Bloody Sunday (2002)

A dramatization of the Irish civil rights protest march and subsequent massacre by British troops on January 30, 1972.

Director:

Paul Greengrass

Writer:

Paul Greengrass

Stars:

James Nesbitt, Tim Pigott-Smith, Nicholas Farrell

19 wins & 21 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Nesbitt	...	Ivan Cooper
Allan Gildea	...	Kevin McCorry
Gerard Crossan	...	Eamonn McCann
Mary Moulds	...	Bernadette Devlin
Carmel McCallion	...	Bridget Bond (as Carmel Mccallion)
Tim Pigott-Smith	...	Maj. Gen. Ford
Nicholas Farrell	...	Brig. Maclellan
Christopher Villiers	...	Maj. Steele (as Chris Villiers)
James Hewitt	...	Col. Tugwell
Declan Duddy	...	Gerry Donaghy
Edel Frazer	...	Gerry's Girl
Joanne Lindsay	...	Mary Donaghy
Mike Edwards	...	Soldier 027
Gerry Hammond	...	Para F
Jason Stammers	...	Para G

Storyline

Documentary-style drama showing the events that led up to the tragic incident on January 30, 1972 in the Northern Ireland town of Derry when a protest march led by civil rights activist Ivan Cooper was fired upon by British troops, killing 13 protesters and wounding 14 more.

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Plot Keywords:

belfast northern ireland | political rally | riot | irish republican army | protest march | 

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Genres:

Drama | History | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and language

Details

Country:

UK Ireland

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 April 2002 (Portugal)

Also Known As:

Domingo Sangrento

Filming Locations:

Ballymun, Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland

Box Office

Budget:

£2,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$29,419, 6 October 2002, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$768,045, 19 January 2003

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bórd Scannán na hÉireann,Granada Television,Hell's Kitchen Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Three days after this movie's UK television broadcast, Sunday (2002) aired on TV, which chronicled the same event from an alternate perspective.

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Goofs

Major Steel has the shoulder epaulet of a lieutenant colonel (a crown above a pip) not a major, (just a crown).

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Quotes

Chief Supt. Lagan: You call that minimum force?

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Crazy Credits

Near the end of the end credits, the names of the dead and wounded of Bloody Sunday are listed.

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Connections

References The Magnificent Seven (1960)

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Soundtracks

Sunday Bloody Sunday
Performed by U2
Written by U2
Published by Universal Music Publishing International BV
Except:
Blue Mountain Music LTD (UK), Mother Music (Ireland)
Courtesy of Universal Island Records LTD

User Reviews

"Authentic, truthful and reverent..."

English screenwriter, producer and director Paul Greengrass' television film which he wrote, is inspired by a novel called "Eyewitness Bloody Sunday" from 1997 by Irish author Don Mullan and real events which took place on the 30th of January in 1972 in Derry, Northern Ireland. It premiered at the 18th Sundance Film Festival in 2002, was screened In competition at the 52nd Berlin International Film Festival in 2002, was shot on locations in Derry and Dublin in Ireland and is an Ireland- UK co-production which was produced by British producer Mark Redhead. It tells the story about an Irish nationalist and politician named Ivan Cooper and his fellow members of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association who on one Sunday in January 1972 began walking a peaceful march through the streets of Derry, Northern Ireland to demonstrate against internment without a trial, the suppression Catholics had suffered from Protestants, to end unionist rule and for equality. And the story of the members of the British Army whom the Commander of Land Forces in Northern Ireland had requested.

Distinctly and engagingly directed by European filmmaker Paul Greengrass, this finely paced and somewhat fictional tale which is narrated from multiple viewpoints though mostly from the main character's point of view, draws a conscientious portrayal of a non-violent political demonstration, banned by the government of Northern Ireland, for social justice which escalated into an uncivilized riot where rocks and bricks were answered with live rounds. While notable for its distinctly naturalistic milieu depictions and use of sound, this narrative-driven story about a late 20th century conflict which happened four decades ago during the Troubles in Northern Ireland in the early 1970s where the constitutional status of Northern Ireland was, and still is, a matter of contradictory views between the Catholic community who thinks that their country should become part of a United Ireland and leave the United Kingdom and the Protestant community who thinks that their country should remain within the United Kingdom, objectively examines how events occurred during a winter day when the city of Londonderry was crowded by Irish civil rights campaigners, hooligans, civilian observers, members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, the press and a British battalion who was there to make necessary arrests.

This sociological, conversational and important reconstruction and retelling of a politically instigated historic event and unjustifiable massacre which ended with fourteen male citizens, many of them seventeen-year-old boys, losing their lives, soldiers of The First Battalion, Parachute Regiment being decorated by Queen Elizabeth II of England, an increasing amount of young men joining the paramilitary organization called the IRA and the families of those who were killed getting an official apology from the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron thirty-eight years later, is impelled and reinforced by its cogent narrative structure, interrelated viewpoints, vital atmosphere, timely and distinct editing by British film editor Clare Douglas and the prominent acting performance by Irish television and film actor James Nesbitt. An authentic, truthful and reverent documentary drama from the early 2000s which gained, among numerous other awards, the Golden Bear tied with Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki's "Spirited Away" (2001) at the 52nd Berlin Film Festival in 2002.