Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

A Prayer for the Dying

  • 19871987
  • RR
  • 1h 47m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
5.2K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
20,129
783
Mickey Rourke, Alan Bates, and Bob Hoskins in A Prayer for the Dying (1987)
Martin, an I.R.A. hitman, is seen by a Catholic priest while carrying out a hit. He grows a bond with the priest and his niece. But his past and his former employers put all their lives in danger.
Play trailer1:53
1 Video
49 Photos
ActionCrimeDrama
Martin, an I.R.A. hitman, is seen by a Catholic priest while carrying out a hit. He grows a bond with the priest and his niece. But his past and his former employers put all their lives in d... Read allMartin, an I.R.A. hitman, is seen by a Catholic priest while carrying out a hit. He grows a bond with the priest and his niece. But his past and his former employers put all their lives in danger.Martin, an I.R.A. hitman, is seen by a Catholic priest while carrying out a hit. He grows a bond with the priest and his niece. But his past and his former employers put all their lives in danger.
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
5.2K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
20,129
783
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Mike Hodges
    • Writers
      • Jack Higgins(novel)
      • Edmund Ward(screenplay)
      • Martin Lynch(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Mickey Rourke
      • Bob Hoskins
      • Alan Bates
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Mike Hodges
    • Writers
      • Jack Higgins(novel)
      • Edmund Ward(screenplay)
      • Martin Lynch(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Mickey Rourke
      • Bob Hoskins
      • Alan Bates
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 29User reviews
    • 21Critic reviews
    • Awards
      • 1 win

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:53
    Trailer

    Photos49

    Alan Bates and Christopher Fulford in A Prayer for the Dying (1987)
    Bob Hoskins in A Prayer for the Dying (1987)
    Mickey Rourke and Sammi Davis in A Prayer for the Dying (1987)
    A Prayer for the Dying (1987)
    Mike Hodges in A Prayer for the Dying (1987)
    Mickey Rourke and Bob Hoskins in A Prayer for the Dying (1987)
    Mickey Rourke in A Prayer for the Dying (1987)
    Jack Higgins in A Prayer for the Dying (1987)
    Liam Neeson and Alison Doody in A Prayer for the Dying (1987)
    Mickey Rourke in A Prayer for the Dying (1987)
    Mickey Rourke, Alan Bates, and Bob Hoskins in A Prayer for the Dying (1987)
    A Prayer for the Dying (1987)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Mickey Rourke
    Mickey Rourke
    • Martin Fallon
    Bob Hoskins
    Bob Hoskins
    • Father Michael Da Costa
    Alan Bates
    Alan Bates
    • Jack Meehan
    Sammi Davis
    Sammi Davis
    • Anna
    Christopher Fulford
    Christopher Fulford
    • Billy Meehan
    Liam Neeson
    Liam Neeson
    • Liam Docherty
    Leonard Termo
    Leonard Termo
    • Bonati
    Camille Coduri
    Camille Coduri
    • Jenny Fox
    Maurice O'Connell
    • Superintendant Miller
    Alison Doody
    Alison Doody
    • Siobhan Donovan
    Karl Johnson
    Karl Johnson
    • Fitzgerald
    Ian Bartholomew
    • Kristou
    Peggy Aitchison
    • Mrs. Orton
    Cliff Burnett
    • Fred Varley
    Anthony Head
    Anthony Head
    • Rupert
    Mark Lambert
    • Ainsley
    David Lumsden
    • Lance
    Stanley Beard
    • Krasko
    • Director
      • Mike Hodges
    • Writers
      • Jack Higgins(novel)
      • Edmund Ward(screenplay)
      • Martin Lynch(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Homeboy
    5.8
    Homeboy
    Johnny Handsome
    6.1
    Johnny Handsome
    Year of the Dragon
    6.8
    Year of the Dragon
    Barfly
    7.1
    Barfly
    The Pope of Greenwich Village
    6.6
    The Pope of Greenwich Village
    Desperate Hours
    5.4
    Desperate Hours
    Black Rainbow
    5.9
    Black Rainbow
    White Sands
    6.0
    White Sands
    I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
    5.8
    I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
    Francesco
    6.3
    Francesco
    The Innocent
    5.7
    The Innocent
    Extreme Prejudice
    6.6
    Extreme Prejudice

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Director Mike Hodges and Mickey Rourke publicly disowned the theatrical cut of this movie.
    • Quotes

      Billy Meehan: I do what I fucking want, when I fucking want! I'm Jack Meehan's brother!

    • Crazy credits
      The end credits begin to roll up from behind the amusement park rides on the horizon.
    • Alternate versions
      There's an unknown director's cut for which Mike Hodges originally had John Scott to compose the music. However the producers decided that they didn't like it and hired Bill Conti to redo the music. Also, after watching Hodges' cut, Samuel Goldwyn recut the film for American audience who wanted an action movie. Both Hodges and Mickey Rourke publically disowned the theatrical cut.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Without Walls: Supercrips and Rejects (1996)
    • Soundtracks
      Ave Maria
      (uncredited)

      Music by Franz Schubert

    User reviews29

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    5/10
    Not one of Mickey's finest films
    Already a quarter century has passed since A Prayer for the Dying was first released, and I don't think age has been kind to either Mickey's character portrayal of an IRA bomber named Martin Fallon, nor to the films story line. I believe Mickey Rourke to be a fine actor whose body of work has been solid decade by decade. He is an actor that I look forward to seeing what he plans to do next. I just don't think this particular screen play was very realistic, so first rate actors such as Mickey Rourke, Bob Hoskins, Liam Neeson and Alison Doody who had thought they had ordered top grade steak were served ground beef instead for the screenplay.

    The movie is about Martin Fallon a cold hearted IRA bomber who hangs up his TNT after accidentally blowing up a school bus of children which was intended for another IRA target. Of course Martin Fallon is forced to come out of retirement for just one last hit which he completes for another mobster appropriately at a cemetery. Unfortunately Martin fails to see the priest Father Michael Da Costa who witnesses his assassination. The priest is played by the very versatile actor Bob Hoskins.

    Yes, there was a steady stream of IRA villains planning other hits, the London Bobby's were continually chasing after the elusive IRA bomber Martin Fallon, the Irish mob wanting their own way, and the film even had a blind damsel in distress named Anna played by Sammi Davis who Martin Fallon falls in love with.

    Even with all this potential, and actors of the highest caliber, the film lacked any depth of true characters or continuous suspense. Instead, I felt the movie just plodded on through out and left me half way through the film expecting little more to come of it other than a disappointing ending which was the case.

    I give the film a rare 5 out of 10 only on the strength of Mickey Rourke and Bob Hoskins, otherwise my rating would have been even lower.
    helpful•12
    6
    • Ed-Shullivan
    • Nov 21, 2013

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 11, 1987 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Auf den Schwingen des Todes
    • Filming locations
      • Canning Town, London, England, UK
    • Production company
      • The Samuel Goldwyn Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $6,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $1,432,687
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $881,793
      • Sep 13, 1987
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,432,687
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 47 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Mickey Rourke, Alan Bates, and Bob Hoskins in A Prayer for the Dying (1987)
    Top Gap
    By what name was A Prayer for the Dying (1987) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in August
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    Fall TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list
    View image
    Photos
    Hollywood Romances: Our Favorite Couples
    See the gallery
    Back to top

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more access
    Sign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.