Billy Elliot

Billy Elliot is a 2000 British coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by Stephen Daldry and written by Lee Hall. Set in County Durham in North East England during the 1984–1985 miners' strike, the film is about a working-class boy who discovers a passion for ballet. His father objects, based on negative stereotypes of male ballet dancers. The film stars Jamie Bell as 11-year-old Billy, Gary Lewis as his father, Jamie Draven as Billy's older brother, and Julie Walters as his ballet teacher.

Dialogue

Billy Elliot: Miss, what if I blown?

Sandra Wilkinson: This'll sound strange, Billy. But for sometime now, I've been thinking of the Royal Ballet School?

Billy Elliot: Aren't you a bit old, Miss?

Sandra Wilkinson: No, not me, you. I'm the bloody teacher. They hold auditions in Newcastle.

Billy Elliot: I'll never be good enough. I hardly know it.

Sandra Wilkinson: No look, they're not interested in how much ballet you know, they teach you that. That's why they're a ballet school, it's how you move and how you express yourself that's important.

Billy Elliot: Express what?

Sandra Wilkinson: I think you're good enough to go for it.

[short pause, Billy steps back into the car]

Sandra Wilkinson: It'll mean an awful lot of hard work.

Billy Elliot: But I'm banned.

Sandra Wilkinson: Maybe I should have a word with him.

Billy Elliot: [nervously] No, Miss!

Sandra Wilkinson: Well, I can teach you on your own, if you want?

Billy Elliot: I wouldn't afford it.

Sandra Wilkinson: I'm not doing it for the money, Billy.

Billy Elliot: But what about dad?

Sandra Wilkinson: He doesn't need to know.

Billy Elliot: And what about me boxing and that?

Sandra Wilkinson: Oh, for fuck sake, Billy! If you wanna piss about with your little mates, that's fine with me!

Billy Elliot: Well, all right, all right, don't lose your blob!

Sandra Wilkinson: [short pause] Blob?

[Miss Wilkinson and Billy smile]

Billy Elliot: So we can do it privately?

Sandra Wilkinson: [holds his hand] Just you and me.

Billy Elliot: [short pause] Miss, you don't fancy me, do you?

Sandra Wilkinson: No, Billy, funnily enough I don't. [laughs] Now piss off.

Billy Elliot: [short pause, smiles] Piss off yourself.