The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)

Director:

Ken Loach

Writer:

Paul Laverty (writer)

Release Date:

23 June 2006 (Ireland)

Genre:

Drama | History | War

Tagline:

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

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Ireland | Truce | Civil War | Independence | Resistance

Awards:

5 wins & 19 nominations

Cast

Cillian Murphy	...	Damien
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)

Also Known As:

El viento que agita la cebada (Spain)
Il vento che accarezza l'erba (Italy)
Le vent se lève (France)

Runtime:

UK:127 min

Country:

Ireland | UK | Germany | Italy | Spain | France

Language:

English | Irish Gaelic

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | Ireland:15A | Netherlands:16 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Australia:M | Sweden:15 | Germany:12 | USA:Not Rated | Singapore:NC-16 | Chile:14 | France:U (with warning) | South Korea:15 | Portugal:M/16 (Qualidade)

Filming Locations:

Ballyvorney, County Cork, Ireland

Company:

BIM Distribuzione

Trivia:

In the cinema scene, the man at the piano is really playing it. He's 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".

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: Two machine guns appear in the film, a Vickers and a Lewis. The sounds they make when firing are reversed; the Vickers sounds like a Lewis and vice versa.

Quotes:

Damien: Micheail was killed because he wouldn't say his name in English. That what you call a martyr, is it Teddy?

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2007-03-17)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

The Wind That Shakes the Barley

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.