With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, Webb Weekly herewith presents — in chronological order — a toast to films featuring the Emerald Isle:
“The Quiet Man” (1952): Legendary director John Ford made 14 movies starring John Wayne; most were Westerns — but not this Technicolor feast about an Irish-American who returns to his homeland and falls for a fiery female played by Maureen O’Hara. Though the two marry quickly, their rocky relationship is complicated by her pride and his stubborn refusal to fight for her inheritance.
“My Left Foot” (1989): Attention trivia buffs: How many men have won more than two Oscars for Best Actor? The answer: Only one — and his name is Daniel-Day Lewis. While DDL was later honored for “There Will Be Blood” and “Lincoln,” he nabbed his first statue playing real-life Irishman Christy Brown, who was born with cerebral palsy and had no control of his limbs except for the titular appendage. In spite of this affliction — along with an impoverished upbringing and an oppressive father — Brown went on to become a successful artist and writer; the film is based on his autobiography.
“The War of the Buttons” (1994): Charming, heartfelt comedy about rival gangs of Irish schoolboys from the adjoining and winsomely named towns of Carrickdowse and Ballydowse. The cast of unknowns battles it out in skirmishes, both comic and painful — and yes, the winner of each brawl goes off with a haul of buttons torn from the losers’ clothing. Scripted by Colin Welland, who won an Oscar for 1982’s “Chariots of Fire.” For years this gem was nearly impossible to find, but it is now available at Amazon and YouTube. The original novel has been filmed no less than five times; look for this 1994 version.
“Brooklyn” (2015): The talented and ubiquitous Saoirse Ronan stars as an Irish lass who immigrates to 1950s Brooklyn and strikes up an unlikely romance with an Italian-American. Torn between heart and heritage, Eilis travels back to Ireland for some homeland wooing from an old family friend (the talented and ubiquitous Domnhall Gleeson) before figuring out where she wants to settle. Oscar-nominated for Picture, Screenplay, and Actress.
“Sing Street” (2016): This irresistible coming-of-age tale from director John Carney (“Once,” “Begin Again”) is named for an Irish boy-band cobbled together by protagonist Conor Lalor to impress an older girl. Despite its inauspicious inception, Sing Street soon starts churning out one sensational tune after another, not only winning the girl but also forging unlikely alliances across the treacherous social milieu of 1980s adolescence. Newcomer Ferdia Walsh-Peelo gets excellent support from Lucy Boynton (“Bohemian Rhapsody”) and a scene-stealing Jack Reynor as Conor’s older brother.
“Belfast” (2021): Having watched “Belfast” just so I could write this piece, I loved it so much I nearly scrapped the entire project just to pen a glowing review of this sensational seven-time Oscar nominee from writer-director Kenneth Branagh. Filmed in gorgeous black-and-white (and really deserving an eighth Oscar nod for cinematography), this is Sir Ken’s tender tribute to his childhood in Ireland during “the Troubles” of the late 1960s. Beautifully acted all around, “Belfast” has something for everyone: comedy, action, history, nostalgia, coming-of-age, hopeful message, romance young and old — plus a knock-out soundtrack of songs and sax solos by the legendary Van Morrison. Like so many other titles on this list, “Belfast” is a testament to the power of Irish heritage, even for those who emigrated elsewhere. As one character puts it, “The Irish were born to leave; otherwise, the rest of the world would have no pubs.”
I’ll drink to that.
