The Devil's Own (1997)

A police officer uncovers the real identity of his houseguest, an IRA terrorist in hiding.

Director:

Alan J. Pakula

Writers:

Kevin Jarre (story), David Aaron Cohen (screenplay),

Stars:

Harrison Ford, Brad Pitt, Margaret Colin

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Harrison Ford	...	Tom O'Meara
Brad Pitt	...	Rory Devaney / Francis Austin McGuire
Margaret Colin	...	Sheila O'Meara
Rubén Blades	...	Edwin Diaz
Treat Williams	...	Billy Burke
George Hearn	...	Peter Fitzsimmons
Mitch Ryan	...	Chief Jim Kelly (as Mitchell Ryan)
Natascha McElhone	...	Megan Doherty
Paul Ronan	...	Sean Phelan
Simon Jones	...	Harry Sloan
Julia Stiles	...	Bridget O'Meara
Ashley Carin	...	Morgan O'Meara
Kelly Singer	...	Annie O'Meara
David O'Hara	...	Martin MacDuff
David Wilmot	...	Dessie

Storyline

A thriller about an IRA gunman who draws an American family into the crossfire of terrorism. Frankie McGuire is one of the IRA's deadliest assassins. But when he is sent to the U.S. to buy weapons, Frankie is housed with the family of Tom O'Meara, a New York cop who knows nothing about Frankie's real identity. Their surprising friendship, and Tom's growing suspicions, force Frankie to choose between the promise of peace or a lifetime of murder.

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Plot Keywords:

terrorist | murder | police | ireland | terrorism | 

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Taglines:

One man trapped by destiny, and another bound by duty. They're about to discover what they're willing to fight, and to die for.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong brutal violence, and for language

Details

Country:

USA Ireland

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 March 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Enemigo íntimo

Filming Locations:

Baruch College, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$90,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$18,063,265 (USA) (28 March 1997)

Gross:

$42,877,165 (USA) (4 July 1997)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Amongst other script problems, an renewed outbreak of violence in Northern Ireland in 1990 forced large revisions. Ironically, the film's release date in 1997 came as peace negotiations had moved forward to such an extent, that the Belfast Agreement (Good Friday Accords) were signed in April 1998.

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Goofs

In the pool game scene Frankie sinks the orange stripe ball (the thirteen ball) three times on his run to sinking the eight ball. Of course this might be the rules of this one particular bar, but that's a stretch.

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Quotes

Tom O'Meara: I understand why he's doin' what he's doin'. If I had to endure what he's endured - -if I was eight years old and saw my father gunned down in front of my family - -I'd be carryin' a gun too, and I wouldn't be wearin' a badge.

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Connections

Referenced in Wrongfully Accused (1998)

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Soundtracks

"Gonna Fly Now"
(Theme From Rocky)
Written by Bill Conti, Ayn Robbins & Carol Connors

User Reviews

Inaccurate

This film is just a second-rate thriller which uses Northern Ireland as a convenient backdrop to add colour. Unfortunately, the portrayal of Belfast and the terrorists and intelligence community is stereotypical, romanticised and hugely inaccurate. The gun battle at the beginning is just ludicrous and from then on the film becomes a showcase for nauseating Irish-American 'culture,' all blarney and dreaming of the 'oul country. The acting doesn't help as Ford sleepwalks and Pitt can't maintain the accent. It is possible to make good thrillers set in Northern Ireland which do not dodge the politics and have sensitivity, but none of them have been made by US production companies. 'Harry's Game' is by far the best example, devastatingly accurate closely followed by 'The Children of The North' and the black comedy 'Divorcing Jack' more recently. See these and give this Hollywood rubbish a miss.