The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)

Against the backdrop of the Irish War of Independence, two brothers fight a guerrilla war against British forces.

Director:

Ken Loach

Writer:

Paul Laverty

Stars:

Cillian Murphy, Padraic Delaney, Liam Cunningham

6 wins & 23 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Cillian Murphy	...	Damien O'Donovan
Padraic Delaney	...	Teddy (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 vicious battlefield of republican rebels against the British security forces and Irish Unionist population who oppose them, 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 than 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:

civil war | independence | rural ireland | hatred | colonialism | 

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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 March 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

El viento que acaricia el prado

Filming Locations:

Ballyvorney, County Cork, Ireland

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

£390,720 (UK) (23 June 2006)

Gross:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sixteen Films, Matador Pictures, Regent Capital

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The title was taken from the poem The Wind that Shakes the Barley by 19th century poet Robert Dwyer Joyce: "But blood for blood without remorse // I've taken at Oulart Hollow // And laid my true love's clay-cold corpse // Where I full soon may follow //As 'round her grave I wander drear // Noon, night and morning early // With breaking heart when e'er I hear // The wind that shakes the barley". The poem is about a young man who joins the 1798 rebellion after his true love is killed.

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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

Damien: [loading revolver] I studied anatomy for five years, Dan. And now i'm going to shoot this man in the head. I've known Chris Reilly since he was a child. I hope this Ireland we're fighting for is worth it.

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Connections

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

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Soundtracks

The Wind That Shakes the Barley
Traditional
Words by Robert Dwyer-Joyce (as Robert Dwyer Joyce)

User Reviews

Great film

This is a truly great film and well deserving of the Palm D'Or.

It has been said that it is pro IRA or IRA propaganda. I disagree. In fact I think the reverse is the case. It shows up both the brutality of war and the even greater brutality of civil war that sets nation against nation and brother against brother. The film provides an understanding of how Ireland became independent in 1920-1921. It is well documented (e.g. visit the BBC or CAIN websites) that the Black and Tans were a brutal and oppressive irregular force sent to put down the rebellion. The IRA reacted with similar brutality. The film records both with equally graphic scenes. But that is only the first half of the film. The second half deals with the civil war. That's even more tragic and brutal.

Who was on the right side or the wrong side? The film presents the arguments but I really don't think the film takes sides. More of the anti British and anti treaty argument is advanced. But this is understandable because it is historically accurate that West Cost was ferociously anti British and mainly anti treaty. That's why Michael Collins was destined to die there. And it is more important to understand why people/nations go to war or civil war rather than why they don't.

Understanding the reasons does not mean support for war. The film highlights the futility and awfulness of war. Misery destruction and death. Is there such a thing as a just war (apart from 2nd World war)? Aside from the historical debate, the story, filming and acting is magnificent. Much better than the Green Berets on the just war by USA in Vietnam! Blackhawk Down brilliantly covered Somalia from the external US perspective. This film brilliantly covers the 1920/21 wars from the Irish perspective. We need all perspectives.

Well worth seeing with an open mind. Then read the history if you want.