The Magdalene Sisters (2002)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Peter Mullan

Writer:

Peter Mullan (written by)

Release Date:

25 October 2002 (Ireland)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

In a place that defied belief their only hope was each other.

Plot:

Three young Irish women struggle to maintain their spirits while they endure dehumanizing abuse as inmates of a Magdalene Sisters Asylum.

Plot Keywords:

Punishment | Laundry | Nun | Escape | Forced Sexual Contact

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 13 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Geraldine McEwan	...	Sister Bridget
Anne-Marie Duff	...	Margaret
Nora-Jane Noone	...	Bernadette
Dorothy Duffy	...	Rose / Patricia
Eileen Walsh	...	Crispina
Mary Murray	...	Una
Britta Smith	...	Katy
Frances Healy	...	Sister Jude
Eithne McGuinness	...	Sister Clementine
Phyllis MacMahon	...	Sister Augusta (as Phyllis McMahon)
Rebecca Walsh	...	Josephine
Eamonn Owens	...	Eamonn
Chris Simpson	...	Brendan
Sean Colgan	...	Seamus
Daniel Costello	...	Father Fitzroy

Also Known As:

The Magdalene Sisters (UK)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence/cruelty, nudity, sexual content and language.

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

UK | Ireland

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Portugal:M/16 | Finland:K-15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | Iceland:12 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:11 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:15 (original rating) | Ireland:18 (video rating) | Japan:R-15 | Mexico:B15 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:11 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Spain:13 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland, UK

Company:

Scottish Screen

Trivia:

Crispina shouts the phrase, "You're not a man of God!" 27 times.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The guitar the man plays at the beginning of the film is a Taylor acoustic guitar. Taylor Guitars was not established until 1974.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Margaret: Well, what is it you're wanting to show me? Come on, Kevin, what's the secret?

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 2004 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

don't hate Catholics

Though this film is horrific, and portrays Catholics to be cruel and sadistic, I would just like to say , please don't think all Catholics are like that. I am Catholic, and proud to be one, yet I still believe everything that happened in this film was wrong.

This film is of tremendous quality and I recommend it to everyone, even those who may be disgusted by what they see. It is the kind of film that goes straight to the heart, and yes it made me ashamed to be a Catholic for a period of time, I hope that anyone who sees this film will not despise the Catholic Church. Each character, each scene was done so realistically, it will make all who see it fill with empathy for those girls, I even think that the nuns who ran these asylums would be shocked at what they actually did, if they were living in these times. It reminds me, in a way of the film Schindlers List, the way the nuns inspected the girls bodies and laughed about them, both the Holocaust and these asylums were apparently doing what was right yet causing great pain and suffering at the same time. Watch this film, it is definitely worth it.