Morris: A Life With Bells On
Mockumentary film following the life of Derecq Twist and his love of Morris Dancing. Stars Charles Thomas Oldham, Greg Wise and Sir Derek Jacobi
- Genre
- Film
- Released
- 2009
- Starring
- Charles Thomas Oldham, Derek Jacobi, Greg Wise, Ian Hart, Naomie Harris, Dominique Pinon, Sophie Thompson, Richard Lumsden and others
- Writer
- Charles Thomas Oldham
- Director
- Lucy Akhurst
- Producers
- Charles Thomas Oldham and Lucy Akhurst
Morris dancing may not be the most fashionable way to throw shapes, but its century's-old traditions make it one of the most iconic folk traditions in the UK.
Morris: A Life With Bells On is a heartwarming feature length comedy film shot in documentary format. It follows the fortunes of one of the leading Morris teams in the country, Millsham Morris, and in particular its avant garde and enigmatic leader, Derecq Twist.
On the one hand Derecq is a traditionalist - when the film joins him he's preparing to perform the ultimate Morris Dance, the mystical and legendary Threepole Hammer Damson - and yet on the other, he is pioneering an innovative and daring freeform brand of dancing... Extreme Morris.
Innovation and invention doesn't sit well with the Morris establishment, and soon Derecq is thrown out of the Morris Circle - governing body of Morris dancing.
Now a beaten man, Derecq contemplates giving up Morris for good, until the producer of the documentary persuades him to go to LA and dance with the flamboyant Morris men of Orange County.
Derecq finds artistic freedom in Los Angeles, falls in love for the first time and then follows his heart to Iowa to start a new live with his beloved, Sonja.
However, life is rarely as simple as it is in the movies. Is Sonja's love enough to keep Derecq in America? Can he really face a life without Morris dancing? Or will the lack of real cider in the States finally push him over the edge?
- UK certificate
- 12
- Duration
- 100 minutes
- Release date
- 27 September, 2009
- Production company
- Soundtrack
- Most music composed by Richard Lumsden.
- Laugh track
- None
Broadcast details
- First broadcast
- Saturday 29th May 2010 on Blighty at 8pm
- Episode length
- 120 minutes
- Last repeat
- Friday 2nd November 2012 at 7:00pm on Blighty
Website links
- Official Website
The official website for Morris: A Life With Bells On. - Staves Reunited
A website for long-lost Morris men and women to find each other. - Blighty Page
A page for the show on the digital channel Blighty. - @morrismovie
- YouTube
- IMDb

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