In the Name of the Father (1993)

A man's coerced confession to an IRA bombing he did not commit results in the imprisonment of his father as well. An English lawyer fights to free them.

Director:

Jim Sheridan

Writers:

Gerry Conlon (autobiographical book "Proved Innocent"), Terry George (screenplay)

Stars:

Daniel Day-Lewis, Pete Postlethwaite, Alison Crosbie

Top Rated Movies #188 | Nominated for 7 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 34 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alison Crosbie	...	Girl in Pub
Daniel Day-Lewis	...	Gerry Conlon
Philip King	...	Guildford Soldier
Emma Thompson	...	Gareth Peirce
Nye Heron	...	IRA Man 1
Anthony Brophy	...	Danny
Frankie McCafferty	...	Tommo
Paul Warriner	...	Soldier
Julian Walsh	...	Soldier
Stuart Wolfenden	...	Soldier (as Stuart Wolvenden)
Jo Connor	...	Bin Lady
Karen Carlisle	...	Female Rioter
Seamus Moran	...	IRA Man 2
Billy Byrne	...	IRA Man 3
Maureen McBride	...	Mother

Storyline

Young Belfastian Gerry Conlon admits that he was in London at the time of the incident. He also admits that he is not a model citizen, having committed a petty robbery while in London. He does however profess his innocence when it comes to the bombing of the Guildford Pub in London in 1974, the event which killed several people inside. A self-professed non-political person, he and his three co-accused, dubbed the Guildford Four, are thought to be provisional members of the IRA. Their self-professed innocence is despite each having signed a statement of guilt which they claim were signed under duress. Their case includes having provable alibis for the time frame of the bombing. And eventually, Joe McAndrew, a known IRA member, admits to the bombing. Dubbed the Maguire Seven, seven others, primarily members of Gerry's extended family including his father Giuseppe, are accused of being accessories to the bombing. Following on the work initiated by Giuseppe, Gerry works on a campaign to ...

---

Plot Keywords:

prison | father son relationship | based on true story | anti irish bias | psychological manipulation | 

---

Taglines:

Falsely accused. Wrongly imprisoned. He fought for justice to clear his father's name.

---

Genres:

Biography | Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and politically-geneRated violence

Details

Country:

Ireland UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 February 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

In the Name of the Father

Filming Locations:

Upper Thames Street, City of London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$13,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$25,010,410

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$40,700,000, 31 December 1994

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hell's Kitchen Films, Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

133 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo DTS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Despite playing father and son, Pete Postlethwaite was only 11 years older than Daniel Day-Lewis.

---

Goofs

At the end, Gerry's shirt is one color when he walks out of the courtroom and a different color when he talks to reporters outside.

---

Quotes

Giuseppe Conlon: I want you have some respect.
Gerry Conlon: Respect for who?
Giuseppe Conlon: For yourself.

---

Connections

Featured in 1994 MTV Video Music Awards (1994)

---

Soundtracks

Whiskey in the Jar
Performed by Thin Lizzy
Composer/Writer Phil Lynott (as Lynott) / Eric Bell (as Bell) / Brian Downey (as Downey)
Publisher Polygram Music Publishing Ltd.
(P) 1972 Decca Record Co. Ltd.
Courtesy of Polygram Record Operations Ltd.

User Reviews

Powerful and Touching

Name of the Father came out one year before The Shawshank Redemption and is bar none the better film. Shawshank is a great film but Name of the Father has more of human story to it. Daniel Day Lewis is a great actor with more potential now than he did when he won his first Oscar for My Left Foot and since then he has never starred in a film which he has acted badly in. Some of the stories have not been amazing but his acting makes up for it. This was the second time That Daniel Day Lewis and Jim Sheridan have come together to make a film. In all they have done three but Name of the father is by far the best. Pete Postlethwaite is another example of fine acting as he is the best actor in England since who ever was the last greatest actor.

Daniel Day Lewis plays Gerry Conlon who is a seventies hippie who doesn't want to grow up. He has had so many troubles at home his father

Giuseppe played by Postlethwaite decides to pack him off to London for his own safety and not become a lost soul amongst the troubles in Belfast. But when Gerry gets there he might as well wish he never went there in the first place as the trouble from Belfast follows him and before you know it a bomb goes off in a pub near to where he is staying and is not long arrested for the bomb along with his friends and family including his father.

From there we are taken into this grieving story of strength, hope, tragedy and family. The story between father and son in jail is more touching and compelling than any love story you will ever see because these two men who have never really seen eye to eye are forced to confront each other's feeling and face up to where they stand in the world. Also Pete Postlewaite reminds me of my own father and my grandfather and yours two. He plays Giuseppe so well so would have thought he was the old guy living next door to you or the man you look up to as a father and spend time with as a granddad. What you have to remind yourself is that the movie is a true story of the Guilford Bombing and the men who paid the price for it. Whether or not you believe Gerry and Giuseppe were guilty of the Guilford Bomb is not the case in the film as it's more about the characters and there trials and tribulations.

One film that will always be remembered in my mind about making a difference with your life not matter where you are in the world.