DA

US, 1988, 102 minutes, Colour.
Barnard Hughes, Martin Sheen, William Hickey, Hugh O'Conor.
Directed by Matt Clark.

Da is Barnard Hughes as the strong, weak, endearing, cantankerous old Irish dad. Playwright Hugh Leonard has adapted his autobiographical drama for the screen with Hughes repeating his Tony-winning performance. It has been beautifully filmed in Ireland. In fact, in the town and house where the events occurred.

Martin Sheen is the playwright who returns from the U.S. for his Da's funeral. He reminisces, talking, arguing, and comes to terms with his understanding of and love for his father who appears round the house and town. He is also able to see his younger self.

This might make the film sound more sombre than it actually is. Rather, it is full of sentiment, humour, wisdom and the atmosphere of Ireland.

1. The appeal of the film? Portrait of human beings? Irish atmosphere and Irish individuals? Universal appeal?

2. The work of Hugh Leonard, autobiographical play, adapting it for the screen, the feeling within it?

3. The Irish settings and their authenticity, the town, the house, the sea? Past and present? Visual impact, moods? The musical score?

4. The use of language, the Irish lilt of the English, idiomatic expressions and metaphors? Language and character?

5. The structure of the film: Charlie, his nervousness, the play, his family, the phone call?

6. The build-up to the funeral, the feeling at the funeral, memories of Da, the mourners, the range of comments - feeling, irony?

7. Charlie and the effect of going back to Ireland, the funeral? His dialogue? Da appearing in the house? Their talking and arguing together, the quality of their relationship, love and dislike, hard and soft, proud, profane, religious themes, the house in the street, the park, the coast and the view, the wharf, the girl? Their sharing places?

8. Past times: Charlie seeing his younger self, 18 and later, dialoguing with himself and the revelation about his youth, changes, his career? His expressions of hopes, sexual relationships, friends, working for
Mr Drum, his working and drudgery?

9. Da and Mother, the loving relationship, tough? Religion? Her story of his courting her and marrying her, the arranged marriage? His memory, the proposal to her father? The adoption? The harshness of Da, the dog and the barking, taking the dog to be drowned? The scene with the girl, sex, seeing her as a person? Oliver and friendships? Past and present? Mr Drum, the arranging of the job? Becoming his protege? The avoiding in the street? Leaving for marriage?

10. Barnard Hughes as Da: in himself, work, poor, ignorant, bullied, pigheaded, his sympathetic words for Hitler, religious attitudes, his ageing, senility, money?

11. Mr Drum and the interview, the Nazi sentiments, taking Charlie to work, the job, his being hurt, respects and the money, the legacy?

12. The sketch of the girl, Oliver and the cafe boards?

13. Charlie and his experience in Ireland, going back over the past, facing his father, freedom?

14. The United States and Da in the United States? The contrast of the American culture and the Irish?

15. Local colour, comic highlights, the detail in the characterisations? The Irish tone yet the universal themes?