HIGH BOOT BENNY

Ireland, 1994, 78 minutes, Colour.
Marc O'Shea, Frances Tomelty.
Directed by Joe Commerford.

High Boot Benny is an Irish film about the relationships between north and south. Filmed in Donegal, on the border, it focuses on a school for Protestants run by a matron and a former priest. Benny is a young teenager, seemingly an orphan, who studies at the school but gets into trouble, with the local authorities and with the army from the north. The film is a portrait of the harsh life in this town, the children at the school, the parish priest, the army, traitors and informers, the continual violence and death. The film focuses on people, the background of the troubles, the role of the church.

1.A portrait of Ireland and its struggles in the '90s, the story, the emotions, the characters, understanding the way of life, the clashes, the politics, the human consequences?

2.The Donegal locations, the town, the sea, the cliffs? The fort and the explanation of its history? The harsh school? The troubles continuing in the late 20th century? The score, songs?

3.The focus on Benny, on Manley and the matron, political stances? Benny as an adolescent, his punk appearance and style, not growing up, looking after the animals, clashes with the children, infatuation with the matron, trouble with the military? The finale and his going with the IRA?

4.The picture of violence, Benny and the blood on the notice, discovering the dead caretaker? The emblems of blood, the rabbit, the caretaker, the death of Manley and Matron?

5.Benny as orphan, Manley having him in the school, the rabbits and the animals? The clashes with Dorothy and the Orphan? The petty behaviour, school, classes? The military and their threats and interrogation? Day-by-day life, the jobs? The clash with Dorothy and the Orphan, the information, his being tarred and feathered? Matron taking care of him? The final night, in Matron's bed, the sexual experience, going out, observing, saving himself? His future?

6.The school and the point of the Protestant children in the Catholic area? Matron and her motives, trying to educate the children? The daily routines, the attitude of their children, their mucking around? With the priest's class? The games, their singing? The personalities of the children, with Manley and with Matron?

7.Manley and his past, the priest, with the American Indians, sexuality, leaving the priesthood, returning home, working in the school, the affair with Matron, teaching history? His personal dilemmas, the information about the dead caretaker, with Matron, his dying - and singing?

8.The parish priest and his attitudes, conducting the funerals, giving the class?

9.The children, their future? Dorothy, the blood for the soldiers, the Orphan, the information, helping Benny when he was tarred and feathered, leaving, with the IRA group? Wounding Benny so that he wouldn't tell about her in class?

10.The background of Irish history, hatred, the decades and centuries? The army, the IRA - and the Irish future?