Okay, so there are no Irishmen involved, and he does work in
the bar, but he walks in nonetheless. It just so happens that this all takes
place last Friday, the day after Marvellous
was shown on the BBC.
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"Mate, did you see that thing about that Neil Baldwin
fella? I think it was at your Uni!", exclaimed my colleague as I walked
behind the bar.
As things to hear as you start a 10 hour shift go, that's
not half bad. He went on to talk about the uplifting effect Nello's tale had on
him, and how happy he was that it's all true. "I'd have loved it as a
story even if it wasn't", he said, "but the fact that it's real just
makes it incredible". I have to say that I agree.
It is perhaps lost on some of us who know Keele, and even
know Neil, that his story is so widely heralded. For us, it's special to see
our beloved campus, Student's Union, and even some of our friends on the
screen. But for all of the 1.5 Million viewers on Thursday night, it was a
story of compassion, joy and strength in the face of adversity. It was
uplifting for millions.
To come into work, and be told that someone outside of our affectionately-known
'bubble' was able to love Nello's story in just an hour and a half shows the
power of both Neil and Peter Bowker's work.
Of course, not all of Neil's story is joyful, and as the
similarities to Forest Gump are
pointed out, we must remember that his resilience in such times is absolutely
part of what makes Neil so special.
However, as some have pointed out, the patronising
tone with which some characters addressed Neil in the film is a serious issue
to face, and one which is arguably extended by relating Marvellous to Forest Gump.
Gump is a fictional tale, and one
which takes the issues of disability to the extreme, simply for cinematic
effect. Moment's of Gump's aloofness or straight-faced reaction to how others perceive him is often seen as funny. I don't entirely agree that this should be the effect, but humour is an effective tool in revealing the power of Tom Hank's character.
It is, however, a world away from the true story of the Stoke City and
Keele legend, quite simply because Nello's tale is true. When Toby Jones' Neil asks "Real Neil" what he thought of the Stoke City player calling him a "mong", there is no humour. Instead, Neil's honesty and strength of character are shown in his direct and sincere reply that "it's only banter".
I don't believe the two films should be conflated, and
my colleague's sentiments explain why quite perfectly. "The fact that it's
real just makes it incredible". We shouldn't forget that; it's what
allows the story of one brilliant man to permeate the lives of so many,
all around Britain.
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When I decided to tell my co-worker that not only was I an
extra in the film, but I have had the pleasure of knowing and speaking to Neil
during my time at Keele, the look on his face was just, well, Marvellous.
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