Gangster Dominic Noonan flanked by two of his "boys."by Alex Simon
Born in Dublin in 1966, Irish filmmaker Donal MacIntyre made a name for himself as Britain's most daring investigative journalist, whose bold exposes have won him many awards and plaudits. His adventures have also put him in harm's way more than once, and over the last six years, he has endured death threats, kidnapping attempts, assaults, and been forced to live in safe houses with bodyguards after adrenaline-fueled reports from hot spots such as Beirut, Bosnia, the Congo, Belfast, and Burma. It was Donal's ten years of undercover work for the BBC, ITV, Sky and Five in the UK, which sealed his reputation as a reporter who was unafraid to venture where few dared to tread.
In this guise, Donal has tackled issues from old age home scandals to international trade in endangered animals, to the trafficking of sex slaves into Britain and illicit arms trading in Eastern Europe, to name but a few. Think of Donal as a more youthful version of 60 Minutes veteran Mike Wallace, and you get the picture: a man full of boundless curiosity, who is unafraid to go anywhere, face any potential interview subject, or ask any question, even if it means his life.
Donal MacIntyre's documentary feature debut comes in the form of A Very British Gangster, a fly-on-the-wall portrait of notorious Manchester gang boss Dominic Noonan, who legally changed his name to Lattlay Fottfoy, an acronym for the family motto: "Look after those that look after you, fuck off those that fuck off you."
A documentary that is chock full of the drama which defines fictional gangster classics such as The Godfather Trilogy and Goodfellas, A Very British Gangster was filmed over a three year period in the tough nothern English city which, as Dominic Noonan himself says "By day is run by the police, and by night is run by gangsters." The film opens in New York and L.A. July 18.
Donal MacIntyre spoke to us recently about his latest foray into the drama of truth, and vice-versa. Here's what was said:
How did you first learn about Dominic Noonan and his gang in Manchester?
The Noonan family were famous in the North West of England for their antics. They were famous for their security/drug operation at the Hacienda night club and their gangland peace keeping operations in Manchester - a well-known hub of crime in the UK.
You spent three years "embedded" with the Noonans in Manchester. When you initially met Dom, he said that his brother wanted to kill you, and you were threatened several times during the filming yourself, with one of the kids even saying he'd beat you senseless just "for the rush." At any time, did you feel in danger during your time with the Noonans?
I was nervous but maybe not truly terrified although it is all of a blur now. My greatest fear was an ethical one - that we might hear orwitness something that we would be bound or morally required (if not legally) to report. It was a very difficult film to make because of this. We felt that our team of robust current affairs journalists were up to the task...and my war zone experience and that of my producers also helped enormously in this regard.
A related question: how did you manage to gain Dom's trust so much and get him to reveal himself to you as he did? How did you gain the trust of his "boys" for the same?
When I first met Dominic he was at a low ebb. He was facing a major spell in prison for another drug trial and it looked very bad. He thought he was going down and thought that he would spend the rest of his adult life in jail. He used me as a confessional or a video last will and testament, and then he got off and the conversation continued. I always said that I would be fair to his world and that this was not a covert operation but he was warned that anything he said could be taken by the police as evidence. I had spent over ten years undercover on various assignments putting criminals like Dominic in jail with my evidence so it was a significant trust issue for him. In relation to the young men - Dominic’s imprimatur was important and they also knew me as an investigative reporter on TV, which gave me a bit of traction and connection to them.
One thing that struck me the first time I saw the film was that this was a classic ghetto story. In the States we're not used to seeing white faces in ghetto stories, yet the problems ghetto kids face are really universal, aren't they?
That is a very interesting point you make. The story is universal - white black, Asian etc. Their experience and links between poverty, crime, parenthood are clear. This is a world of children living lives foretold. When the film was shown at the Cognac Film Festival, it won the Grand Prix and the Police Jury award. The jury of senior officers fro around the world recognized the same dysfunctional dynamics in cites from Turin, Marseilles to Manchester with the same community fixers and gangland low rent and dangerous antics. The Manchester Police tried to ban the show while filming was in progress because they were afraid that the show was about them. Their court action was rejected by the High Court in London. The background to this is that I was one of the architects of the secret policeman an undercover investigation into the Manchester Police training school where evidence of recruits using racial slurs and wearing Ku Klux Klan hoods was exposed in a BAFTA award winning investigation. The Manchester police put me under investigation because they knew we had a recruit undercover but didn't know who. It was fair that some in the force had bad blood with me. Nonetheless since they have been very co-operative on other investigations I have done for television. The tension we have is one that journalists should have with the Police - like I have with Dominic - fair and reasonable but not a subservient or a poodle.
Director Donal MacIntyre.Dominic is a parade of contradictions: swaggeringly macho, yet openly gay; foul-mouthed, sin-eating, yet devoutly Catholic; unrepentantly brutal and violent, yet very loving and gentle with those he cares for, particularly the kids who follow him. What were your impressions of his very complex psychology?
