VERONICA GUERIN
US/Ireland, 2003, 98 minutes, Colour.
Cate Blanchett, Gerard Mc Sorley, Brenda Fricker.
Directed by Joel Schumacher.
Immediately after making his small budget film about truth and lies, Phone Booth, Joel Schumacher went to Ireland to film this story about the courageous Dublin journalist, Veronica Guerin. From 1998 to 2003, several films were made about crime in Dublin. They include two films about Martin Cahill, 'The General', the assassinated crime boss of the city: John Boorman's The General with Brendan Gleason and Thadeus O'Sullivan's Ordinary Decent Criminal (a phrase which is used in this film) with Kevin Spacey. Veronica Guerin herself was portrayed by Joan Allen in John Mackenzie's 2000 feature, When the Sky Falls.
Investigative journalism is always an interesting theme for a movie. It implies risk-taking, even heroism, on the part of the journalist. It implies some corruption in society which is being covered up and needs exposing. It implies that audiences really want the truth to come to light and that society is the better for being honest.
Veronica Guerin was an energetic and dedicated journalist but felt that she was being confined to safe subjects. When she began work on the crime round and contacts gave her leads, she decided that this was the area she had to investigate. It meant going to the drug slums of the city, confronting criminals and writing hard-hitting exposes. She received threats, was shot and bashed. Eventually, she was shot while driving her car - and the film begins by letting audiences know that she had been murdered.
The city of Dublin itself becomes a character in the movie, beautiful aerial shots, much location action in both squalid areas and affluent homes and properties. Veronica Guerin is a Dublin woman and Cate Blanchett brings her vividly to life. A loving wife and caring mother, she nevertheless feels impelled to continue with her dangerous work. She sees it as a vocation. Brenda Fricker is her mother. Ciaran Hinds is John Traynor, her limelight seeking but treacherous informant and Gerard Mc Sorley is alarmingly sinister as John Gilligan who was imprisoned for his crimes.
1. Audience knowledge about Veronica Guerin, her life and work, her death? A particularly Irish story? A Dublin story? Impact for the Irish? For other audiences?
2. The spate of films in the 90s about Ireland, Dublin, drug-dealing in the city of Dublin, the campaign of the media, the work and death of Veronica Guerin?
3. Dublin city as a character in the film, the panoramas and views, the overview of the city, the slums and the drug-dealing areas, the brothels? The contrast with the more affluent homes, the country stud, the police stations, the offices of the Irish Independent? An authentic atmosphere?
4. The opening of the film with Veronica going to court, her strong personality, the issue of her driving licence and speeding? The judge and his response, the lawyers? Her getting a fine? Her joy, daring, driving the car again? The phone calls, indications of her relationships, dedication to her work? The suddenness of the motorbikes arriving and her being shot? The impact of her death at the beginning of the film? The film and the flashback to two years earlier? The final information about what happened to the various characters, especially the criminals?
5. The portrait of Veronica: as played by Cate Blanchett, Cate Blanchett's screen presence? Her age, poise, her tradition of work, her family, her general relationship with her husband, his patience and caring for their son, her love for her son? The domestic sequences and their peace - despite Veronica's consistent hard work? Her relationship with her mother, her mother being a strong woman? Her brother and his concern? The broader family, the sequences at home, meals, Christmas Eve? Veronica and her work at the paper, the range of articles, interviews with people like Bishop Casey? Her thinking her work didn't amount to much? Her interest in the crime beat, the effect of her research, her articles, the wide readership? The jealousy of the other journalists? The support of the editor? The risks? Her contact with John Traynor, his contacts, visits, information? His becoming a celebrity through her? Her visit to the drug area, the old house, the young kids, the discussion with the boy, the parents and their concern, going on the demonstrations, the drug peddlers watching? Her gathering of information, getting the truth, being misled? Her confronting Martin Cahill, then the massacre of Cahill and his gang? Monk Hutch and his being under suspicion, truth and lies? The discovery of John Gilligan, his being behind the scenes? At Martin Cahill's funeral, checking on the identities of who was there with her police friend? John and the phone call at the cemetery, his feeding her lies, blaming Hutch? Gilligan's threats, Christmas Eve, her working at home, the caller at the door, masked, shooting, wounding her only in the leg? Her going to hospital, her impatience in hospital? The police information, getting more about Gilligan? Interviewing John, his prostitute girlfriend and her indication of information? The visit to Gilligan's stud, his verbal and physical abuse, bashing her? The photos of her injuries, the discussion about suing? Her decision to go ahead despite the danger, going to court, the postponement and Gilligan's smug satisfaction? The growing danger, Gilligan's phone call and threats about kidnapping her son? Her discovering the truth about John Traynor, the girl indicating that he himself had ordered her shooting? John trying to mediate for Gilligan? The photo of John behind Gilligan? The articles, the anger of Gilligan and his gang, the decision that she should die, her being shot?
6. The aftermath of the shooting, the people on the highway rushing, the nurses from the hospital, the truck drivers? The information of how Irish people, especially Dubliners, were affected by her death and remember when they heard about it? The visualising of parliament, the changing of the law, the signing of law confiscating assets of suspected drug dealers? Her funeral, the Catholic background, the procession, the crucifix - and the indication of a parallel between Veronica Guerin, her work and her death, and the Crucifixion?
7. John Traynor, his position in the criminal world of Dublin, his contacts with Veronica, his vanity about appearing in the articles? Giving her true information, lies? His working for Gilligan, intervening for him? The issue of Cahill, his being known as the General, his seemingly being untouchable, the massacre of his gang? Putting suspicions on Monk? Gilligan's growing threats, threatening to shoot Traynor if information came out? Traynor and his relationship with the girl, her overhearing the truth, her indicating the truth to Veronica? Phone calls, the visits, the discussions at the seaside - with the journalist and his photo lens? Traynor and his escape and the difficulties of extraditing him back to Ireland?
8. Gilligan's hitmen, their bravado, their drugs, the behaviour at the funeral, mockery, their being arrested, the search of the criminal - a the irony that he was to be the shooter? Being on the payroll, their thinking they were above the law, the final decisions about who was to kill Veronica, the preparations, the bike, tailing the car, the phone calls indicating where she was, the actual murder?
9. The contrast with Monk, his role in the criminal world, robbery and not drugs, his direct dealing with Veronica, saying she'd be dead if he had shot her?
10. The police, Christopher and his support, giving her information, files, identifying people, research? The police and their inability to really confront the drug situation? The lack of political will?
11. Gilligan, behind the scenes, the explanation of his criminal career, getting out of prison, the link with Traynor, the control of drugs (and the visualising of his own use), wealthy, the stud, his wife? His brutality in running his gang, the stud? The staff at the stud and their fears? Veronica's visit, his bashing and abusing her? His using Traynor, the phone call and the threats, the threat of kidnap? In court, and the postponement of the case against him?
12. The Guerin family, the mother, the opening with the mass and her asking the priest for prayer? The effect of the violence and their fears, having to move the son to stay with his grandmother, scenes at home, the mother's support, the importance of Veronica's husband, his being the family carer? The impact of the news of her death on each member of the family hearing the news, especially her mother, her husband and son?
13. The courage of Veronica Guerin, some seeing her as a saint, others as naïve? Her coping with her fears, her poise and balance, the violence and her sense of vocation, her being shot, bashed, in hospital, yet continuing her crusade? The scene of her kicking the ball and her frustration yet her continuing?
14. The theme of one person having the courage of their convictions and being able to effect change - but at the cost of their life?
