I've been meaning to post a short review of Ken Loach's movie 'The Wind That Shakes the Barley,' playing now at The Rialto.This is not that review. It is simply to suggest that if you are considering seeing it, then my recommendation would be to see Neil Jordan's 'Michael Collins' first (or instead) -- Jordan's film of the great Irish leader deals with similar times and similar themes, but is everything Loach's film isn't (including politically) -- and to brush up on your Irish history so you know what the hell is going on.
Rather than allowing you sufficient context to work out what is going on, Loach, as he so often does, prefers to let you try and abstract from his smaller-than-life characters to the drama going on around them, and for mine that just doesn't work successfully. Jordan's film does the opposite, and is a much better introduction to the times (and, incidentally, a much better film).
In the meantime, and to help keep you informed, I'll try and dig out a review of the 'Michael Collins' film I wrote at the time it came out.
LINKS: 'The Wind That Shakes the Barley' - Wikipedia
'Michael Collins' [film] - Wikipedia
RELATED: Films, History-Twentieth Century
6 comments:
Michael Collins is indeed an excellent movie, which is why I own a copy on DVD.
There was one part of it that sticks in my craw. Stephen Rea's character is probably a composite of several real people, but he is given the name of a real DMP copper called Eamon Broy.
That would be well and good if the film's Broy didn't die at the hands of the British. You see the real Eamon Broy survived and headed the Garda Síochána from 1933-'38!
I've got a more basic problem with the film: I agree with John Ford, when he said, "If you want to send a message go to Western Union, don't make movies." Anyone familiar with ken Loach's films would be aware that he's very much a man of the left. So are any number of film-makers I respect, such as John Sayles, Stephen Frears and Mike Leigh. But like Sayles, Frears and Leigh, his work suffers when he's more interested in pushing a political thesis, that create characters and narrative you can emotionally enagage with. On balance, I think Michael Collins achieves that whether you agree with the political element or not.
Agreed, PC, although I thought Barley was beautifully shot. Only problem I had with MC was that Alan Rickman's portrayal of De Valera was a tad wooden at the time.
Incidentally, did you see Cillian Murphy in Neil Jordan's recent "Breakfast at Pluto's"? What a talent.
Sus:
Couldn't agree with you more about Cillian Murphy - never heard of him, then he seems to be all over the place doing interesting work in arthouse flims like Pluto as well as 'commercial' flicks such as Red Eye and Batman Begins. Chewitel Etjiofor is in much the same place - Kinky Boots, Serenity, Inside Man and The Children of Men aren't all good films, but he's an impressive actor who's never less than watchable.
It is nice to see that talent wins out now and then, isn't it? :)
Robert: Your point shows why one shouldn't learn history from movies. Jordan's film was dramatically correct, but not historically so.
Craig, you say: "like Sayles, Frears and Leigh, his work suffers when he's more interested in pushing a political thesis, than create characters and narrative you can emotionally engage with." That's it exactly.
Sus: "...I thought Barley was beautifully shot." Oh yes, it sure was. Beautiful. If only it had an editor, some actors and a screenplay.
"Only problem I had with MC was that Alan Rickman's portrayal of De Valera was a tad wooden at the time." I thought that was, to a degree, intentional, in that Jordan wanted de Valera to be somewhat unsympathetic?
"...did you see Cillian Murphy in Neil Jordan's recent "Breakfast at Pluto's"? No, I didn't. I'll keep an eye out for that.
Craig: I couldn't take my eyes off Chewitel in KB - and it wasn't just because he's way too gorgeous! He just fills up every frame.
PC: yeah I think that was the plan re Dev, but it was really plodding with no let-up, ie you could have set a metronome to him.
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