IMDb >
A Man of No Importance (1994)
Watch It
Buy it at Amazon
Rent it at blockbuster.com
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
BETA
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsA Man of No Importance (1994) More at IMDbPro »
| Photos (see all 5 | slideshow) | Videos |
Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
February 1995 (USA) moreTagline:
an extraordinary tale of an ordinary hero.Plot:
Alfie Byrne is a middle-aged bus conductor in Dublin in 1963. He would appear to live a life of quiet desperation: he's gay... more | add synopsisUser Comments:
Moving film with wonderful performances moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Albert Finney | ... | Alfred Byrne | |
| Brenda Fricker | ... | Lily Byrne | |
| Michael Gambon | ... | Ivor J. Carney | |
| Tara Fitzgerald | ... | Adele Rice | |
| Rufus Sewell | ... | Robbie Fay | |
| Patrick Malahide | ... | Inspector Carson | |
| David Kelly | ... | Christy Ward | |
| Mick Lally | ... | Father Ignatius Kenny | |
| Anna Manahan | ... | Mrs. Grace | |
| Joe Pilkington | ... | Ernie Lally | |
| Brendan Conroy | ... | Rasher Flynn | |
| Joan O'Hara | ... | Mrs. Crowe | |
| Eileen Reid | ... | Mrs. Rock | |
| Eileen Conroy | ... | Mrs. Curtin | |
| Maureen Egan | ... | Mrs. Dunne |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parentsRuntime:
Spain:98 min | UK:99 min | USA:99 minLanguage:
EnglishColor:
Color (Technicolor)Sound Mix:
Dolby DigitalFun Stuff
Quotes:
Alfie Byrne: Dancing is neither modest or immodest. It's either well-done, or badly done.Christy Ward: Is that a quote?
Alfie Byrne: Almost.
more
Soundtrack:
Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love) moreFAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for A Man of No Importance (1994)Recommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| Prick Up Your Ears | Breakfast on Pluto | The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne | Mysterious Skin | Priest |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| IMDb Comedy section | IMDb Ireland section | Add this title to MyMovies |







In once sense this comment is a response to some of the comments/reviews already posted here. Some reviewers were apparently looking for a message or statement from the film and felt disappointed. At times, I think the "message" can be secondary to the art of the actor or the filmmaker. Ironically, the main character in "A Man of No Importance" is passionate about "Art for Art's sake". Art doesn't have to have a point. Part of the art of this film is in the tapestry of colorful characters, wonderful dialog, and captivating performances. Albert Finney, Brenda Fricker, Michael Gambon, as one would expect from actors of their calibers, are completely convincing and real. Albert Finney's performance is perfectly calibrated, his character a combination of charming exuberance and subtly expressed confusion and loneliness.
It may be the director intended to put across a particular message about homosexuality, but to me it seems the real message and point to the film is the resilience of the human spirit throughout the experiences of isolation, loneliness, frustration, confusion, sadness, repression, etc. Attitudes about homosexuality in 1960s Dublin is one context in which to express this, but obviously it's a universal theme that can be played out in many settings.
The real challenge, and where this movie succeeds in spades, is in bringing humor, lightness, and real poignancy to the issue through a character one can genuinely like and relate to on so many levels. The credit for this is attributable to Albert Finney's brilliant acting in a film that is ultimately about the frailty and the endurance of one man, who could be any man.
One aside: the reviewer who liked the film but made the comment that it's unusual for Albert Finney to play a real person, must have not seen many of his films. Admittedly, he has often portrayed characters who are "bigger than life", but he can also quite effectively play ordinary people. I recommend the reviewer check out the following films: Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, Two for the Road, Charlie Bubbles, The Browning Version, Shoot the Moon, Rich in Love, The Playboys, Erin Brockovich, Gumshoe, The Run of the Country, Endless Game, Picasso Summer, and The Image.