Synopsis for
Ryan's Daughter (1970/I) More at IMDbPro »

The film takes place in the isolated village of Killary on the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland during World War I. The villagers are nationalist and exclusionary, taunting Michael (John Mills) (the village idiot) and British soldiers from a nearby army base. They are resentful of Rosy Ryan (Sarah Miles), the spoilt daughter of the local publican Tom Ryan (Leo McKern), who himself is an informer for the British hoping to keep the peace in the village. In public, Ryan pretends to be a staunch nationalist; in an early scene, he strongly supports the recently suppressed Easter Rising, referring to the rebels as "our boys".

Rosy is bored with her humdrum life and fantasizes about the outside world much to the chagrin of the local priest, Father Hugh Collins (Trevor Howard), an old, sharp-witted and highly influential person who knows all that goes on in the village. Rosy falls in love with the local schoolmaster, Charles Shaughnessy (Robert Mitchum), who has come back from a trip to Dublin. She imagines that Shaughnessy will be able to add excitement to her life, though he tries to convince her otherwise. The two ultimately marry, but Rosy quickly becomes discontented with her marriage, though she doesn't understand why.

Major Randolph Doryan (Christopher Jones) arrives to take command of the local army base. A veteran of World War I, he has been awarded a Victoria Cross, but has a crippled leg and suffers from shell shock. Rosy is instantly attracted to him. When Michael absent-mindedly bangs his leg on the pub bench, it causes Doryan to have a flashback to the trenches and collapse. When he recovers, he is comforted by Rosy. The two passionately kiss until they are interrupted by the arrival of Ryan and the townspeople. The next day, the two meet in the forest for a lengthy liaison.

Charles becomes suspicious of Rosy, but keeps his thoughts to himself. While on a trip to the beach with his students, he finds Rosy and Doryan's footprints in the sand and tracks them to a cave; later he finds a conch shell in Rosy's dresser, but refuses to confront her about it. However, Michael has also seen the two lovers, and having improvised a British officer's uniform, he tips off the townspeople about the affair. The townspeople turn on Rosy, deriding her as a "British officer's whore".

One night, in the midst of a fierce storm, IRB leader Tim O'Leary (Barry Foster) who had killed a police constable earlier and a small band of comrades arrive in Ryan's pub and strong-arm Ryan into helping them recover a shipment of German arms from the storm. When they leave, Ryan tips off the British.

Soon the entire town arrives at the beach to help. However, O'Leary and his followers are stopped by Major Doryan and his men on the road and arrested. O'Leary is shot and wounded by Doryan while attempting to escape.

Charles tells Rosy that he is aware of her infidelity but hopes Rosy and Doryan will "burn it out". That night, Charles watches Rosy return to Doryan. The next morning, Charles wanders off along the beach in his nightclothes until he is found by Father Collins. Though Rosy declares the affair over, Charles decides to leave her. Then, however, a mob accuses Rosy of having informed the British of the arms shipment and strip her and shear off her hair. Father Collins stops them. Ryan, deeply ashamed, is unable to confess and save his daughter from the punishment which is due to him.

Meanwhile, Doryan walks along the beach and comes across Michael. Michael leads him to a cache of arms including dynamite that was not recovered. After Michael runs off, Doryan commits suicide by detonating the explosives.

The next day, Rosy and Charles leave for Dublin, enduring the taunts of the villagers as they go. As Charles gets on the small bus, Father Collins advises him that he doubts that Charles should end the marriage.