THE JOURNEY
UK, 2016, 94 minutes, Colour.
Timothy Spall, Colm Meaney, Toby Stephens, Freddie Highmore, John Hurt, Catherine Mc Cormack, Ian Beatty, Mark Lambert.
Directed by Nick Hamm.
The Journey is a rather laid-back title for a very interesting film. The literal journey of the title is one from St Andrews in Scotland to Edinburgh airport. And those making the journey are the Rev Ian Paisley and Martin Mc Guinness.
The screenplay, by Colin Bateman, is conjecture. It is an attempt to dramatise the coming together of two arch enemies in Northern Ireland, the Ulster-based Ian Paisley, foe of Catholicism, supporter of the Britis,h and Martin Mc Guinness, head of the military arm of the IRA. In the consequences of the peace agreements of the late 1990s, government in Stormont was to be a collaboration between each side. The setting of this film is 2007, the peace talks in Scotland, Ian Paisley’s golden anniversary of his wedding and his wanting to get back to Belfast for the celebration. Weather is difficult. A private plane is found in Edinburgh but Paisley has to be taken their and Mc Guinness insists, against the will of Gerry Addams, and Tony Blair being wary, that he should travel with Paisley. The film shows what they might have talked about – and the eventual handshake in the agreement to shared government.
Timothy Spall can do all kinds of roles. He was sinister as David Irving. He was flamboyant has the painter, Turner. He has the mannerisms of Paisley and his staunch biblical stances – although the photos of the actual Paisley in the final credits show him to be capable of broader laughter than Timothy Spall manifests. Colm Meaney, fine Irish actor at home, in the UK and in the United States, has the less flamboyant role but is significant in his reaching out to the seemingly intransigent Paisley.
It is a pleasure to see Freddie Highmore in the role of the chauffeur who is a British agent as well as John Hurt as Harold Peterson, long-time adviser to the British government. Toby Stephens portrays Tony Blair. A number of other British advisors are present as well as the Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland, Bertie Ahern.
Strong dialogue, interesting political implications, some savage memories of past prejudice and brutality during the Troubles, the murders and bombings, amazement that reconciliation was possible and for some future collaboration in government.
Direction is by Nick Hamm, himself Northern Ireland, director of The Hole, The Godsend and a number of television series.
1. The screenplay of conjecture and imagination? The fact of the Peace Conference of 2007, Irish rule? Asking questions why and how?
2. The title, the plain title?
3. Scotland, St Andrews, the landscapes, the road, the sea, the forest? The interiors? The musical score?
4. The providing of historical information? The Troubles? The different sides, in Civil War? The brutal deaths, the horrors? The bigotry, religious motivations?
5. On the Protestant side, anti-papist, suspicious of Catholics, from the time of Cromwell? The background of the Tudors and the Protestant martyrs? Ireland, England, the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland? The Catholics, being oppressed, the Irish Republican Army and its traditions? War and killings?
6. Ian Paisley, his stances, staunch Protestant, Presbyterian, his political background in leadership? Anti-Catholic? The Pope as the antichrist? Strong preacher, reading the Scriptures, quoting the Scriptures? Not drinking, not dancing? Demonstrating outside the cinema with The Exorcist? His marriage, his son and his political presence, 50 years of marriage? Ready for peace? Timothy Spall’s performance?
7. Martin Mc Guinness, his age and experience, the IRA, command, the deaths and his responsibilities? The relationship with Gerry Addams? Anti-Protestant? The killings for over 40 years, the IRA, his regrets, the sad story about explaining deaths to his daughter? His move to politics? Colm Meaney and his performance?
8. St Andrews, Harry Patterson, his age and experience, advice, with Tony Blair? Knowing the protagonists well, his hopes? His supervising and surveillance in the car? His errors? The situation redeemed? Those assisting him?
9. The range of staff, the British, the rule of Tony Blair and the intervention about travel to the Jubilee? Ian Paisley Jr and his advice, his working with his father, even tying his shoelaces? Gerry Addams, his background, disagreeing with Mc Guinness about the trip? Bertie Ahern, representing the Irish Republic? Kate Elgar and her role in the diplomacy?
10. The driver, seeming to be innocent, his headphones, part of the surveillance, his eagerness, talk, his task, the talk about Samuel L Jackson? The suggestions for what he was to do, the security car following, leaving, the shortcut through the forest, the crash, fixing the car, calling at the service station, the bent credit card, Paisley paying? To the airport on time?
11. The situation, the weather, security, whether Mc Guinness should go, his argument, the fact?
12. The two passengers, the tentative aspect of being together, the mutual dislike, contact, the first word, Mc Guinness trying to borrow Paisley’s phone, refusal, his wife phoning? The words, the joke about plane biscuits, fearing that there was something wrong with the chauffeur?
13. The two reminiscing about the Troubles, the talks of the terror, the deaths, the politics? Paisley and his aggressive discussions? Mc Guinness and his profanity? Changing attitudes? Politeness or not? The petrol incident, Paisley on the card and cash, Mc Guinness not being given one, Paisley and his thundering sermon and the attendant typing in the numbers? The accident, in the woods, their walking, talking, not being heard? Situations of family, ordinary life in Ireland, finding the church, the discussion about the stained-glass windows and the martyrs, Paisley in the pulpit and the touch of the thunder in sermons? Being together, movement to change, letting go of the past, Mc Guinness refusing to apologise about his part in the Troubles? Shaking hands? On the surveillance screen? The British happy at what had been achieved?
14. The credits, the photos of the two, information about their working together? Images of friendship, Paisley and his laughter?
