they walk away with a warm heart and renewed faith in the ability of humanity to succeed in any endeavor they set their mind to. More so, however, and especially in the opinion of Boyd, the story really centers around the tale of friendship between Frank and his old co-workers–almost brothers in their support and love for him all the way through the process of getting ready to cross the English Channel. And, in the end–the story really isn’t about “literally” crossing the Channel, it’s about finding meaning in life–a task that Frank could only complete with the help of friends who believed in him.

“Life has its ups and downs,” Boyd says, finishing up. “This film is about the people you surround yourself with. I hope they (audiences) walk away enjoying the film. [And] no matter how hard things are gettin,’ you can reach inside and change things, accept the help of others, and have a good laugh and a cry.”

Article

one small hobbit lover · 03-15-2005, 12:07 PM

wooohoooo thanx Hannah

girl with no name · 03-16-2005, 08:20 AM

Thank you for the article Hannah

That is so great that On a Clear Day is getting such a great review.

And Billy in pink knickers..........

I cant wait to see that

one small hobbit lover · 03-16-2005, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Boyd’s character, Danny, is the comedic relief of the film, providing the loving support of a true friend for Frank, while at the same time, delivering the greatest one-liners that really flesh out the film by giving it a layered feel. In addition to the heaviness inherent in some of the issues presented in the film, too, Boyd’s presence always manages to succeed in getting a laugh and lightening the mood of the film again to a more optimistic tone. For example, in a scene nearer the beginning of the film, Boyd is discovered in the locker room wearing the pink underwear of his would-be girlfriend (if he could ever get up the nerve to actually ask her out). Just the very sight of Boyd in women’s underwear was enough to send waves of laughter through the audience at the film’s Salt Lake City premiere, and developing Danny’s character as the care-free type who isn’t bothered much by what others think of him, shrugging off the concerns of his work compatriots.

Boyd, like his character, wasn’t too negatively provoked at the idea of wearing women’s underwear onscreen–but he was a bit wary about what his lingerie was when it originally appeared in the screenplay. “The underwear of his girlfriend was written as a g-string,” Boyd says, laughing. “[But we changed it] because a g-string wouldn’t hide very much. There’s a lot of different stills of me in lots of different kinds of underwear [out there now]...We thought they (the pink underwear) were funny and also kind of realistic.”

lol i love that he is gonna be funny yay, i wanna c how he works 'funny' without his Dommie...omg he took my undies nooo, well at least u all get to see that he is mine

lol i need those stills of him in undies, i have to see him in a thong lol!

StrongPlacebo · 03-16-2005, 01:47 PM

Billy in pink knickers is going to be fabulous

They focussed a lot on Billy in that article, considering the film isn't primarily about him...not that I'm complaining.

one small hobbit lover · 03-17-2005, 12:39 PM

coz hes a megasuperstar lol

girl with no name · 03-17-2005, 12:44 PM

I think it's really good that they focused on Billy seeing as he never really got as much recoginition as he should when he was in LOTR [it was mainly Lij and Orli].


Fan Forum > Archived Celebrities > Billy Boyd > On A Clear Day (2005)