FILM · 1971 · UK
Sunday Bloody Sunday
25 archived facts 5 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (25)
- #001
Sir Daniel Day-Lewis made his screen debut at the age of thirteen as a young street vandal in this film. He described his first acting experience, for which he was paid £2 to damage expensive cars parked outside his local church in Petersfield, Hampshire, as "heaven".
- #002
Several actresses, including Edith Evans and Thora Hird, politely turned down the role of Glenda Jackson's mother, Mrs. Greville, because they thought the project was too risky. Peggy Ashcroft accepted the offer after the director explained the story's elements to her, and she too accepted gladly.
- #003
Former manager Kenneth Pitt writes in his David Bowie biography that Bowie auditioned for the role of Bob Elkin.
- #004
Ian Bannen was fired from the role of Daniel Hirsh shortly after filming began. Apparently he was so nervous about the effect that kissing another man on screen would have on his career that he could not even concentrate enough to begin the role. He later said that losing the part set his career back.
- #005
John Schlesinger's original choice for the role of the gay doctor Daniel Hirsh was Alan Bates. However, Bates dropped out to make The Go-Between (1971), and was replaced first by Ian Bannen and then by Peter Finch. Yet Daniel's role was written as that of a much younger man.
- #006
Screenwriter Penelope Gilliatt claimed the idea for this film first came to her during a train journey to Switzerland to interview Vladimir Nabokov. Several years later John Schlesinger dismissed this claim, saying the film's idea was his own and was based on his sexual relationship with the bisexual actor John Steiner in the 1960s. He claimed, however, that this relationship was happy, if brief, whereas the relationship in the film is quite agonizing.
- #007
This film was showing at the cinema in Derry on the day of the Bloody Sunday massacre. Its advertisement can be seen outside the cinema in the film Bloody Sunday (2002).
- #008
The plane seen taking off near the end of the film is a 1962 TWA Boeing 707-331B registered N776TW. On 29 August 1969, TWA Flight 840 was hijacked by Palestinian terrorists while flying from Rome to Athens. It was diverted to Damascus, Syria. The passengers and crew were evacuated, and explosives detonated by the hijackers in the cockpit destroyed the front section of the aircraft. It was later rebuilt and re-registered as N28714 and returned to service. It was retired in 1980 and used by the US Air Force for spare parts for KC-135 Stratotankers.
- #009
It was nominated for Best Actor (Peter Finch), Best Actress (Glenda Jackson), Best Director (John Schlesinger) and Best Screenplay, but was not nominated for Best Picture.
- #010
Some scenes shot with Ian Bannen were not reshot. Some actors listed in the cast (held by the BFI Special Collections) were not rehired to film their roles with Peter Finch.
- #011
Kenyatta, the name of the Hodson family's cursed dog, refers to Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya's first prime minister and president. See also the trivia for Withnail & I (1988).
- #012
The film's cinematographer, Billy Williams, had also shot Glenda Jackson's Oscar-winning Women in Love (1969) the previous year.
- #013
It is the only film that year nominated for Best Director at the Oscars but not for Best Picture.
- #014
Vanessa Redgrave, who would soon appear with Glenda Jackson in Mary, Queen of Scots (1971), had been considered for the role of Alex Greville before Jackson was cast. With Redgrave as Mary, Queen of Scots and Jackson as Alex Greville, the two would compete for the Best Actress Oscar (Jane Fonda won for Klute (1971)).
- #015
It is the only film that year nominated for both the Best Actor and Best Actress Oscars.
- #016
After filming the role of Alva Hodson, Vivian Pickles would again share the screen with Glenda Jackson, playing Mary Queen of Scots opposite Jackson's Queen Elizabeth in two episodes of Elizabeth R (1971).
- #017
George Harding is said to be between 50 and 55 years old, but Tony Britton was 45 to 46 during filming.
- #018
Peggy Ashcroft, who plays Alex's mother, has only three minutes of screen time.
- #019
It was Marie Burke's last film.
- #020
This film is part of spine number 629 of the Criterion Collection.
- #021
Along with Wings (1927) and Something for Everyone (1970), Sunday Bloody Sunday was one of the first mainstream films to show a homosexual kiss between two men.
- #022
The cast includes four Oscar winners (Finch, Jackson, Ashcroft and Day-Lewis) and one Oscar nominee (Bessie Love).
- #023
John Schlesinger recalled that while filming the kissing scene between Peter Finch and Murray Head, the camera operator made a quite audible expression of disgust. Asked how he reacted, Schlesinger said he chose to say nothing and simply thought, "How stupid!"
- #024
The London Film Critics named the film the Best British Film of 1971.
- #025
It was chosen as the best British film of 1971.
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