Morrissey enters not with a swagger, but with a series of idiosyncratic, erratic dances. He spins, drops to his knees, and uses his hearing aid (worn as a fashion statement/tribute) as a prop.
The camera focuses on Marr’s intricate, jangling guitar riff—a sound that would define British guitar music for a generation.
The video ends as abruptly as the song’s bright final chord, leaving the viewer with an image of a band that was literate, sensitive, and visually unmistakable. the_smiths_this_charming_man_official_music_video
Filmed in for the music program The Tube , the video is set in a stark, brightly lit studio that feels like a cross between a high-fashion photoshoot and a minimalist stage. The visual identity is defined by its simplicity: a white backdrop, sharp shadows, and a sense of breezy, effortless cool that contrasted sharply with the heavy makeup and synthesized theatrics of the New Romantic era. The Main Characters
The official music video for by The Smiths is a definitive piece of 1980s indie iconography. Rather than a linear narrative, the "story" of the video is one of aesthetics, subverting rock masculinity, and the arrival of a new kind of guitar hero. The Setting and Atmosphere Morrissey enters not with a swagger, but with
The central figure of the story. Eschewing the leather and lace of his peers, Morrissey appears in a simple blouse and oversized spectacles. He famously carries a bunch of gladioli , which he brandishes like a weapon or a rhythmic partner, eventually tossing them into the air in a celebrated act of "floral defiance."
The climax of the "story" is the visual of the gladioli. As the song reaches its peak, the flowers are whipped around and discarded, symbolizing a "charming" vulnerability and a rejection of traditional macho rock tropes. The video ends as abruptly as the song’s
The rhythm section provides the steady, driving pulse that keeps the shimmering guitar lines from floating away, maintaining a cool, understated presence in the background. The Visual Narrative