Some consider the fight for Irish independence one of the more romantic episodes of the 20th century, and many filmmakers have thought it has cinematic potential. No less a giant than David Lean used it as a backdrop for his romance, Ryan's Daughter. Innocent Rosy Ryan marries a middle-aged schoolteacher, but falls madly in love with a British officer stationed near her provincial, coastal town. Tragedy ensues. The script may be a bit creaky, but no one does dramatic vistas like Lean. The scene where the village recovers weapons from the sea for the IRA is especially stunning when you realize there was no convincing green screen in the late 1960's, when this was made.
The biopic Michael Collins takes a slightly less romantic view of the struggle for Ireland, but can still be seen as a hagiography. Collins was in charge of "bloody mayhem" against the English as leader of the IRA, and ruefully considered that to be his legacy. When the British finally agree to peace talks, Collins clashes with the politician Eamon de Valera over tactics and goals. Seeing his day is on the wane, Michael Collins decides to finally marry his long-suffering fiancé, but not before one last trip to the West Country. Liam Neeson, Alan Rickman, and Julia Roberts head up a star-studded cast.
The Wind That Shakes the Barley takes a decidedly contrary view to the two movies I have just mentioned. Yes, it sympathizes with the Irish, but it emphasizes the pointlessness of violence. Cillian Murphy plays a young doctor who joins the resistance cell headed by his older brother after a brutal encounter with the Black and Tans, the military force sent to keep the peace and root out Irish rebels. Murphy's character is in love with Sinead, a member of the shadow government. After the British make concessions, the rebels fracture, and the brothers are estranged, leading to tragedy. Director Ken Loach and his cinematographer Barry Ackroyd give David Lean a run for his money in portraying the natural beauty of Ireland, and they have a better script with which to work. Romantic in its own way, this is my personal favorite of the bunch.
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