Football Films
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| An A-Z of football at the cinema with a comprehensive list of British and international football films and other movies starring famous footballers. Many are available to buy on DVD through the links on the right. |
Footballers as actors
Eric Cantona
Born: 24th May 1966 in Marseille, France
Played for: Auxerre, Martigues, Marseille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nîmes, Leeds United, Manchester United
International Career: 43 caps & 20 goals for France
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Le Bonheur est dans le Pré (1995) |
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Lionel |
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The title translates as ‘Happiness is in the Field’ and the story revolves around a case of mistaken identity, which leads to a man quitting his life in the city to go and live in a Provençal village. It is a typical French film insomuch as there are deep character portraits and detailed studies of French village life. Cantona was handed a relatively minor role for his screen debut, and appears mainly in the final part of the film. |
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7/10 |
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Elizabeth (1998) |
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Monsieur de Foix |
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An impressive costume drama set in the early years of the reign of Elizabeth the First. Cantona again has a minor role, this time playing they French representative in Her Majesty’s court. |
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7/10 |
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Mookie (1998) |
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Antoine Capella |
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Cantona plays a boxer who meets a monk and a talking chimpanzee on the run from scientists. This film has had mixed reviews. |
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Les Enfants du Marais (1999) |
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Jo Sardi |
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‘The Children of the Marshland’ is another typical French film and is well worth seeing. Set in rural France, there are glorious sequences showing beautiful, unspoilt countryside, and a look at traditional French country life. The moving story studies the simple lives of a group of friends from a bygone era. Cantona is convincing in his role as a violent boxer. |
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8/10 |
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L’Outremangeur (2003) |
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Séléna |
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Cantona plays a 25 stone bulimic detective who falls in love with a young and beautiful murderer in ‘The Overeater’. This film has had good reviews and was a huge success in France. |
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7/10 |
Paul Breitner
Born: 5th September 1951 in Freilassing, Bavaria, Germany
Played for: Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Eintracht Braunschweig
International Career: 48 caps & 10 goals for Germany
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Kunyonga (1986) |
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Bäsgen |
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An action crime film, also known as ‘Murder in Africa’. |
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Vinny Jones
Born: 5th January 1965 in Watford, Herts, England
Played for: Chelsea, Sheffield United, Leeds United, Wimbledon
International Career: 9 caps for Wales
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Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) |
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Big Chris |
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A top quality British crime film in which football hard-man Vinny Jones becomes East-end hard-man ‘Big Chris’. Working as a debt collector and hired muscle, Jones goes around ruffing people up, with his Michael Owen look-alike son. The film, and Jones were a big success. |
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9/10 |
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Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000) |
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The Sphinx |
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A retired car thief has to steal 50 cars in one night to save his brother’s life. Nicolas Cage stars, Jones has a small but violent role. |
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5/10 |
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Snatch (2000) |
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Bullet Tooth Tony |
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Director Guy Ritchie offers us another film in the style of ‘Lock Stock’. Complicated plot and many violent characters but a great film. Jones predictably plays a tough guy. |
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8/10 |
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Swordfish (2001) |
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Marco |
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Another film that can be hard to follow. The CIA have hired a spy in order to try and get a computer hacker to steal billions of dollars in unused government funds. |
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6/10 |
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Mean Machine (2001) |
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Danny Meehan |
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A prison film similar to Porridge but, unsurprisingly given Jones’ involvement, much more violent. Former England captain Danny Meehan is now an inmate and must train a team of convicts to play the prison staff. |
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6/10 |
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