HENNESSY

UK, 1975, 104 minutes, Colour.
Rod Steiger, Lee Remick, Richard Johnson, Trevor Howard, Eric Porter.
Directed by Don Sharp.

An effective thriller always makes good entertainment. This one is quite satisfying. It takes the present Irish troubles as its setting, does not exploit them for cheap thrills or melodrama, but gives some insights into the feelings of the people involved. Rod Steiger is quite convincing as Hennessy, the loner determined to destroy as much as he can in retaliation for his own suffering. Richard Johnson matches him as a tough, gruff Scotland Yard investigator. Newsreel footage inside and outside the British Parliament is cunningly edited into the film, giving it a feel of authenticity. This is one of those films that one can readily recommend.

1. How successful a thriller? The film's use of suspense conventions? The focus on the person of Hennessy as centre for the themes?

2. The film's use of the 70's interest in Northern Ireland? In spectacular crime of the 70's? Did the film exploit this or use the backgrounds well? For something more than a thriller?

3. How adequately did the film present the sequences in Ireland? The Belfast riots, the people involved, ordinary work, the police, the provocation of the police? Hennessy's situation within this Ireland? The contrast with London? Way of life there, for example Kate? Scotland Yard and its personalities and quests? Parliament?

4. What was the impact emotionally of the Belfast sequence? Could audiences understand the right and wrong of Belfast? The violence? Death? Reprisals? The emotional overtones of the wake?

5. The presentation of the Irish: Toby and the IRA? The people at the wake? Hennessy and his family? Kate? The contacts and agents in London?

6. The initial presentation of Hennessy, family before violence? His refusal of Tobin? The impact of the death and his snapping? What happened to him after the death? His refusal of Tobin's protection?

7. How plausible was Hennessy's plan? His violence? Escape to London? Eluding Tobin's men by killing them? Using Kate? Getting the gelignite? Studying Burgess? Taking his place? The plan for as many deaths as possible? How did suspense mount on this issue throughout the film?

8. The character of Burgess and the detailed presentation of him speaking, his home life, the suspense of the phone call while Hennessy answered, the climax of Burgess-Hennessy? going to the parliament? The anti-climax of his being stopped?

9. How important was it that the audience knew the details of the plot? Suspense? The atmosphere of reality by the use of newsreel material? What was real and what the drama edited in? How skilfully and plausibly?

10. The personality of Tobin, understanding the I.R.A. and its administration. Its goals and ruthlessness, its awareness of public opinion, its political role? Tobin and his control over this men? Working parallel to Scotland Yard? Trying to kill Hennessy?

11. Date and some sense of humanity? As an I.R.A. widow? Her work in London? Friendship with Hennessy? Allowing him to stay? Not knowing what was going on? Relenting and letting him escape? The suddenness and irony of her death? As a symbol of the victims of I.R.A. warfare?

12. The importance of Hollis? The Englishman, the tough professional, the importance of the flashbacks and his brutalisation in Ireland, his absorbing the violence? The tough policeman? Ordering Williams about? His ability to follow through. and his shrewdness? His pushiness with Rice? The achievement of discovering what Hennessy did? His involvement in the parliament? Hennessy's death? How rounded and credible a character was Hollis?

13. The contrast with Williams? Young, an assistant, heroic on the car? The irony that Williams dies?

14. Rice and his management of Scotland Yard? The political liaison? The protection of the Royal Family etc.?

15. The film's use of detail: its build-up of locations, pace, music, sense of realism? The emphasis on deaths and the people who died?

16. How valuable an insight into Ireland of the 70s and its feeling? For example Hennessy and Hollis watching the T.V. funeral? People's freedom? Heritage? Did the film offer any insight to solution?