King of action: Robert Duvall brought Hollywood to Hampden to shoot the 2000 film A Shot at Glory. Pic: ©SNS Group
David Beckham is reportedly being lined up to star in a remake of Escape to Victory, the 1981 film in which Allied prisoners of war escape from prison after a football match against the Germans. Pele and Bobby Moore appeared in the movie, alongside Hollywood greats such as Michael Caine and Sylvester Stallone.
It is said that Becks will be offered the opportunity to play the role originally portrayed by England’s World Cup winning captain Moore, with former footballer-turned-actor Vinnie Jones behind the project.
As football films go, the thought of Beckham taking to the big screen for a major role will have many of his fans reaching to place their heads firmly in their hands. But, of course, us Scottish football fans have already such an opportunity with a film released 10 years ago.
A Shot at Glory saw revered Hollywood actor and director Robert Duvall and one-time Batman lead Michael Keaton somehow getting involved in a film which cast current Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist in the main role as a washed-up former Celtic striker, called Jackie McQuillan, signed by fictional minnows Kilnockie.
Featuring Scottish football greats such as Andy Smith, Owen Coyle, Jimmy Boyle and even referees Hugh Dallas and Willie Young, A Shot at Glory charted the struggles of Kilnockie, who played at Queen of the South’s Palmerston Park in the film, as they tried to upset the odds and reach the Scottish Cup final. As it was the movies, they inevitably made it through to play at Hampden.
Queen of the South ironically mirrored Kilnockie’s on-the-field achievements for real in 2008, also losing to Rangers in the Scottish Cup final, just as Duvall and McCoist’s team had done in the movie eight years earlier.
So forget remaking Escape to Victory and casting Goldenballs, what about a sequel to A Shot at Glory? How about a follow-up that sees Kilnockie venture into Europe? With Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka et al bringing Real Madrid to a Scottish fishing town to play the return leg? Scottish football’s seen nothing of the like since Fabien Barthez and David Trezeguet rocked up at McDiarmid Park for a Uefa Cup game with Monaco in 1999.
Is there a possible follow-up out there? Who could play the roles in a remake 10 years on? Or should the VHS copy of A Shot at Glory I am holding gleefully be put back in the bargain basement bin and forgotten about, just as it had been until this moment? As ever, send in your ideas using the comment box below.
