Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
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Helena Carroll | ... | Aunt Kate |
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Cathleen Delany | ... | Aunt Julia |
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Rachael Dowling | ... | Lily |
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Kate O'Toole | ... | Miss Furlong (as Katherine O'Toole) |
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Bairbre Dowling | ... | Miss Higgins |
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Maria Hayden | ... | Miss O'Callaghan |
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Cormac O'Herlihy | ... | Mr. Kerrigan |
Colm Meaney | ... | Mr. Bergin | |
Ingrid Craigie | ... | Mary Jane | |
Dan O'Herlihy | ... | Mr. Brown | |
Anjelica Huston | ... | Gretta | |
Donal McCann | ... | Gabriel | |
Sean McClory | ... | Mr. Grace (as Seán McClory) | |
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Frank Patterson | ... | Bartell D'Arcy |
Marie Kean | ... | Mrs. Malins |
On the lightly snowy evening of January 6, 1904 in Dublin, elderly spinster sisters Kate and Julia and their niece, Mary Jane - all music teachers or performers, past or present - are hosting their annual Epiphany party and dinner, and, with the exception of Mary Jane's new crop of students and the young gentlemen tasked with keeping them company, most of the guests have attended in previous years. Kate and Julia's nephew Gabriel and his wife Gretta hold integral roles for the evening, Gabriel, who, in addition to being Freddy Malins caregiver if he gets too drunk as is often the case, is to carve the dinner goose and provide the evening's main toast, while Gretta is to present the pudding. With the added unexpected excitement provided by Irish nationalist Molly Ivors for Gabriel, the party basically goes according to script. As most of the guests have departed and just before Gabriel and Gretta are to do the same - this year they staying in a downtown hotel instead of making the long... Written by Huggo
This is my favourite movie of all time. And I always think of it as John Huston's requiem.
I must have seen it at least 20 times and never tire of it. The mood, the script, the singing, the dinner, it is like being invited into someone's home and observing the events and not able to participate even though you want to... It is a rare treasure, this movie and I cannot write enough praise for it.
It is cast incredibly well, with quite a few Abbey Theatre faces and also the wonderful tenor voice of Frank Patterson. Lady Gregory's poem recited in the movie is one of the most moving ever written. Anjelica's scene walking down the stairs as she listens to the song is one of the best performances every seen on film. I cry every time I see it..for all the right reasons.
We have all had love lost at an early age and weep for our young hopeful selves.
Donal McCann acted in far too few movies for my liking, he just loved stage work and stuck to it, and it is our loss that we do not have more of his performances on film as he does so much with this delicate role by expression and the portrayal of a deep love for his wife that will never be reciprocated and he conveys such inner sadness at knowing this.
If you want your movies action and plot packed avoid this, there really is no beginning, middle or end just a lens onto the characters at a dinner party in Dublin 80 years ago and all the little nuances and shadings of the personalities portrayed so beautifully.
Bravo to all who were involved in this production. 10 out of 10.