Agnes Browne (1999)

The unexpected death of her husband sends a woman and her seven children, ages 2-14, into emotional turmoil and financial crisis in 1967 Dublin. She is forced to borrow money from a ... See full summary »

Director:

Anjelica Huston

Writers:

Brendan O'Carroll (novel), John Goldsmith (screenplay)

Stars:

Anjelica Huston, Marion O'Dwyer, Niall O'Shea

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Anjelica Huston	...	Agnes Browne
Marion O'Dwyer	...	Marion Monks
Niall O'Shea	...	Mark Browne
Ciaran Owens	...	Frankie Browne
Roxanna Nic Liam	...	Cathy Browne (as Roxanna Williams)
Carl Power	...	Simon Browne
Mark Power	...	Dermot Browne
Gareth O'Connor	...	Rory Browne
James Lappin	...	Trevor Browne
Ray Winstone	...	Mr. Billy
Arno Chevrier	...	Pierre
Gerard McSorley	...	Mr. Aherne
Tom Jones	...	Himself
June Rodgers	...	Fat Annie
Jennifer Gibney	...	Winnie the Mackerel

Storyline

The unexpected death of her husband sends a woman and her seven children, ages 2-14, into emotional turmoil and financial crisis in 1967 Dublin. She is forced to borrow money from a ruthless loan shark to make ends meet. She faces her dismal existence by selling fruits and vegetables at an open air market where she spends time with a best friend who gives her encouragement. Wishing to escape her existence, if only for a short time, she dreams of finding enough money to attend an upcoming Tom Jones concert. She realizes her dream by accepting her first date with a French baker. Her kids pool their money so she can buy a new dress. Of course, eventually the family has to face the loan shark, but this is a movie where obstacles are maybe too easily overcome.

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Plot Keywords:

money | dream | loan | loan shark | dress | 

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Taglines:

When Agnes Browne's husband died, she discovered something amazing... Herself.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Country:

USA Ireland

Language:

English French

Release Date:

3 March 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Mammy

Filming Locations:

Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,322, 5 December 1999, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$140,426, 19 March 2000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hell's Kitchen Films,Hell's Kitchen Films,October Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

There is ongoing confusion about the number of children Mrs Agnes Brown/Browne has/had. It really depends on which version you see/read.

In the original RTE Radio version show "Mrs Browne's Boys" (brown with an e) the fifth son is/was Simon, so far unseen in the first 3 series of the 2011 BBC/RTE TV version, had a stutter/stammer. Simon is Rory's twin. [That's 6 kids] This was a more serious radio drama version with the character Pierre/"Fluffy".

Then that radio show story was recycled into the 4 mid-1990s books, "The Mammy", "The Chiseller", "The Granny" & "Sparrow's Trap", and the spin-off "Agnes Browne" movie. Confusingly in that movie there were 7 children - "Frankie" was an additional son. Pierre appeared in this version.

Note - The e was dropped from Browne around this period in the late 90s.

A re-boot of the radio series & books became a stage-show version series, which in turn spawned the 7 part DVD series. Simon was explained away in one of the 7 edition Straight to DVD Series as working nights in a hospital. Frankie has not been included in this version. Known on IMDb as "Mrs Brown's Boys: The Original Series". Originally pretty much self-published for Ireland only, Universal are licensing them.

That version was then re-booted again into the BBC/RTE/Bocpix version. So, what happened to Simon, and Frankie, depends on which version of Mrs B's Boys you watch/read...

In order of versions: The original RTE Radio Show, the 4 novel books, "Agnes Browne" (Angelica Huston film), the stage shows, the Straight to DVD series, the BBC/RTE TV Series, D'Movie.

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Goofs

The movie is set in 1967 but the car that Tom Jones uses at the end of the movie to visit Agnes is a 1971 Lincoln Continental.

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Quotes

Marion Monks: We're here for a good time, not a long time. And having a friend like you is as good as it gets.

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Connections

Followed by Mrs. Brown's Boys (2011)

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Soundtracks

My Bonnie
Traditional
Written by H.J. Fuller
Arrangement by Paddy Moloney, Laura Smith
Performed by Laura Smith

User Reviews

Poetry, compared to other recent movies about working-class women in Ireland

This is an excellent picture of the life of working-class women on the housing estates ('projects' to Americans,probably as true now as in the 'sixties, as well as being a very good movie for women actors. The men are cyphers but the women and children are real enough. The colour is almost real (compared to Angela's Ashes), the dialogue believable, the dress and make-up accurate, in fact the design of the whole piece is convincing and satisfying visually and its sentimentality is not so sweet as to stick to back of the teeth. Anjelica Huston is unselfish. I have my doubts about Tom Jones' scenes at the end, but nothing's perfect. I find it growing on me as I look back on it.