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 printable version
DIRECTOR INTERVIEW
MORGAN MATTHEWS
Tuesday 6 May 2003
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BBC Four: Considering the subject matter it's a much more entertaining film than I expected and at times very funny. Did that surprise you?
Morgan Matthews: I think we built up a good relationship very quickly and in terms of the humour I think that comes across straight away. If you spend any amount of time there you'll see that they take the Mickey out of each other and the staff and the staff do the same back. So that's very much the atmosphere in the house. They've all been living together for quite some time so they've built the relationships where they can do that.
BBC Four: Did you have any trepidation about going into the house?
MM:I don't know about trepidation. I was prepared that people might not take to the idea of being filmed or might not take to me. I was also prepared that there might be an incident involving a resident, but that never happened. It's partly because I was very much a neutral in the situation. I immediately knew I wanted to make a film there as soon as I went in. I thought they were an amazing bunch of people who had amazing stories.
BBC Four: It's obvious from the film that you became quite an important part of the house. Did you anticipate that?
MM: If you make a documentary and spend time with people over a long period you would hope to build up a good relationship with them. I think most filmmakers do but they may not choose to reflect that in their film. I did struggle with the idea of that myself because I come from a background of not including any reference to yourself in a documentary.
BBC Four: Why was this film different?
MM: I started off with that idea of not being present and I did interviews in the classic style of having people include the question in their answer. But it just didn't work with them because they talk back and ask questions while you're asking questions. You need to have a more conversational style or else you make them feel uncomfortable. The style of the film evolved naturally. I wouldn't have felt comfortable doing things like going to football matches straight away but that happens over time. In the later stages I become more of a presence and that reflects the change in the relationship.
BBC Four: What do see as being the key things that make the Cusicks' approach different?
MM: I think it's this idea of it being family. A lot of residents call John and Rose mum and dad. Social services don't approve of that. As you see in the film Christmas is a big deal. They write their Christmas lists months in advance and they decorate their rooms. That's because they feel they belong there and John and Rose aren't going to give up on them like people have in the past. Often they've either been in prison or secure units and I think they have a sense of the Cusicks being a real home. It's not just a job for John and Rose - it's 24 hours. They are dedicated to residents and ex-residents. Even if people are taken to secure units because they are too risky to be out in public Rose still goes and visits them wherever they are. She is the most maternal person I've ever met.
BBC Four: Have you been back since making the film?
MM: I've been back several times. I went back specifically to show John and Rose the film which was a really good experience. They were really pleased and quite emotional when they watched it. I think they saw what their lives were actually like. Although it might seem like there was quite a lot of stress it used to be much worse. Residents would chase them around the house with knives and the police were in there every other night. They saw how much it had calmed down.
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