Blonde Fist

I was reacquainted with Blonde Fist a couple of weeks ago thanks to Talking Pictures TV; I only have a vague memories of this film's release back in 1991 - it was concieved, I assume, as a star vehicle for flavour of the then moment Margie Clarke, who was on something of a roll following an impressive turn on the long neglected (and unfairly so) social drama 'Making Out'.

Written and directed by her brother, co-starring her sister, Blonde Fist soon sank without trace. Drably shot and sluggish paced, the story seems to take forever to get going; Margi Clarke tries, but she is uncomfortable as she is unconvincing in the leading role - hampered by an unfunny script that's stuck between the far superior Boys From The Back Stuff, or an overlong episode of the dreadful Liverpool based situation comedy Bread, and a supporting cast of sanctimonious bullies and clichéd stereotypes.

Give this one a miss - it flopped for a good reason; the only point of note is an early appearance by Stephen Graham, and a small role for veteran Scottish actress Julie Graham; both made a better ''fist' of their careers than Margi ever did...and neither of them were related.

I came across this on Netflix and thought I'd give it a go as the clip was amusing and featured a very very young Stephen Graham. The star is undoubtedly Margi Clarke who deserved to be much more of a star than she ever did. She was approaching 40 in this and was still incredibly beautiful. But looks aside she was a damn good actor too who unfortunately never really broke out of tv shows set in her roots of northern England. The film definitely loses much of its appeal once the story shifts to New York in the second half but don't let that put you off it's still worth the time.

The adventures of Ronnie, a tough working-class girl from Liverpool. The film follows Ronnie from the rough streets of Liverpool, to prison and then to New York. The characters are cliched and comical but the film doesn't take itself seriously, so I think it gets away with it. It has many funny and touching moments and I enjoyed it. Everyone I know thought it hilarious and Margi Clark suits the role of crude-talking wisecracking Ronnie. A film of its time.

On my way to work I once passed a pair of teenaged girls engaging in a furious fight which revealed a capacity for aggro by the opposite sex that came to mind when I saw 'Blonde Fist'.

Margi Clarke is in her element as a chain smoking Scouse blonde bullet whose bright red lipstick matched her nails who turns her pent-up anger and frustration to financial advantage by joining the fight game.

The cartoonish credits are reflected by the nature of the violence that follows. Despite a couple of nostalgic black and white flashbacks to the 1950s depicting the early days of Clarke the bulk of the action takes place in 199 (complete with a woman wearing an anti-Poll tax teeshirt) which from today's perspective is almost as remote an era (as attested to by the fact that cast member Carroll Baker is now 92).

A thinly plotted movie with comic moments that mostly don't work, and fight scenes that fail to convince ( except the last one). Margi Clarke is fine in the lead, Ken Hutchinson good too but Carroll Baker pretty much steals every scene she's in, she's deserving of a better film.