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

Fifty Dead Men Walking

  • 20082008
  • RR
  • 1h 57m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
11K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
28,631
4,700
Rose McGowan, Ben Kingsley, and Jim Sturgess in Fifty Dead Men Walking (2008)
An action-thriller story centered on a secret agent working undercover for British security services in Northern Ireland in the late eighties.
Play trailer1:38
3 Videos
7 Photos
CrimeDramaThriller
Martin McGartland joins the I.R.A. and feeds information to Britain's Special Branch Agent Fergus.Martin McGartland joins the I.R.A. and feeds information to Britain's Special Branch Agent Fergus.Martin McGartland joins the I.R.A. and feeds information to Britain's Special Branch Agent Fergus.
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
11K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
28,631
4,700
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Kari Skogland
    • Writers
      • Martin McGartland(inspired by the book "Fifty Dead Man Walking")
      • Nicholas Davies(inspired by the book "Fifty Dead Man Walking")
      • Kari Skogland
    • Stars
      • Ben Kingsley
      • Jim Sturgess
      • Kevin Zegers
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Kari Skogland
    • Writers
      • Martin McGartland(inspired by the book "Fifty Dead Man Walking")
      • Nicholas Davies(inspired by the book "Fifty Dead Man Walking")
      • Kari Skogland
    • Stars
      • Ben Kingsley
      • Jim Sturgess
      • Kevin Zegers
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 45User reviews
    • 71Critic reviews
    • 57Metascore
    • Awards
      • 7 wins & 6 nominations

    Videos3

    Fifty Dead Men Walking
    Trailer 1:38
    Fifty Dead Men Walking
    UK Trailer
    Trailer 1:38
    UK Trailer
    Fifty Dead Men Walking
    Trailer 1:44
    Fifty Dead Men Walking

    Photos7

    Fifty Dead Men Walking (2008)
    Rose McGowan and Ben Kingsley in Fifty Dead Men Walking (2008)
    Fifty Dead Men Walking (2008)
    Fifty Dead Men Walking (2008)
    Jim Sturgess in Fifty Dead Men Walking (2008)
    Jim Sturgess in Fifty Dead Men Walking (2008)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ben Kingsley
    Ben Kingsley
    • Fergus
    Jim Sturgess
    Jim Sturgess
    • Martin
    Kevin Zegers
    Kevin Zegers
    • Sean
    Natalie Press
    Natalie Press
    • Lara
    Rose McGowan
    Rose McGowan
    • Grace
    Tom Collins
    • Mickey
    William Houston
    William Houston
    • Ray
    Michael McElhatton
    Michael McElhatton
    • Robbie
    Laura Hughes
    • Mary
    Gerard Jordan
    Gerard Jordan
    • Kieran
    David Pearse
    David Pearse
    • Donovan
    Joe Doyle
    • Quinn
    Conor MacNeill
    Conor MacNeill
    • Frankie
    • (as Connor McNeill)
    Evan Harte
    • Little Patrick
    • (as Evan)
    Oscar Harte
    • Little Patrick
    Ciaran Nolan
    • Connie
    Ali White
    • Lara's Mother
    Frankie McCafferty
    Frankie McCafferty
    • Paddy
    • Director
      • Kari Skogland
    • Writers
      • Martin McGartland(inspired by the book "Fifty Dead Man Walking")
      • Nicholas Davies(inspired by the book "Fifty Dead Man Walking")
      • Kari Skogland
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    A Sense of Freedom
    6.9
    A Sense of Freedom
    Heartless
    5.9
    Heartless
    Bloody Sunday
    7.6
    Bloody Sunday
    Five Minutes of Heaven
    6.6
    Five Minutes of Heaven
    The Wee Man
    6.0
    The Wee Man
    The Stone Angel
    6.1
    The Stone Angel
    Ashes
    5.5
    Ashes
    Essex Boys
    6.1
    Essex Boys
    Black Oasis
    I.D.
    7.3
    I.D.
    The General
    7.2
    The General
    One Eight Seven
    6.6
    One Eight Seven

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      All entries contain spoilers
    • Goofs
      (at around 1h 40 mins) You can clearly see an poster ad for iPhone when they are driving. iPhones were not around at the time the movie is set.
    • Quotes

      Fergus: It's harder to live for your country than to die for it.

