Hear My Song (1991)

Director:

Peter Chelsom

Writers:

Peter Chelsom (screenplay)
Peter Chelsom (story)

Release Date:

February 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Music

Tagline:

There's definitely magic in the air

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Water Well | Telephone Booth | Pieces | Black Eye | Expatriate

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Brian Flanagan	...	Young Micky O'Neill
Constance Cowley	...	Nurse
Marie Mullen	...	Micky's Mum
Phil Kelly	...	Ronnie Lavelle
Jean Blanchflower	...	Ronnie's Mum
Adrian Dunbar	...	Micky O'Neill
Tara Fitzgerald	...	Nancy Doyle
John Dair	...	Derek
Stephen Marcus	...	Gordon
John Neville Rufus Altman	...	Oscar Harrison
Joe Cuddy	...	Franc Cinatra
Britta Smith	...	Kitty Ryan
Gladys Sheehan	...	Grandma Ryan
Gina Moxley	...	Brenda Ryan
Rúaidhrí Conroy	...	Grandson Ryan

Runtime:

Canada:113 min | Ireland:113 min | Spain:105 min | USA:104 min | Argentina:113 min

Country:

Ireland | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color (Metrocolor)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Iceland:L | Australia:M | Germany:6 | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, Ireland

Company:

British Screen Productions

Trivia:

Josef Locke was a real Irish tenor who enjoyed great success after the Second World War, to the extent that, in 1948, he was earning approximately £2,000 a week. Then in the 1950s the taxman became interested in his earnings and Locke subsequently disappeared. Around about the same time, a new singer of similar build and vocal style called Mr X started appearing in clubs and everyone started to believe that this was in fact Locke under a new guise. Among those who were particularly convinced were the legions of women whom Locke had reputedly slept with, as the man had an enviable reputation as a ladykiller.

Quotes:

Micky O'Neill: Think of the publicity your comeback would have. And the women, the women! There won't be a dry seat in the house.

Chelsom's Song

I don't think Peter Chelsom's appreciation will grow much today, with audiences and critics more inclined to pyrotechnics, flamboyant styles and cynic approach to mankind's troubles. Chelsom is a skilled filmmaker, but for today's tastes his cinema seems too close to the audience's soft hearts, and that is probably his less attractive trait. I like a few of his movies: "The Mighty", "Serendipity" as predictable as it is, and my favorites "Funny Bones" and "Hear My Song" which he also wrote. Both deal with a search and possess a frenetic and funny approach to human foibles, and in this case an enthusiastic leading character, as played by Adrian Dunbar who also co-wrote. He is a nightclub administrator who keeps cheating on his patrons, bringing mediocre artists to perform. When he brings a fake tenor who humiliates his future mother-in-law (Shirley-Ann Field, who had an affair with the real tenor), he embarks on the almost impossible: finding the real singer, who cannot step on Irish soil due to tax evasion. Ned Beatty gives the performance of his life (and that's a lot to say) as the singer, leading the story to a moving conclusion.