MY LEFT FOOT

Ireland, 1989, 103 minutes, Colour.
Daniel Day Lewis, Brenda Fricker, Ray Mc Annally, Fiona Shaw, Cyril Cusack, Hugh O’ Conor.
Directed by Jim Sheridan.

My Left Foot is fine film making. It is the story of Irish artist and writer Christy Brown, born of a poor and large Dublin family, with severe Cerebral Palsy. Full of feeling and sentiment (but not sentimental), the film shows Christy's tough growing up (with young Hugh O'Conor of Lamb, wonderful and persuasive as a Palsy sufferer), despite the life of his family, his discovery (and his family's) of his intelligence and his creativity.

Daniel Day Lewis (My Brilliant Laundrette, Room with a View, Ultimate Likeness of Being) is superb as the adult Christy and won an Oscar for his performance. Ray Mc Annaly ( The Mission, A Very British Coup) and Brenda Fricker (also an Oscar winner) are excellent as his parents. The screenplay does not glamorise the suffering and depression nor gloss over the physical and emotional difficulties. Lewis lived the part while filming and gives an extraordinary, award winning performance. The screenplay was co-written by the director, Jim Sheridan.

1. The acclaim of the film, awards and nominations? Deserved popularity?

2. The true story, the information given, audiences identifying with Christy Brown? The information about his marriage? The withholding of information about his death in
1981?

3. The Irish background, the presentation of Dublin, the 30s to the 50s, the worlds of Dublin? Irish landscapes?

4. The structure of the film: the opening benefit, the introduction to Christy, the framework of his being with Mary, the flashbacks, the change of moods, Mary's reading his book, the musical score?

5. Daniel Day Lewis and Hugh O'Conor and the quality of their performances, realism, audience response?

6. The introduction to Christy, the left foot, putting on the record, getting dressed and going out, his face, way of speaking? The benefit, his reaction? Meeting the Earl? His humble abode? Relationship with Eileen? introduction to Mary, interaction with her, his behaviour?

7. Mary and Christy, talk, her care, verbal fencing, Mary's ordinariness, reading the book and being interested, Christy asleep, the cigarettes, drinking the whisky? Talking, his inquisitiveness, the request for the date? Mary reading and understanding? Her hesitation, the clash, her return, the car. going out, toasting Ireland on the hilltop, literally Ireland? The marriage? The Brown's, the Irish heritage, the large family, the mother being pregnant, the poverty, Paddy at the hospital, the Cerebral Palsy, the question about the institution, butting the head of the fellow drinker? The background of the Irish families?

9. Ma and Christy, her talking to him, feeding him, pitying him, response to the palsy, watching him, his attachment to her? Pregnant, her collapse, Christy and his getting her down the stairs and kicking the door, the reaction of the neighbours, minding him, teaching him the alphabet? Their pity, thinking that he was not full-witted? The cart, the brothers playing with him in the street? The visit of the priest, first communion or not, the talk about Hell? The candles on All Souls day and the souls going to Heaven? The Halloween masks? Listening to the children doing their homework, a quarter of twenty five percent? With the chalk in his foot writing on sixteenth? The family not understanding? Laborious effort to write 'mother', the response of the family, his father's joy, going down to the pub? A growth in understanding and intelligence?

10. Age 17, the party, the candles? His age and experience, playing ball and soccer, the cold and the rubbing of the coal, the money up the chimney and the coal burning? The poverty, the eating porridge, making the family laugh? His bond with his sister her going out, watching her with her boyfriend, the pregnancy, his father's anger, his seeing this as hell, his paintings, anger and threatening to kill his father? The cold room, all the boys in the one bed? Rachel, the game of spin the bottle, the painting for Rachel, the kiss, her returning the painting? Angers and the feelings of hell?

11. Ma and her saving the money for the chair, the meeting with Eileen, Eileen's visit, the quotation about hope, empathy between the two, the ambulance to the institution, the therapy, wanting to go home, sulking, doing his work at home, physiotherapy, better movement, cure and pronunciation, Shakespeare and the Hamlet analysis? In love with Eileen? His moods, the favour for the gallery, the paintings, being up all night, the Gallery opening, his response to the speeches, going with Eileen, the meal declaration of love, anger, drinking, wanting to slit his wrists, unable to, the hangover?

12. His sulking, his Mother's reaction, deciding to make the room, mixing the cement, the building, his father and his brothers and their achievement, letting the father win? The closest that his father would come to saying that he loved his son? His father's collapse, opening the door? The break, the fight in the pub, the decision to write the book, the money and the joke about the ice cream and the joy of the family with Mother having the money?

13. The meeting with Eileen, the reconciliation, the benefit, his shyness and awkwardness his going, Eileen and her support?

14. The character of Ma, the Irish mother, pregnant, the eyes, strong, practical? Her sensitivity, her fears, saving the money for the chair? The All Souls feast and the candles, the coal and her not allowing ?it to be burnt? Her relationship with her husband, the sadness of his death, vindicated at the benefit?


15. The portrait of the Irish father, the builder, tough, putty inside, drinking, his pride, getting the sack, not wanting to be questioned in front of the children, his attitude towards Christy, how proud of his son, his angers and telling his son to shut up, tickling his son, his awkwardness at the exhibition, building the house, a sign of love?

16. The sketches of the brothers, their relationship? with Christy, their place in the house, growing up, courtship? His sister, going out, her pregnancy, the family, the photos, at the wake? The sketch of the friends and neighbours? The children? The background for Christy’s personal development?

17. Eileen, her skills, enjoying her work, helping, her love for Christy, Peter, the Gallery, the embarrassment of the party, the aftermath and the reconciliation, Peter and his support of Christy, the awkwardness of the dinner, their guests and the embarrassment, the drinking?

18. The lord, his wealth, supporting charitable causes, his speech and his reading Christy's works?

19. Christy Brown's achievement, as a role model for those who suffer, a humane portrait.