A Shot at Glory

A Shot at Glory
Film poster for A Shot at Glory
Directed byMichael Corrente
Written byDenis O'Neill
Produced byRobert Duvall
StarringRobert Duvall
Ally McCoist
Brian Cox
Kirsty Mitchell
Cole Hauser
Michael Keaton
Martin Owens
Scott G. Anderson
Morag Hood
Libby Langdon
Catherine Figgins
Music byMark Knopfler
Release date
  • 3 May 2002 (2002-05-03)
Running time
114 min
CountriesUnited States, United Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

A Shot at Glory is a film by Michael Corrente produced in 1999 and released in 2002, starring Robert Duvall and the Scottish football player Ally McCoist. It had limited commercial and critical success.[citation needed] The film features the fictional Scottish football club Kilnockie FC, based on a Second Division Scottish Football League club, as they attempt to reach their first ever Scottish Cup Final.[1][2] The final game is against Rangers.

Plot

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Robert Duvall plays the club manager, Gordon McLeod. Jackie McQuillan (Ally McCoist) is the team's striker, an ageing player on the verge of retirement, who has recently been signed from Arsenal. McQuillan is a legendary ex-Celtic player who, as well as being married to McLeod's daughter, has a reputation for being troublesome. The two men put their personal problems aside as they try to prevent the small fishing town of Kilnockie from losing its club, which is owned by an American businessman (played by Michael Keaton) who wants to move the club to Dublin in Ireland.

Cast

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  • Robert Duvall as Gordon McLeod
  • Ally McCoist as Jackie McQuillan
  • Michael Keaton as Peter Cameron
  • Brian Cox as Martin Smith, Rangers manager
  • Kirsty Mitchell as Kate McQuillan
  • Bill Murdoch as Desmond
  • Ian Constable as Physio to team
  • Daniel Healy as Street Kid #2
  • Ian McKellar as himself (Hampden crowd)
  • Kris Glasgow as himself (Hampden crowd)
  • Steven Glasgow as himself (Hampden Crowd)
  • Craig McIntosh as himself (Hampden crowd)
  • Ricky Cameron Kelly as himself (Hampden crowd)
  • Ryan Telford as himself (Hampden crowd)
  • Craig Anderson as himself (Palmerston crowd)
  • Andy McGeoch as Haddie the Haddock (Team Mascot)

Kilnockie Team

Queen of the South Team

Rangers Team

Production

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The film's working title was The Cup.[3]

Filming took place at several locations across Scotland, including Boghead Park (the former ground of Dumbarton), Dumfries club Queen of the South's Palmerston Park ground, Kilmarnock's Rugby Park ground and Hampden Park. The majority of scenes representing the town of Kilnockie were filmed in Crail, Fife. Several extras in the film were then players of Raith Rovers, including future Celtic player Didier Agathe. Duvall regularly went to see Raith Rovers to learn from John McVeigh, the manager, on whom his character was based. The movie is loosely based on the cup exploits of Airdieonians, who as a small town team reached two Scottish Cup Finals, several League Cup semi-finals, and qualified for the European Cup Winners Cup in the 1990s. John McVeigh was Assistant Manager at Airdrie when they enjoyed this success. The cast featured several past and current Airdrie players in both speaking and non speaking roles. The events of the film were also mirrored later in 2006 when Third Division Gretna reached the Scottish Cup final, losing on penalties to SPL runners-up Hearts. Robert Duvall was impressed with Ally McCoist acting.[4]

Former Celtic player Jimmy Johnstone and Rangers' Jim Baxter were among the star names who turned down roles in the film.[3]

Reception

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The film received mixed reviews.[5]

The movie was the subject of a feature length podcast review by Quickly Kevin, Will He Score?

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Mullen, Stacey (16 July 2020). "Ally McCoist and Robert Duvall to celebrate 20th anniversary of A Shot at Glory on YouTube show". Glasgow Times. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  2. ^ Macdonald, Stuart (9 June 2020). "Rangers legend Ally McCoist up for sequel to Shot At Glory". Daily Record. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  3. ^ a b ""Road to Glory".....The Movie; Hollywood star Duvall is up for The Cup". Kilmarnock FC. Archived from the original on 2 October 2000.
  4. ^ MacDonald, Stuart (24 July 2020). "Robert Duvall says Rangers' Ally McCoist performed sex scene in front of wife". Daily Record. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  5. ^ "Variety". Variety. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
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