He is a very bright and very damaged individual. Charming and dangerous - the type of character who would be running a top finance house if given middle class opportunities, I have no doubt. The ability to run a major crime firm and avoid conviction on so many crimes with such overwhelming evidence against him demonstates a smartness and deftness that is remarkable.
Like The Godfather character that Brando played, Dominic is both a criminal on one hand, but a public servant on the other. He seems to serve the community in a way that police and public officials can't. What does it say when the city of Manchester shuts down during the funeral of a renowned gangster? Would this happen for a murdered cop, or public official?
It was significant that the city stops for the funeral of a hitman. I can say that it would not stop for the funeral of a policeman or pastor - but that community came out of fear and respect and sometimes friendship and loyalty. The brass band was made up of mostly retired police and firemen and Desmond, the deceased, had given to the firemen funds when they were on strike. The two tier justice system is something you expect in Little Italy, in prison or in Northern Ireland when the IRA ran a similar alternative justice system under the radar of the establishment. This system has just been acknowledged by Chief Inspector Matt Baggott of the Association of Chief Police Officers in the UK who has accepted for the fist time that some communities go to people like Dominic ahead of them. It is a remarkable admission in this day and age. I did an additional piece on the BBC for my radio show: www.bbc.co.uk/fiivelive/donal Macintyre. The pictures we filmed are the first time this phenomenon was photographed although it had been much discussed - seeing is believing.
Again, like the characters in classic gangster films, Dominic and his band have a very clear moral code, very black and white, whereas those of us in law-abiding society must deal with shades of grey on a daily basis. Is it possible that their world has a greater clarity than our own?
Well he sees the world in black and white when it suits him. Although he has so-called "gangster family values," he does operate in the grey when it comes to religion and his use of confession. I am sure that the rules of confession were not designed to be used like that.
It's fascinating, ironic and quite brilliant that Dominic decided to enter the very fields that help put him behind bars: security and banking! Your thoughts on this. Some would say that that world is full of criminals, too. Clearly he was going to take advantage of his banking prowess for some ill-gotten gain, but much of what he did overtly was to annoy the police and send them a message wrapped up in irony and a smirk.
How does Dominic feel about the film and about you? Several times in the film in voice-over, you refer to him as things like "a dangerous racketeer," and so on. Was he upset about this?
In the film we do not take a moral stance - we do not call him a bad man - we simply and factually report his crimes and his deeds -these descriptions were factual and he had no problems with it. Some people wanted me to take a moral position with him in the film but I simply wanted to report and reveal his world without an editorial prism from current affairs or news which requires balance and alternative views. It is very much a social documentary - an historical slice of life - but it is also a picture of one community and their world and that was my aim and intention to depict. It is a very tradional Fred Wiseman documentary with influences from Studs Terkel, In Cold Blood, and Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist. These images went through my head when I was on the ground in Manchester.
When the two boys are fishing and discussing what they'd be willing to go to prison over, it struck me that it's the same sort of conversation a middle class kid like me had with his friends at that age, discussing what we'd be willing to join the army over. Prison to them is as acceptable as joining the military for people like us, whereas to us, the idea of prison isn't even on our radars.
You are right. But do note the stands of loyalty and honor from (Dominic's son) Bugsy - "to help my family," but alson note that Bugsy also was smart enough to suggest that he would get other people to do his dirty work like his dad. That is my favorite scene in the film, when we set up the crane and just filmed the guys. The last bit in the crane shot is in-sync...their language is wonderful and a joy for any apiring Manchester Beckett watching.
Dominic Noonan (left) and director Donal MacIntyre (right).Another thought I had while watching the film: if it weren't Dominic influencing these kids, it would be someone else. You can take Dom out of the picture, but he'll just be replaced. It's the sociology of the ghetto, and that's that.
Their are plenty of dubious role models out there in place of Dominic. In fact young Paul really did descend into personal chaos after he left Dominic's scene. As imperfect as he was, he was still a better role model than most around.
What's happened to Dominic and the other "characters" in the film over the last two years since you completed filming?
Dominic and most of his cohorts remain in jail. Bugsy has a girlfriend and is now in the same special school that Dominic was in 30 years ago. He is doing well in sports there by all accounts. I am in contact wihth him. Dominic continues to appeal his guilty verdict.
Let's talk about your background. You made your bones as an investigative journalist before you started making films.
Yes. I am primarily a current affairs reporter having spent most of my working life investigating and making edgy shows for some of Britain's broadcasters, including the BBC. I also have done a lot of antropology and adventure shows for my soul and fun, which oddly helped me recognise the tribal qualities of the Manchester world. In addition, I write for newspapers. My old boss said I operated best when my life was under threat and I feel he probably is right.
Trailer for A Very British Gangster.
On that note, you are renowned as Britain's top investigative journalist who's made a name for himself by putting yourself in harm's way more than once. What's the most dangerous situation you've found yourself in thus far, and why do you keep putting yourself in these situations? Do you, like Dominic's kids, get off on the "pure adrenalin rush"?
It's funny, an ex-boyfirend of my wife said that marrying was my most dangerous assignment yet. That may be true...
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