Movie-A-Day #139: Quadrophenia (1979).

Happy 66th birthday to The Who’s guitarist and songwriter, Pete Townshend. “Tommy” is usually hailed as his masterpiece, although I’ve always been more partial to the band’s album – and later film – “Quadrophenia.” Set in the Mods vs. Rockers clashes of the early 1960s where the band got its start, the rock opera tells the story of a boy with a four-way personality split – one for each member of the band – who is trying to find his way out of a bleak working class existence. Storywise, it’s kind of thin, like Townshend’s other plots. But the music features The Who at its best. Plus, the cast includes Sting, Ray Winstone and a host of other great British character actors.