No Surrender 1985

On New Year’s Eve in Liverpool, Michael becomes the new manager of the Charleston Club, a rundown function hall perched on an industrial waste ground that, to his shock, is controlled by an organized crime syndicate. The previous manager, MacArthur, Tony Rohr, in a spiteful gesture, has rented the venue out to two groups of senior citizens for the night: one group is hardline Catholic and the other hardline Protestant. The entertainment line-up is a curious mix: a magician with stage fright, a gay comedian Pete Price and his boyfriend, a talentless punk band, and a fancy dress competition with a prize that doesn’t exist.

Two parties arrive and are joined by another group of senior citizens who are suffering from senile dementia. After discovering MacArthur being tortured in a back room by the hall’s owners, Michael, along with bouncer Bernard and kitchen porter Cheryl, tries to keep things orderly amid the looming threat of violence.

As the night unfolds, things begin to deteriorate: the comedian’s routine falls flat, the magician withdraws after the death of his rabbit, and the band’s weak performance prompts missiles to rain down on the stage as the musicians clash with one another. The tension escalates further when former Loyalist boxer Billy McRacken, Ray McAnally, ends up in a violent confrontation with on-the-run terrorist Norman Donohue in a toilet cubicle, following Norman’s inflammatory remarks about McRacken’s daughter “marrying out.” In the midst of the chaos, an Orange Order marching band starts playing sectarian tunes, sparking a mass brawl in the toilets and the discovery of Norman’s body. Throughout, Michael and Cheryl take to the stage to sing together the poignant moment of the night, while Bernard calls the police to help defuse the situation.

The crisis cools down as the clock nears midnight, and the groups disperse without further violence. Michael and Cheryl share a kiss, stepping away from the stage to return to Cheryl’s home. The film closes with McRacken calling his daughter and asking to speak to his son-in-law, before wishing him a happy New Year.