John Clare: "I Am"

A film biography by David Jones with Freddie Jones as John Clare "I am - yet what I am, none cares or knows" (John Clare) John Clare (1792-1864), farm labourer, had three obsessions: his youthful love for Mary Joyce, the countryside of his native Northamptonshire, and the need to celebrate both in his poetry. Clare cracked under the increasing strain of poverty and neglect, and spent the last 23 years of his life in Northampton General Lunatic Asylum. He imagined himself to be Lord Byron, a bigamist, and a prize-fighter; but the poems of his madness are perhaps the most remarkable he ever wrote. "Clare's asylum foretells our need for an asylum, his deprivation foretells our deprivation" (Geoffrey Grigson) Commentary spoken by Tony Church (from BBC Midlands) (David Jones and Patrick Stewart are members of the Royal Shakespeare Company; Tony Church appears by permission of the Northcott Theatre, Exeter)

Freddie Jones

John Clare

Gerald Lawson

Parker, Clare's Father

Elizabeth Croft

Anne, Clare's Mother

Martin Howells

Young Clare

Sharon Gurney

Mary Joyce

Jenny Heslewood

Patty Clare

Jonathan Dennis

Marquis of Exeter

Brian Tully

Taylor, Clare's Publisher

Patrick Stewart

Cyrus Redding

Patrick Godfrey

WF Knight

Stanley Lebor

Shylock

Mary Griffiths

Schoolteacher

Betty Turner

Granny Bains

Alan Stuart

Mr Drury

Philip Garston-Jones

Mr Newcombe

John Hart Dyke

Dr Allen

• David JonesDirector

Release date

February 8, 1970

Status

Released

Original language

English