THE GENERAL
Ireland, 1998, 124 minutes, Black and white.
Brendan Gleeson, Adrian Dunbar, Sean Mc Ginley, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Angeline Ball, Jon Voight.
Directed by John Boorman.
The General received great acclaim on its release in 1998, winning John Boorman the best director award at the Cannes film festival.
The film is the story of Martin Cahill, who grew up in the Dublin slums and became the head of a gangster organisation. He was assassinated allegedly by IRA members. A fictionalised version of his story appeared in Ordinary Decent Criminal with Kevin Spacey as the Martin Cahill figure.
John Boorman had a very successful career in the United States as well as in England and Ireland. He made a great impact in 1967 with Point Blank as well as in 1972 with Deliverance. He also made an autobiographical story, Hope and Glory, in 1987.
Brendan Gleeson is a strong presence on screen and is very powerful in his portrayal of Martin Cahill. Maria Doyle Kennedy portrays his wife and Angeline Ball her sister, and shows his involvement with both sisters. His associates in the gang are played by Adrian Dunbar and Sean McGinley?. Jon Voight, with an Irish accent, portrays an inspector who was on the trail of Martin Cahill.
The film recreates life in Dublin in the 1970s and 80s. The film also shows in some detail an elaborate robbery of a jewel company as well as the stealing of paintings from an art gallery.
The film is an interesting look into the Irish character, its anti-authoritarian stances, the change in atmosphere after the Troubles, the independence of Ireland itself, but its being caught up in the gang warfare with the IRA. Two other films portray issues at the time, from a journalist’s point of view: When the Sky Falls with Joan Allen in a fictionalised version of the life of Veronica Guerin as well as the film Veronica Guerin with Cate Blanchett.
1.The impact of the film? Its awards? For an Irish audience? For insight into Ireland? For a worldwide audience?
2.John Boorman’s work, his sensibility for the Irish issues? Sensitivity?
3.The use of black and white photography, its comment on the characters and plot? The naturalistic style of filming? Editing and pace? The musical score?
4.The opening, the assassination of Martin Cahill, sitting in his car, the killer coming, shooting? The focus on Cahill in the car, the flashbacks? The return to this sequence at the end? Audience understanding of Martin Cahill?
5.The glimpses of his childhood, the neighbourhood in which he grew up, his family life, stealing, bringing goods home, pursued by the police, his outwitting them? His brother, the young girl and giving her the bun? At school? The brothers and the beatings? His attitude towards the church? The effect of his upbringing on him?
6.The Irish background, antiauthoritarian, the place of the church, anti-church? The poor and the experience of oppression? The motivation to rise above this, to have means, wealth? Cahill’s motivation?
7.The adult Cahill, Brendan Gleeson’s presence and performance? Seen with his family, his relationship with his wife, her sister? The east with which the two women related to him? Seeing him at home, urged to go to the other sister? The later taunts, especially from journalists? His children? The scenes towards the end with his son? The people who stood by him – and their grief at his death?
8.Cahill’s sense of privacy, concealing his face? Avoiding the media? His interaction with the police, with journalists? Yet enjoying his reputation? His title of the General? The significance of the scene in the tent, squatting on the ground, the developments and building, the police confrontation, the priest and the mayor? His finally moving to a different suburb?
9.Inspector Kenny, the role of the police, Kenny and his career, on the beat, his detective work, the various confrontations with Cahill? The capture, the interrogation, Cahill provoking him and Kenny losing his temper? Being reduced to the level of Cahill? Cahill’s death – and his response, satisfaction, regrets?
10.The portrait of the gang, their work, their loyalties? Cahill as General? The petty crime, the robberies, the camaraderie, meeting at the bar, at the poolroom?
11.The various characters? Noel Curley, assistant to Cahill? His loyalty, his visiting the gallery, participation in the crimes, interviews? The police? His becoming weary? Spending time in jail? Gary, more flamboyant, his home life? Gary and his work, taken, tortured? His behaviour towards his daughter? The sex scandal? His explanations, Cahill confronting him? His giving Cahill up?
12.The young drug addict, his loyalty, Cahill nailing his hand, his not revealing any information, Cahill forgiving him, taking him to the doctor? His later presence and loyalty, not giving information to the police?
13.The talks with the IRA, wanting the cut from the robbery, the drugs issue, Cahill’s reaction, the hostility – and the assassination?
14.The robbery at the jeweller’s, the planning, the crew, the preparations, the detail of the robbery, the workers waiting outside, the police, the cars, the getaway?
15.The paintings, the visit to the gallery, Noel’s reaction, Gary’s reaction? The response to the different paintings? The alarm, the false alarm, the return, taking the paintings, hiding them? Cahill and his going to the police station, encountering Kenny? His alibi? The return to get the paintings? Selling them to the opposition? To buy arms from South Africa?
16.Cahill as a person, genial, wanting to prove himself, the leader, relationships? Callous, moral stances?
17.The return to the assassination, audience attitude towards Cahill, the portrait of a criminal?