    • Connections
      References Sesame Street (1969)
    • Soundtracks
      Alternative Ulster
      Written by John Burns (as Burns), Gordon Ogilvie (as Ogilvie)

      Performed by Stiff Little Fingers

      Complete Music/Universam Music MGB Ltd.

      Courtesy of EMI Records Ltd.

    User reviews45

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Fantastic piece of British cinema...but not to be taken as a history lesson by any means.
    Set in 1980s Belfast, when the Troubles were devastating Northern Ireland; this is the story of 22 year-old Martin McGartland (Sturgess) who, in real life, became involved implicitly with both sides of the conflict. The film details how he worked firstly for the IRA and was subsequently sought after and enlisted by the British police as a spy; leading him to live a perilous double-life. The title (taken from McGartland's book) refers to the number of people he believes he saved whilst working undercover.

    The film begins by establishing him as an ordinary young man growing up within the bleak setting of West Belfast during that time, making very little money by selling knock-off goods door-to-door. He is mostly concerned with making enough money to impress his love-interest, Lara (Press); but he is also an Irish Catholic, who vehemently opposes the British occupation of the country and believes in the cause of a united Ireland. However, when he begins to work for the IRA, he becomes a first-hand witness to some of the atrocities committed by them and begins to have doubts about his political standpoint. Meanwhile, a member of Special Branch, Fergus (Kingsley), wants him to become an informant on IRA activities. Initial attempts to recruit him are useless, but McGartland eventually accepts the proposition; the violence he had witnessed still being fresh in his mind, along with the offer of a substantial sum of money in return for his work. The remainder of the film is a tense and gripping set of events, all the while focusing on McGartland's inner conflict. He is portrayed as a confused young man, exploited by both sides and absorbed completely by the two equally tormenting responsibilities which he cannot escape: on one hand, he is betraying the cause which his ancestors had given their lives to for centuries – his long-standing belief of freedom for his country; but on the other hand he is stopping the all-too-real violence he encounters on a day-to-day basis which, no matter what history has taught him, he cannot find justification for.

    Although there are films which handle this subject matter far better, I feel that Fifty Dead Men Walking must be praised for the social realism and consistently gripping drama that is conveyed from the outset through the locations used, the cinematography and the outstanding performances given by the main cast. Sturgess captures the complexity of McGartland's character and, considering how difficult it must be to imitate a West Belfast accent, he and Press do a convincing job. I was compelled to watch the film from start to finish and credit is duly given for this being a fantastic piece of British cinema.

    There are also, of course, the (dubious) factual elements associated with the film. It was filmed at the very location where these events were taking place little more than twenty years ago, which adds to the sheer tension felt throughout. The film is highly emotive and deals with controversial issues that have been highlighted again recently, where a dissident group, the "Continuity IRA", has claimed responsibility for the murder of a policeman. The film will resonate with people on many levels. It is true that there are overwhelming accounts of horrific violence from the Irish Republican Army (a small part of which are shown graphically in the film), yet there are many discrepancies in the film and viewers may not know the vast complicated past associated with the Troubles and so, we are presented with yet another media representation of one side of the fierce conflict in which, truthfully, equal acts of brutality have been committed on both sides throughout history. Ultimately, I would urge people to watch the film for its brilliant script, performances and drama; but not to take it as a lesson in Irish history by any means. If anything, whilst much hostility still exists today between some Nationalists and Unionists, the film succeeds in demonstrating the futility of such violence after hundreds of years of warfare and above all else, the overriding desire for peace from those people who have had to live amongst the fighting and still live with the concern that it may one day return.
    helpful•62
    15
    • sweet_lady_genevieve
    • Mar 28, 2009

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 21, 2009 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • Canada
    • Official sites
      • Official site
      • Official soundtrack site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • 50 Dead Men Walking
    • Filming locations
      • Ardglass, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK
    • Production companies
      • Handmade International
      • Future Films
      • Brightlight Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • £6,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $812,872
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 57 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Rose McGowan, Ben Kingsley, and Jim Sturgess in Fifty Dead Men Walking (2008)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Fifty Dead Men Walking (2008) 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
    These Stars Are on the Rise
    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.