The Portrayal of the Irish in Film….
Happy St. Patrick’s….
So many great Irish films ~and so many interpretations of ‘Irishness’ In The Name Of The Father~(I just typed ‘Mother’)~Freudian slip there…. Seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Actor in a Leading Role (Daniel Day-Lewis), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Pete Postlethwaite), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Emma Thompson), Best Director, and Best Picture.Based on the true story of the Guildford Four.
Photo Credit Cinefreaks.gr
My Left Foot~ The Story of Christy Brown is a 1989 Irish drama film directed by Jim Sheridan and starring Daniel Day-Lewis. It tells the story of Christy Brown, an Irishman born with cerebral palsy, who could control only his left foot.
Photo Credit ~wwwFilm-Studies.net
The Commitments~ a 1991 comedy-drama film directed by Alan Parker. A film adaptation of Roddy Doyle’s novel of the same name, the film tells a story of working class Dubliners’ who form a soul band. Loved this~ the music was brilliant and the ‘craic’ was good
Photo Credit wwwBuzzintown.com
The Wind That Shakes the Barley is a 2006 Irish war drama film directed by Ken Loach, set during the Irish War of Independence (1919–1922) and the Irish Civil War (1922–1923) This drama tells the fictional story of two County Cork brothers, Damien O’Donovan (Cillian Murphy) and Teddy O’Donovan (Pádraic Delaney), who join the Irish Republican Army to fight for Irish independence from the United Kingdom
Photo Credit~moviemusicuk.us
The Quiet Man is a 1952 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by John Ford. It stars John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Barry Fitzgerald, Ward Bond and Victor McLaglen. The film is notable for Winton Hoch’s lush photography of the Irish countryside and a long, climactic, semi-comic fist fight. Victor McLaglen gives a very strong performance and the on/off romance between Mary & Sean (O’Hara & Wayne) has great screen chemistry.
Photo Gif ~ kelleepratt.com
Michael Collins ~ a 1996 historical biopic starring Liam Neeson as Michael Collins, the Irish patriot and revolutionary who died in the Irish Civil War. Some very strong performances in this film and Alan Rickman as Éamon de Valera shines through.
Photo Credit ~ www.irishcentral.com
I also really enjoyed Waking Ned~ a 1998 comedy film. It stars Ian Bannen, David Kelly, and Fionnula Flanagan. Kelly was nominated for a Screen Actors’ Guild award for his role as Michael O’Sullivan. The film is set in Ireland.
Photo Credit ~ www.cinemapolis.org
Ryan’s Daughter a 1970 film directed by David Lean. Set in 1916, tells the story of a married Irish woman who has an affair with a British officer during World War I, despite opposition from her nationalist neighbours. The film is a very loose adaptation of Gustave Flaubert’s novel Madame Bovary.The film stars Robert Mitchum, Sarah Miles, John Mills, Christopher Jones, Trevor Howard and Leo McKern, with a score by Maurice Jarre. Some beautiful haunting music>>>>When I watched this it impressed as extremely powerful and John Mills performance as ‘Michael’ was just ‘breath-taking’
Photo Credit ~ en.wikipedia.org
Veronica Guerin is a 2003 Irish biographical crime film starring Cate Blanchett in the title role. The screenplay focuses on Irish journalist Veronica Guerin, whose investigation into the drug trade in Dublin led to her murder in 1996.
Photo Credit ~Google Images
A film I have n’t seen yet is Calvary ~ a 2014 Irish drama film written and directed by John Michael McDonagh. The film stars Brendan Gleeson, Chris O’Dowd, Kelly Reilly, Aidan Gillen, Dylan Moran and Isaach de Bankolé. McDonagh stated that ”there are probably films in development about priests which involve abuse. My remit is to do the opposite of what other people do, and I wanted to make a film about a good priest.” He elaborates that it is tonally “in the same darkly comedic vein as The Guard, but with a much more serious and dramatic narrative. The consensus is that ‘led by a brilliant performance from Brendan Gleeson, Calvary tackles weighty issues with humor, intelligence, and sensitivity’ ~ That’ll do me…
Photo Credit ~www.wearemoviegeeks.com
I could go on~ ‘Ah go on go on go on….Mrs Doyle (Father Ted)
”Now ~ would you like a nice cup of tea?….
I can’t leave this topic without mentioning Conor McPherson/Billy Roche’s The Eclipse~ A favourite of mine also.
This film reverberates long after the viewing. Scenes of wind and rain, long country roads, graveyard shadows, darkness and light, anguish, loss and vulnerability. Is Ireland a haunted land?
We see Farr on a journey where the viewer has to separate reality from imagination.
Has Farr’s grief pushed him to the edge?
Is what he is `seeing’ real or locked in his psyche?
A thought provoking film which makes you consider the possibilities.
Credit Collider.com
Melies D’Argent Award for Best European Film
Best Film & Best Screenplay Awards 2010 Irish Film & Television Academy Award
Best Actor Award for Ciarán Hinds (2009) Film Festival
Best Supporting Actor Award for Aidan Quinn 2010 Irish Film & Television
Academy Awards.
I thought Ciarán Hinds gave an exceptional performance….
Photo Credit Irish Film Institute
Photo Credit Red Apple Creative Twitter The Thrill Of It All.
Happy St. Patrick’s Ciarán.~ My favourite Irish Actor….
dorothylangman 