The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)

A sympathetic look at Republicans in early 20th century Ireland, and two brothers who are torn apart by anti-Brit rebellion.

Director:

Ken Loach

Writer:

Paul Laverty

Stars:

Cillian Murphy, Padraic Delaney, Liam Cunningham

5 wins & 21 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Cillian Murphy	...	Damien O'Donovan
Padraic Delaney	...	Teddy O'Sullivan (as Pádraic Delaney)
Liam Cunningham	...	Dan
Orla Fitzgerald	...	Sinead
Mary O'Riordan	...	Peggy (as Mary Riordan)
Mary Murphy	...	Bernadette
Laurence Barry	...	Micheail
Damien Kearney	...	Finbar
Frank Bourke	...	Leo
Myles Horgan	...	Rory
Martin Lucey	...	Congo
Aidan O'Hare	...	Steady Boy
Shane Casey	...	Kevin
John Crean	...	Chris
Máirtín de Cógáin	...	Sean (as Mairtin de Cogain)

Storyline

In 1920, rural Ireland is the permanent battlefield of republican rebels against the British troops and their well-paid, local collaborator militia, a recipe for mutual cruelty. Medical graduate Damien O'Donovan always gave priority to his socialist ideals and simply helping people in need. Just when he's leaving Ireland to work in a highly reputed London hospital, witnessing gross abuse of commoners changes his mind. he returns and joins the local IRA brigade, commanded by his brother Teddy, and adopts the merciless logic of civil war, while Teddy mellows by experiencing first-hand endless suffering. When IRA leaders negotiate an autonomous Free State under the British crown, Teddy defends the pragmatic best possible deal at this stage. Damien however joins the large seceding faction which holds nothing less then a socialist republic will do. The result is another civil war, bloodily opposing former Irish comrades in arms, even the brothers.

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Plot Keywords:

ireland | independence | freedom fighter | resistance | treaty | 

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Taglines:

Winner of the PALME D'OR at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.

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Genres:

Drama | History | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Bim Distribuzione [Italy]

Country:

Ireland UK Germany Italy Spain France Belgium Switzerland

Language:

English Irish Latin

Release Date:

23 June 2006 (Ireland)

Also Known As:

El viento que acaricia el prado

Filming Locations:

Ballyvorney, County Cork, Ireland

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$76,190 (USA) (16 March 2007)

Gross:

$1,829,142 (USA) (6 July 2007)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sixteen Films, Matador Pictures, Regent Capital

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the cinema scene, the man at the piano is Neil Brand, one of Britain's leading silent cinema accompanists, who in 2006 featured significantly as a composer and accompanist in the BBC television series "Paul Merton's Silent Clowns".

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Goofs

As the Black and Tans drive through the village, they pass a blue house with modern PVC windows.

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Quotes

Finbar: [the IRA have just gunned down several Black and Tans] Mercenaries! That were paid to come over here to make us crawl, and to wipe us out. We've just sent a message to the British cabinet that will echo and reverbarate around the world! If they bring their savagery over here, we will meet it with a savagery of our own!

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Episode dated 17 March 2007 (2007)

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Soundtracks

"Amhráin Na bhFiann"
Traditional
Words by Peader Kearney & Patrick Heeney

User Reviews

Sad tale

An exciting piece of Ken Loach drama based on events that sparked the Irish war of independence. Despite being labelled 'anti-British' by critics born 60 years after these events took place, the incidents depicted in this film have in fact all been documented by the British government and are a matter of historical fact. Events such as the treatment of the local population at the brutal hands of the infamous convict drafted Black and tans force have all been recorded assiduously by both sides in the conflict. And the civil war that followed a decision to allow the mostly protestant north to be a part of the new British welfare state. A clash of ideals, deftly handled by Loach, it's a real pity that so many will have their minds made up before they've even seen the film.