wind that shakes the barley

[Mentalman]

True, the whole is much greater than the sum of the parts in both films. The ambush scene in TWTSTB is particularly memorable indeed, as was Ian Mc Elhinney's brief appearance in MC.

Will never forgive Jonathon Rhys Meyers for killin the Big Fella though.

[Over the Bar]

Could have been a much better film.  To much dewey-eyed sentimentalism in it and hammy acting.  Whilst the war of independence split families and sdereadful deeds occured, does anyone really believe that one brother had the other executed by firing squad having both fought together against the tans? 

[milltown row]

course they had, in Belfast during the troubles familys were split and killings happened. joyce wrote some great plays about Irelands civil war. what we did to ourselves during those times was terrible

[Main Street]

OtB  I think you might have got an allegorical hint of brother V brother in a civil war

When it comes to Irish films based on history people tend to get very fussy about details.
It doesn't matter that a character like Dan the Dub would never be seen Cork or that the Vickers sounded like a Lewis.

I'd accept some of the acting left a lot to be desired but I can't say that it made a blind bit of difference to me. Sometimes I can accept somebody just looking a bit dumbfounded with an innapropriate expression to accompany a poorly delivered dialogue.
A Ken Loach film is natural, not over exagerated but it has energy and a dynamism.

I thought it came across all the stronger with a "neutral" like Ken Loach who could pick up on the themes of the war that intrigued him. He more looks at war as seen through the eyes of the people.


The Mick Collins film assumed a level of pre knowledge and outside Ireland the intrigues made little sense. A film made with 3 times the budget, flopping historical events around a love affair of no interest. Though it was better than Clark Gable's Parnell.

[SLIGONIAN]

I thought it was powerful, alot of us are blaise about our freedom. Tough watch to be honest, a bit like the Passion its brutality seeps into your core. 2 films i wont be watching again. It just hurts a wee bit too much to be honest.

[Main Street]

Weren't the brothers taking different sides in TWTSTB supposedly loosely based on the Hales ?